In vitro fertilization (IVF) is one of many techniques available to help people with fertility problems have a baby. During IVF, an egg is removed from a woman’s ovaries and fertilized with sperm in a laboratory. The fertilized egg, called an embryo, is then returned to the woman’s uterus to grow and develop. It can be done using your own eggs and your partner’s sperm, or eggs and sperm from donors.

What happens during IVF?

IVF involves 6 main stages:

• Suppression of your natural cycle – your menstrual cycle is suppressed with medication by helping your ovaries produce extra eggs – the medication is used to encourage your ovaries to produce more than 1 egg at a time
• Monitoring your progress and maturation of your eggs – an ultrasound is performed to check the development of the eggs and medication is used to help them mature
• Egg retrieval – a needle is inserted through your vagina and into your ovaries to remove the eggs
• Fertilization of the eggs – the eggs are mixed with sperm for a few days so they can be fertilized
• Embryo transfer – 1 or 2 fertilized eggs (embryos) are placed into your uterus
• Once the embryo(s) are transferred to your uterus, you will need to wait 2 weeks before taking a pregnancy test to see if the treatment was successful.

Risks of IVF
IVF does not always lead to pregnancy and can be physically and emotionally demanding. You should be offered counselling to help you through the process.

There are also some health risks, such as:

• Side effects from medications used during treatment, such as hot flashes and headaches
• Multiple births (such as twins or triplets) – this can be dangerous for both the mother and the children
• An ectopic pregnancy – where the embryo implants in the fallopian tubes rather than the uterus
• Σύνδρομο υπερδιέγερσης ωοθηκών – όπου οι ωοθήκες αντιδρούν υπερβολικά στα φάρμακα που χρησιμοποιούνται κατά την εξωσωματική γονιμοποίηση

The PAP test, also called the Papanicolaou test, is a procedure to check for cervical pathology in women.

Laparoscopic surgery is a less invasive way of performing surgical procedures than traditional open techniques can offer.

BACTERIAL VAGINITAS: The female vagina is colonized by a multitude of microorganisms that are collectively called normal flora. The microorganisms called lactobacilli predominate. In bacterial vaginosis, lactobacilli decrease and the concentration of other microorganisms, mainly anaerobic, increases through an increase in the pH of the vagina. Anaerobes produce large amounts of enzymes, which are responsible for the substances that give a characteristic foul odor to vaginal fluids.

The mechanism by which this imbalance in vaginal microorganisms occurs, as well as the role of sexual activity, have not been fully elucidated. From these data, it is understood that bacterial vaginosis is not attributed to a single microorganism. However, it is a given that the frequency of bacterial vaginosis episodes increases with a change in sexual partner and is greater in women with multiple partners.

The best way to prevent bacterial vaginosis is not known. However, some recommendations can be made:

• Avoiding antiseptic vaginal douches. Some women try these douches to feel clean. The female vagina has the ability to maintain a healthy balance of microorganisms. Antiseptic douches can disrupt this balance and cause the opposite effect than desired.
• It has already been reported that women with multiple sexual partners are at higher risk of developing bacterial vaginosis, while it is known that bacterial vaginosis is associated with a higher rate of transmission of HIV, better known as the virus that causes AIDS.
• When taking treatment for bacterial vaginosis, the entire course of treatment should be completed, even if symptoms subside after a few doses.

For the treatment of bacterial vaginosis, there are preparations for oral or vaginal administration, which is preferred as oral administration has more systemic side effects. There is no need to treat the partner as well, as bacterial vaginosis is not a sexually transmitted disease.

Yeast Infection: It accounts for about 1/3 of all cases of vaginitis. A study of female students in the US showed that half of women will have at least one episode of yeast infection by the age of 25. 75% of women will have one episode by menopause, while 45% will have at least two episodes.

The classic picture includes itching (itching) and the presence of whitish fluids with the characteristic image of pieces of cheese. Predisposing factors are considered to be taking antibiotics, pregnancy, diabetes mellitus. And in this case we are not dealing with a sexually transmitted disease, as the mechanism of fungal infection is similar to that of bacterial vaginosis. Treatment by taking preparations from the vaginal tract is usually sufficient, while here too treatment of the sexual partner is not necessary.

There is a percentage of women who experience relapse after a short period of time. If the relapse episodes are more than three in a year (and according to other authors in a shorter period of time), then specific treatment is required and possibly also for the partner.

TRICHOMONADIA VAGINITIS: What differentiates this category from the other two is that it is caused by a specific microorganism called trichomonas, which is transmitted through sexual contact. Therefore, in this case, treatment of the sexual partner is also required. The diagnosis is made with the clinical picture and the presence of the microorganism in a direct preparation.

Στην διερεύνηση και αντιμετώπιση της υπογονιμότητας η αφετηρία μας είναι το ζευγάρι από κοινού.

How the examination is performed. After taking a medical history, the woman is placed in a gynecological position as during the examination.