IVF, ICSI, Embryo Transfer in Tbilisi, Georgia Atlas

IVF, ICSI, Embryo Transfer in Tbilisi Clinic Atlas, Georgia

IVF, ICSI, and ET are three terms patients encounter constantly while researching fertility treatment, and understanding how they relate to one another makes the entire process much easier to follow. At our clinic in Tbilisi, these aren't three separate treatments they're three stages of a single, connected journey toward pregnancy.

IVF: The Foundation of Treatment

In vitro fertilization (IVF) is the broader treatment process in which eggs are retrieved from the ovaries and fertilized with sperm outside the body, in a laboratory setting, rather than inside the uterus. IVF is recommended for a wide range of causes of infertility, including blocked or damaged fallopian tubes, ovulation disorders, endometriosis, unexplained infertility, and cases where other treatments haven't been successful.

The IVF process begins with ovarian stimulation, where the patient receives hormone injections over roughly 8–12 days to encourage the development of multiple eggs, closely monitored through ultrasound and bloodwork. Once the eggs reach maturity, they're retrieved in a brief, ultrasound guided procedure performed under light sedation.

ICSI: A Precision Fertilization Method

Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is a specific fertilization technique used within an IVF cycle. Rather than placing eggs and sperm together in a dish and allowing fertilization to occur naturally, an embryologist selects a single healthy sperm and injects it directly into the center of a mature egg using a fine glass needle.

ICSI is typically recommended for malefactor infertility including low sperm count, poor motility, or abnormal morphology as well as in cases involving previous fertilization failure with conventional IVF, the use of surgically retrieved or frozen sperm, or when embryos will undergo genetic testing and a very clean, controlled fertilization method is preferred. In many clinics, including ours, ICSI has become the default fertilization method even beyond strict malefactor cases, due to its high fertilization reliability.

What Happens After Fertilization

Once eggs are fertilized whether by conventional IVF or ICSI the resulting embryos are cultured in the laboratory for 5–6 days, typically monitored using timelapse imaging, until they reach the blastocyst stage. If genetic testing has been requested, a small number of cells are biopsied from each blastocyst at this point and sent for analysis.

ET: Embryo Transfer

Embryo transfer (ET) is the final step of the cycle, where a selected embryo is placed into the uterus using a thin, flexible catheter guided by ultrasound. This is a brief procedure that doesn't require anesthesia, and most patients resume normal activity shortly afterward.

Transfers can be either "fresh" using an embryo from the same cycle shortly after fertilization or "frozen," using a previously vitrified embryo in a separate cycle, often after the uterine lining has been specifically prepared with hormonal medication. Frozen embryo transfers have become increasingly common, particularly when genetic testing is involved, since testing results take time to process.

Confirming the Outcome

Roughly 9–12 days after transfer, a blood test measuring betahCG levels determines whether the cycle has resulted in pregnancy. A positive result is typically followed a few weeks later by an ultrasound confirming the pregnancy's location and viability.

If you'd like to understand how IVF, ICSI, and embryo transfer would apply specifically to your situation, our team in Tbilisi is happy to walk you through a personalized treatment plan.