Ovarian Stimulation: The woman undergoes hormonal therapy to stimulate the ovaries to produce multiple eggs. This typically involves daily injections of fertility medications over a period of about 8 to 14 days.

Monitoring: Throughout the ovarian stimulation phase, the woman's hormone levels and follicle growth are closely monitored through blood tests and ultrasound examinations.

Egg Retrieval: Once the eggs reach maturity, a minor surgical procedure called egg retrieval is performed under sedation or anesthesia. A thin needle is inserted through the vaginal wall to remove the eggs from the follicles in the ovaries.

Sperm Collection: On the day of egg retrieval, the male partner provides a sperm sample, which is then prepared in the laboratory to isolate the healthiest and most motile sperm.

Fertilization: In the laboratory, the eggs and sperm are combined in a dish for fertilization. Depending on the specific circumstances, fertilization may occur through conventional insemination (mixing eggs and sperm together) or through intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), where a single sperm is injected directly into each mature egg.

Embryo Culture: The fertilized eggs, now embryos, are cultured in the laboratory for several days to allow for cell division and development.

Embryo Transfer: After a period of culture, one or more embryos are selected for transfer into the woman's uterus. This involves a simple procedure where a catheter is inserted through the cervix and into the uterus to deposit the embryos.

Pregnancy Test: Approximately two weeks after the embryo transfer, a pregnancy test is performed to determine if the IVF cycle was successful.