In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) is a procedure which allows couples who are unable to achieve fertilization and pregnancy via sexual intercourse to have a child. It is especially helpful in cases where the oviducts might be blocked, thus preventing the egg from reaching the uterus, and also blocking the sperm from reaching the egg.

Details of the In Vitro Fertilization Procedure:

1. A drug is injected once a day over a period of 3 weeks to stop the woman's normal menstrual cycle.

2. At the end of 3 weeks, Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) is injected once a day fro 10-12 days to stimulate the ovaries into producing many follicles.

3. After the 10-12 days, another hormone, HCG is injected 36 hours before egg collection. This stimulates maturation of the eggs and loosens them within the follicle.

4. The man provides a semen sample. The semen is processed to concentrate the healthiest sperm for collection.

5. After 36 hours, the eggs are extracted from the follicles in the ovaries using a device inserted through the wall of the vagina.

6. Each egg is mixed with the collected sperm in a shallow dish. The dishes are kept overnight in an incubator.

7. Next day, the eggs are checked to see whether fertilization has occurred.

8. A day or so later, several healthy embryos are selected and placed into the uterus using a long plastic tube for insertion.

9. A week or so later, a pregnancy test is performed to check for successful implantation of the embryos.

10. About 1 month after conception, a scan is done to see if the pregnancy has continued normally. At this point the heart should be visibly beating.