What it means
Hormone drugs make the ovaries ripen several eggs, which are collected with a needle. The eggs are fertilized with spermspurmThe male reproductive cell, which can join with an egg to start a pregnancy.Full entry in a lab dish, and one or more embryos are moved into the uterus. "In vitro" is Latin for "in glass". It is often shortened to IVF, though in charting IVF can also mean IV fluids. Risks include twins or more and ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, in which the ovaries swell and fluid shifts into the belly.
For the nurse
Teach how to give the hormone injections, and offer emotional support through a stressful process. Tell the client to report belly swelling, fast weight gain or shortness of breath.
At a glance
| Spanish | fecundación in vitro |
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Related terms
sperm
The male reproductive cell, which can join with an egg to start a pregnancy.