In ovarian stimulation medication is given to the patient to stimulate multiple follicular development in the ovaries.

The oocytes are retrieved via a minimally invasive surgical procedure, whereby a needle guided by ultrasound is transvaginally inserted into the abdomen to suck the oocytes out of the ovarian follicles.

The technique of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is now used in the majority of cases of IVF therapy, since it achieves higher rates of oocyte fertilization.

The embryos are usually transferred into the maternal uterus between two and five days following oocyte retrieval and fertilization.