Although IVF and test tube baby are phrases that are frequently used interchangeably in the field of reproductive medicine. They actually relate to different features of assisted reproductive technologies. Let’s dispel the myths around IVF and the idea of a “test tube baby.”

In Vitro Fertilization (IVF):

Definition: IVF is a fertility procedure in which an embryo is created by combining an egg and sperm outside of the body in a lab dish. Moreover, the next step involves transferring the embryo into the uterus in order to implant it and perhaps get pregnant.

Method:

• Stimulation: To encourage the woman’s ovaries to generate an abundance of eggs, fertility medications are administered.
• Egg Retrieval: A small surgical incision is made to remove the woman’s eggs from her ovaries.
• Fertilization: To aid in fertilization, sperm and eggs are mixed together in a lab dish.
• Embryo Culture: Over a few days, the fertilized eggs grow into embryos.
• Embryo Transfer: A woman’s uterus is filled with one or more chosen embryos.
• Pregnancy: If the embryo fertilizes and implants in the uterus, pregnancy will ensue.

Test Tube Baby:

• The term’s origin: The more correct phrase “IVF” was not widely used when the term “test tube baby” first became popular. It originates from the early days of in vitro fertilization (IVF). When the procedure was carried out in a lab using a glass dish or test tube.
• Usage: Although the phrase “test tube baby” is still frequently used in popular culture. It might not be a true representation of the cutting-edge methods and tools employed in modern IVF treatments.