In Vitro Fertilization

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In vitro fertilization (IVF) is an advanced fertility treatment that makes pregnancy and parenthood a reality for many people faced with fertility challenges. At Penn Fertility Care - Lancaster General Health, we blend innovative science with specialty expertise and personalized care to deliver exceptional results. Your IVF success story starts here.

IVF in Pennsylvania: Why Choose Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health?

At our state-of-the-art IVF clinic in Lancaster, you'll find:

Specialty expertise: A double board-certified, fellowship-trained reproductive endocrinologist oversees your care. Her extensive training in OB/GYN, reproductive surgery and infertility makes her uniquely qualified to treat routine and complex cases of infertility with IVF. Meet our fertility care team.
Experienced embryologists: Embryologists (scientists that work with eggs, sperm and embryos in a lab) play a vital role in the success of IVF. The skilled embryologists at our clinic adhere to the highest safety and quality standards when handling your specimens. They're also qualified to perform advanced IVF tests and procedures, such as preimplantation genetic testing and intracytoplasmic sperm injection.
Lancaster County's only embryology lab: We are the only fertility clinic in the area equipped with our own on-site embryology lab. That means your eggs, sperm or embryos are safely stored just steps from our clinic, so you don't have to travel to another location for procedures. Our lab is equipped with state-of-the-art technology and 24/7 security.
Personalized care: At our fertility clinic, you'll see the same doctor, physician's assistant or nurse at each appointment. You can rely on a consistent and responsive care team. Our small size allows us to get to know you and your unique fertility situation, which means we offer more attentive care than you might find elsewhere.
On-site procedures: Egg retrievals, as well as fresh and frozen embryo transfers, are conveniently available at our clinic, so you don't have to travel for these procedures. You receive your care from a familiar team in our comfortable facility.

How Does IVF Work?

IVF is the process of fertilizing an egg with sperm outside your body to create an embryo. The embryo grows in a lab until it's ready to be implanted in your uterus. If the embryo implants in the lining of your uterus, a pregnancy occurs.

Is IVF Right for Me?

We may recommend IVF as a fertility treatment for the following conditions:

Blocked or damaged fallopian tubes
Diminished ovarian reserve
Endometriosis
Genetic diseases
Male factor infertility
Polycystic ovarian syndrome
Recurrent pregnancy loss
Unexplained infertility

IVF is also an option for:

LGBTQ+ couples using donor sperm, donor eggs or a gestational carrier
People who want to preserve their fertility before cancer treatment
Single women who want to freeze their eggs for a future pregnancy

What Are the Benefits of IVF?

IVF is the most effective type of assisted reproductive technology. IVF success rates are higher than those of intrauterine insemination. However, IVF is more invasive and expensive than other fertility treatments.

What Can I Expect During the IVF Process?

The IVF process is slightly different for everyone, but in general you can expect:

Controlled ovarian hyperstimulation: You take medication to stimulate your ovaries to produce multiple egg-containing follicles each month, instead of just one.
Monitoring: We do transvaginal ultrasounds and blood tests every few days to monitor your hormone levels and follicular development. These tests are conveniently available right at our fertility clinic.
Egg retrieval: Once your eggs are mature, we do an egg retrieval procedure. Your provider uses a transvaginal ultrasound to guide a thin needle into each ovary to collect your eggs. you're sedated for the procedure.
Sperm collection: We collect a fresh sperm sample from your partner on the morning of the egg retrieval procedure. If you're using frozen sperm from your partner or a donor, we warm it at the same time.
Fertilization: We take your eggs to our on-site fertility lab. An embryologist fertilizes the eggs with sperm. In some cases, they inject the sperm directly into the egg during a process called intracytoplasmic sperm injection.
Embryo development: We grow fertilized eggs in our lab for 3 to 7 days until they reach the blastocyst stage, which is an early-stage embryo.
Preimplantation genetic testing: In some cases, we screen embryos for genetic or chromosomal abnormalities. We may recommend preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) based on your age and medical history. Embryos are frozen for PGT.
Embryo transfer: We select the highest quality embryo to transfer to your uterus. We can transfer fresh embryos or warmed frozen embryos. You don't need sedation for this procedure.
Pregnancy test: Wait two weeks after your embryo transfer to take a pregnancy test.

How Much Does IVF Cost?

The cost of IVF depends on many factors, such as the dosage of fertility drugs your doctor prescribes and whether you're freezing and storing embryos for future IVF cycles. In addition, some people need multiple IVF cycles to achieve a pregnancy. And while some insurance plans cover infertility testing services, many don't cover treatments such as IVF.

At Penn Fertility Care - Lancaster General Health, we believe everyone should have access to advanced fertility treatments, regardless of your financial situation. Our dedicated financial advocate helps you understand your options for paying for fertility care. We guide you through your insurance coverage, provide information on financing plans and offer a range of self-pay discounts. Employees of Penn Medicine also receive fertility benefits, including IVF coverage, through their employer-sponsored health plan.

What Should I Know About IVF Success Rates?

IVF success rates are a measure of how likely an IVF cycle is to result in a pregnancy or live birth. However, it's important to remember that success rates depend on many factors. When comparing IVF success rates across clinics, you should reference data that most closely matches your own situation, including:

Maternal age
Health, including the cause of infertility
Ovarian reserve and use of fertility drugs
Use of fresh eggs vs. frozen eggs
Use of fresh embryos vs. frozen embryos
Use of your own eggs vs. donor eggs

On average, IVF success rates are highest in women under 35. Success rates of fresh and frozen IVF cycles are comparable. general success rates are not a guarantee of how IVF will work for you. Every person is different and will respond differently to treatment. Your fertility specialist can tell you more about your chances for a successful pregnancy and live birth.