Expert In Vitro Fertilization in Chicago, IL
Fertility Treatment Options and Care
IVF is a popular treatment with many families experiencing fertility challenges. If you are struggling to conceive, IVF can help. At Reproductive Medicine Institute (RMI), our doctors, nurses, and laboratory staff have provided numerous patients with IVF treatment on their path to starting a family. We’ll help you learn about the benefits, risks, and processes that go into IVF. From there, we’ll guide you through the whole process and help you achieve your best chances of conceiving a child. Our team is here for you. Read about the IVF process. When you’re ready, give us a call to schedule an appointment.
What Is IVF?
In vitro fertilization is a procedure intended to help patients overcome pregnancy challenges or difficulties. Our staff takes an egg, fertilizes it in our lab, and then places it into the uterus. This accomplishes fertilizing an egg without the need for fallopian tubes that can inhibit the process. Many women suffer from tubal factor infertility, which is why they may turn to IVF. IVF is complex, but the staff at RMI has extensive experience assisting patients through the process with favorable results. The steps outlined in IVF are as follows:
Follicle Stimulation:
Sometimes, a patient may require fertility medications to boost egg production. The patient administers these themselves.
Sperm Collection:
The male partner donates a sperm sample.
Egg Retrieval:
Using an ultrasound, the doctor inserts a needle through the vagina to the ovaries and egg sacs, called follicles. The doctor carefully retrieves the eggs to be transferred to a laboratory dish. We typically conduct this process while the patient is under anesthesia.
Fertilization:
Our embryologists evaluate the quality of your eggs. We then combine the best eggs with the sperm to increase the chances of a successful conception.
Embryo Culture:
When fertilized eggs divide, it is now an embryo. We biopsy each embryo in our lab and grade them to a strict set of guidelines for qualities. This process takes about three to five days. We then ask you to return to our office so your fertility specialist can implant the embryo with the highest rating into your uterus. We can also save unused embryos for future use.
We adapt the process to meet your needs, providing a stress-free environment, allowing you to relax. Our team builds a relationship of trust and communication with each patient to provide a respectful service with open communication.
Does IVF Make Sense for Me?
While some patients choose IVF pregnancy because of medically related infertility conditions, others opt for IVF because it fits with their lifestyle, family situation, or other situation. The fertility specialists at RMI can work with you to determine if IVF is a good fit for you.
Here are just some of the conditions under which patients might choose IVF treatment:
- History of miscarriages
- Low sperm count
- Mother’s advanced age
- Single-parent birth
- LGBTQ+ parents
- Endometriosis
- Tubal ligation
- Unexplained fertility
Will My Insurance Cover IVF?
In most cases, patients with medical coverage can obtain full or partial coverage for treatment at RMI’s IVF center. We accept most major insurance plans (view a list here). However, if insurance coverage is not available for your care, RMI’s financing experts will work with you to determine a payment option that works for you.
In Vitro Fertilization in Chicago, IL FAQs
IVF can feel exciting and intimidating at the same time, and you deserve information that’s clear, compassionate, and grounded in real patient experiences.
You might be wondering how your body will respond. You might be thinking through the financial side. You might be worried about pain, embryos, injections, or lifestyle changes. These questions are normal.
At Reproductive Medicine Institute, you’ll get care from a clinic that is still private physician-owned, not private equity-owned, one of the few left in the region. That means more one-on-one time with your doctor, more communication, and more attention to your story. Our patients talk about how supported they feel and how quickly they get answers. And if you’re just starting, our $90 fertility assessment gives you a simple, low-pressure way to understand your next steps.
Below are answers to the questions people ask most when they’re exploring in vitro fertilization in Illinois.
In the most common version of in vitro fertilization (IVF), mature eggs are removed from the ovaries, fertilized with sperm in a laboratory dish, and the resulting embryo(s) are transferred into the uterus. The full IVF process becomes easier to understand when you look at it in stages:
Ovarian Stimulation
You’ll use injectable medications to encourage your ovaries to grow multiple follicles at once. Each follicle contains an egg.
During this phase, you’ll come in for ultrasounds and bloodwork so your doctor can track your progress closely. Monitoring helps your team adjust your medication dose and pinpoint the right time for egg retrieval.
Trigger Shot & Timing
Once your follicles reach the right size, you receive a “trigger” injection to help your eggs complete their final stage of maturation. This timing is extremely important as it ensures the eggs are ready for retrieval.
Egg Retrieval
This is a short, minimally invasive procedure done under light anesthesia. A small needle is guided through the vaginal wall into each follicle to gently collect the eggs. The retrieval itself usually takes only a few minutes. Most people go home the same day and rest.
Sperm Collection & Preparation
A sperm sample is collected and then washed and prepared in the lab so the healthiest, most motile sperm are used for fertilization.
Fertilisation & Embryo Culture (3–5 Days)
Your eggs are combined with sperm in the embryology lab. Fertilisation happens outside the body, and embryos are monitored closely as they grow.
Your care team tracks cell development from day to day, and you’ll be updated on how your embryos are progressing.
Embryo Transfer
Once an embryo reaches the right stage (usually day 3 or day 5), it is gently placed into the uterus using a thin catheter. If you have additional healthy embryos, they may be frozen for future use.
Support After Transfer
You may take supplemental hormones to support the uterine lining during early implantation.
Your team schedules a pregnancy test for the right day so you don’t have to guess about timing.
Many patients are surprised to learn that the retrieval itself usually takes only a few minutes. You’ll be under light anesthesia, and most people say it feels like they took a short nap. The whole visit takes longer because of prep and recovery time, but the procedure itself is quick.
Since light anesthesia is used, most patients do not feel pain during egg retrieval. Some cramping afterward is normal, but it is typically manageable.
A low egg count can feel discouraging, but your response doesn’t define your options. Your physician can adjust medications, explore different protocols, or talk you through additional paths. Because our clinic is physician-owned, your doctor has the freedom to tailor your plan closely.
Yes. Sleep, nutrition, stress levels, gentle exercise, and caffeine habits can all make a difference. These aren’t judgment areas. They’re simply pieces of your larger health picture. Your doctor will walk through them with you at your first visit, so you feel supported.
At Reproductive Medicine Institute, exploring in vitro fertilization in Chicago, IL, comes with clear communication and care that centers your story. Our $90 fertility assessment is an easy place to begin. You’ll meet with a physician, review your history, get initial testing, and leave with a clearer picture of your next steps. Schedule an appointment today!
Get Started Today
IVF is a safe health procedure, even though it is a complicated one. We will discuss your potential risks, future pregnancy, and other cautions during your consultation and throughout your journey. We’re always here for you to help you stay comfortable.
Ready to explore your options? Talk to an RMI fertility specialist today.
