IVF Treatment in Chennai

In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) is a fertility treatment in which eggs are retrieved from the ovaries and fertilised with sperm in a laboratory rather than inside the body. The resulting embryo is cultured for several days and then transferred to the uterus, where it can implant and develop into a pregnancy. In vitro is Latin for “in glass”: a reference to the laboratory dish where fertilisation takes place.

IVF bypasses several of the steps where natural conception most often fails. Because the egg and sperm are brought together directly in the lab, IVF can work even when the fallopian tubes are blocked, when sperm count or motility is low, or when the cause of infertility has never been identified. That is why it remains the most effective assisted reproductive technology available, and why it is often recommended after less invasive options such as IUI have not succeeded.

At Yaal Fertility Centre, our IVF programme is led by Dr. Rukkayal Fathima: MS (OG), MRCOG (UK), Fellowship in Reproductive Medicine: who has personally supervised more than 3,000 IVF cycles. Every cycle is planned and overseen by her, and carried out in our on-site embryology laboratory. Our IVF success rate is high, well above the national average.

A full IVF cycle at Yaal runs through six stages, consultation and assessment, ovarian stimulation, egg retrieval, fertilisation and embryo culture, embryo transfer, and the pregnancy test, described step by step further down this page.

Yaal has an on-site embryology laboratory and IVF theatre at four centres: our flagship Kilpauk hospital, the Thiruvanmiyur IVF centre off ECR for Adyar, Besant Nagar and the coastal belt, the Velappanchavadi IVF centre on Poonamallee High Road for Porur, Vanagaram, Poonamallee, Avadi and West Chennai, and the Tambaram IVF centre in West Tambaram for Chromepet, Selaiyur and Perungalathur. Consultations and cycle-tracking scans are also available at our Mylapore, Pallikaranai, Madipakkam and Red Hills centres.

A single IVF cycle takes roughly four to six weeks from the start of ovarian stimulation to the pregnancy test. Most of that time is spent on stimulation and monitoring; the procedures themselves are short.

Ovarian stimulation runs for about 8–14 days, during which you will visit us every few days for an ultrasound and blood test so we can track how your follicles are developing. Egg retrieval takes 15–20 minutes under sedation. Fertilisation and embryo culture then take 3–5 days in the lab. Embryo transfer itself takes only a few minutes and needs no anaesthesia. Finally, a beta-hCG blood test 14 days after transfer confirms whether the cycle has resulted in a pregnancy: a wait most patients find the hardest part of the process.

If your embryos are frozen for a later transfer rather than transferred fresh, the timeline is split: the retrieval cycle finishes at freezing, and the transfer happens in a subsequent cycle once your uterine lining is optimally prepared.

Age is the single strongest predictor of IVF success, because it drives both the number of eggs retrieved and their chromosomal quality.

Beyond age, the factors that most influence the outcome of a cycle are:

• Ovarian reserve: how many eggs remain, estimated using AMH blood levels and antral follicle count on ultrasound.
• Egg and sperm quality: which determines how many eggs fertilise and how many embryos develop normally.
• Embryo quality: assessed by our embryologists during the 3–5 days of culture; a single high-grade embryo often gives a better result than several poor ones.
• Uterine receptivity: the thickness and health of the endometrial lining at the time of transfer.
• Underlying conditions: endometriosis, fibroids, PCOS, or thyroid disorders can all affect implantation and are treated before or alongside the cycle.
• Lifestyle factors: smoking, excess weight, and heavy alcohol use are all associated with lower success, and are among the few variables you can change before starting.

Because these factors vary so much between individuals, published averages are a poor guide to any one person’s chances. Dr. Rukkayal reviews all of them during your assessment and will give you a realistic, personalised estimate rather than a headline figure.

These three treatments are often confused, but they differ in how much of the conception process happens in the laboratory.

IUI (Intrauterine Insemination) is the least invasive. Washed, concentrated sperm is placed directly into the uterus around the time of ovulation, and fertilisation still happens naturally inside the body. It requires at least one open fallopian tube and reasonable sperm quality. It is cheaper and simpler than IVF, but success rates per cycle are considerably lower.

IVF retrieves eggs and combines them with sperm in a lab dish, allowing fertilisation to occur on its own. It does not depend on the fallopian tubes at all, which is why it is the treatment of choice when tubes are blocked or damaged.

ICSI (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection) is a variation performed within an IVF cycle: rather than letting sperm fertilise the egg on its own, a single sperm is injected directly into each egg. It is used primarily for significant male factor infertility, very low count, poor motility, or abnormal morphology, or when a previous IVF cycle produced poor fertilisation.

In practice, the choice is a clinical one, not a preference. It depends on the cause of infertility found during your assessment, your age, and what has already been tried. Many patients begin with IUI and move to IVF if it does not succeed; others are advised to start with IVF directly because IUI has little chance of working in their situation.

IVF at Yaal starts from ₹1.5 lakh. Before you start, we explain in writing what it includes and what costs extra. The cost of a cycle depends on what your treatment actually requires, and the main variables are:

• Medication: often the largest single variable. Stimulation drug doses are tailored to your ovarian reserve, so a patient needing higher doses will pay more.
• ICSI: adds ₹15,000–30,000 to a standard IVF cycle when male factor infertility means sperm must be injected directly into the egg.
• Genetic testing (PGT): optional embryo screening, priced per embryo tested.
• Embryo freezing and storage: for surplus good-quality embryos you may want to use later.
• Frozen embryo transfer: a subsequent transfer cycle costs considerably less than a full fresh IVF cycle, since no stimulation or retrieval is needed.

We quote transparently and itemise what is and is not included, so you know before you begin what the cycle will cost and what could change it. For a personalised estimate based on your own assessment, book a consultation.

IVF is a well-established and generally safe procedure, but it is a medical treatment and it is right to understand its risks before starting.

The most common side effects are mild and short-lived: bloating, cramping, breast tenderness, and mood changes during stimulation, all caused by the hormone medication. Bruising at injection sites is normal.

Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS) is the main risk to be aware of. It occurs when the ovaries respond too strongly to stimulation, causing swelling and fluid retention. Mild OHSS, with some bloating, is common and settles on its own; severe OHSS is rare. The risk is managed by tailoring drug doses to your ovarian reserve and by monitoring you closely throughout stimulation: which is precisely what the repeated scans and blood tests during the cycle are for. Women with PCOS or a high antral follicle count are at higher risk and are stimulated more cautiously.

Multiple pregnancy is the other significant risk, and it arises when more than one embryo is transferred. Twin and triplet pregnancies carry meaningfully higher risks for both mother and babies, including preterm birth. This is why elective single embryo transfer is increasingly the standard where embryo quality allows it.

Egg retrieval is a minor surgical procedure and carries small risks of bleeding or infection. The emotional strain of IVF is also real and frequently underestimated: the two-week wait in particular. Counselling is part of the support we provide, not an afterthought.

Dr. Rukkayal will discuss all of these with you in the context of your own history before you begin.

The weeks before a cycle are the point at which you have most influence over the outcome. Eggs and sperm take roughly three months to mature, so changes made now affect the cycle you start later.

• Stop smoking. Smoking is associated with lower egg quality, poorer response to stimulation, and reduced IVF success. It is the single most valuable change most patients can make.
• Reach a healthy weight. Both a high and a very low BMI are associated with poorer outcomes and a more difficult response to stimulation.
• Limit alcohol and caffeine.
• Start folic acid: and any other supplements Dr. Rukkayal recommends after reviewing your results: well before the cycle begins.
• Complete your baseline tests. Hormone profile, AMH, ultrasound, and semen analysis all feed into the protocol chosen for you.
• Plan your time. Most patients keep working through IVF. Expect several early-morning monitoring visits and 1–2 days off around egg retrieval.
• Prepare emotionally. IVF is demanding, and support, from a partner, from others who have been through it, or from a counsellor, makes a genuine difference.

Your first consultation is where this plan gets made. Come with your medical history, any previous fertility test results or treatment records, and your questions.