Fertility clinics employ various methods to assess and optimize egg quality during the ovarian stimulation phase of in vitro fertilization (IVF). Here are some key approaches and interventions used:

1. Ovarian Reserve Testing – Before starting IVF, fertility specialists conduct ovarian reserve testing to evaluate the quantity and quality of a woman’s eggs. This typically involves blood tests to measure levels of hormones like follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), estradiol, and anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), as well as an ultrasound to count the number of antral follicles in the ovaries.

2. Individualized Stimulation Protocols – Based on the results of ovarian reserve testing, clinicians create personalized ovarian stimulation protocols for each patient. These protocols involve administering hormone medications like follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) to stimulate the ovaries to produce multiple eggs.

3. Monitoring Egg Development – Throughout the ovarian stimulation phase, patients undergo regular monitoring through blood tests and transvaginal ultrasound exams to track the growth and maturation of follicles (which contain the eggs).

4. Triggering Egg Maturation – When the follicles reach optimal size, a trigger shot of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is administered to trigger final egg maturation before retrieval.

5. Egg Retrieval – About 36 hours after the trigger shot, the eggs