I am 27 and have had several surgeries for cysts on my ovaries. Now all I have left is my uterus. I also have a problem with scar tissue due to all the surgeries. Is it possible for me to have IVF? What would be the potential problems or risks in doing so?

Nita

In the traditional process for in vitro fertilization (IVF), a woman who has ovaries receives medications to stimulate her ovaries to produce multiple eggs. She undergoes blood testing and ultrasound examinations throughout the seven to 10 days of treatment. Once the eggs have developed, she receives an injection of the hormone hCG to trigger final maturing of the eggs, and an egg retrieval procedure is scheduled. The woman is sedated, and the doctor removes the eggs by placing a needle into her ovary, guided by ultrasound. The eggs are examined in the lab and then mixed with sperm to carry out fertilization. If sperm quality is poor, the doctor may need to carry out additional procedures that involve injecting the sperm directly into the eggs in order to fertilize them. Depending on the woman's age and the number and quality of the embryos, the doctor determines the best time to transfer the embryos -- usually the third or the fifth day. Twelve days after that, a pregnancy test will, with luck, provide the good news.

Since you no longer have ovaries, you will not be able to do traditional IVF. But don't give up hope. With the use of eggs from an egg donor, you should still be able to conceive using this technology. In fact, while the use of an egg donor involves far greater coordination and financial investment, your own role is a bit easier. The donor takes the injections mentioned above. You receive medicine to synchronize the growth of your uterine lining (endometrium) with the development of the eggs in the donor. This way your endometrium will be ready to receive the embryos at the appropriate time.

Many women who require donated eggs ask a sister or relative to serve as an egg donor. Others prefer selecting an anonymous egg donor, who is paid for her efforts to help you enlarge your family. While egg donors often receive significant financial compensation for participation in IVF egg donor programs, they also understand the high level of esteem and appreciation that infertile couples express for the important gift of life the donor provides.