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Story: Infertility and childlessness

How in-vitro fertilisation works

  • Egg stimulation

    Egg stimulation
  • Egg monitoring

    Egg monitoring
  • Egg removal

    Egg removal
  • Egg removal

    Egg removal
  • Semen processing

    Semen processing
  • Insemination

    Insemination
  • Fertilisation

    Fertilisation
  • Embryo transfer

    Embryo transfer

In-vitro fertilisation (IVF) is a fertility treatment that involves the fertilisation of ovarian eggs outside the womb by a medical professional. This diagram shows how the treatment process works.

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Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand

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How to cite this page

Rhonda Shaw, Infertility and childlessness – Overcoming infertility, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/interactive/27420/how-in-vitro-fertilisation-works (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Rhonda Shaw, published 23 March 2011.