In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a medical procedure that helps people who have trouble conceiving a child naturally. Here's a simple explanation of how it works:

1-Egg Retrieval: The first step is to collect eggs from the woman's ovaries. To do this, the woman is given special medications to stimulate the ovaries to produce multiple eggs instead of just one, as in a normal menstrual cycle. When the eggs are mature, a doctor removes them using a thin needle, typically through the vagina.

2-Sperm Collection: At the same time, sperm is collected from the male partner or a sperm donor.

3-Fertilization: In a laboratory, the collected eggs and sperm are combined. The sperm fertilizes the eggs, forming embryos.

4-Embryo Development: The fertilized eggs (now embryos) are monitored and allowed to grow for a few days in the lab.

5-Embryo Transfer: One or more healthy embryos are selected, and they are transferred back into the woman's uterus through a thin catheter. This is a relatively simple and painless procedure.

6-Waiting for Pregnancy: If everything goes well, one of the embryos may implant itself into the woman's uterine lining, leading to pregnancy. A pregnancy test is typically done a few weeks after the embryo transfer to check for pregnancy.