In vitro fertilization or
fertilisation (
IVF) is a process by which
an egg is
fertilised by
sperm outside the body:
in vitro ("in glass"). The process involves monitoring and stimulating a woman's ovulatory process, removing
an ovum or ova (egg or eggs) from the woman's
ovaries and letting sperm fertilise them in a liquid in a laboratory. The fertilised egg (
zygote) is cultured for 2–6 days in a growth medium and is then
implanted in the same or another woman's
uterus, with the intention of establishing a successful
pregnancy.