IVF Treatment in Pune: The Complete 2025 Guide

IVF — in-vitro fertilisation — is one of the most significant medical advances of the 20th century. Since the world's first IVF baby in 1978, more than 12 million children have been born through assisted reproduction worldwide. In India, IVF has grown from a handful of specialised centres to thousands of clinics — and Pune has emerged as one of the country's leading destinations for fertility treatment, with a combination of clinical expertise, world-class laboratory infrastructure, and significantly lower costs than Western countries.

But IVF is also a term that is widely misunderstood. Many couples arrive at their first consultation with inaccurate expectations — about what the process involves, how long it takes, what it costs, and what the realistic probability of success is. This guide answers all of those questions, clearly and honestly, in one place.

What Is IVF? The Core Concept

In-vitro fertilisation means fertilisation outside the body. In a natural conception, a sperm fertilises an egg inside the fallopian tube, and the resulting embryo travels to the uterus over 5 to 6 days. IVF replicates this process in the laboratory: eggs are collected from the woman's ovaries, fertilised with sperm in a controlled environment, and the resulting embryo is transferred directly into the uterus.

The ability to control and observe every step of the fertilisation and early development process is what makes IVF so powerful — and what enables a range of additional techniques, from preimplantation genetic testing to ICSI, that can address specific fertility challenges.

Who Is IVF For?

IVF is recommended when simpler fertility treatments have failed or are unlikely to succeed. Common indications include:

• Tubal factor infertility: blocked, damaged, or absent fallopian tubes mean that natural fertilisation cannot occur. IVF bypasses the tubes entirely.
• Severe male factor infertility: very low sperm count, poor motility, or absent sperm (with surgical retrieval). Combined with ICSI, IVF can achieve fertilisation with minimal sperm.
• Endometriosis: particularly moderate to severe endometriosis affecting the tubes, ovaries, or pelvic environment.
• Diminished ovarian reserve: when time is short and aggressive treatment is needed.
• Unexplained infertility: when multiple cycles of ovulation induction and IUI have not resulted in pregnancy.
• PCOS: when ovulation induction and IUI have failed, or when other factors are present.
• Advanced reproductive age: particularly women over 37 to 38, where waiting for simpler treatments to succeed is not advisable.
• Genetic conditions: where preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) is required to select unaffected embryos.

IVF is not always the first treatment — for younger couples with a clear, treatable cause, simpler interventions may succeed first. The right entry point depends on your specific diagnosis, age, and how long you have already been trying.

The IVF Process: Step by Step

Step 1: Baseline Assessment

Before starting any IVF cycle, both partners undergo a comprehensive baseline assessment. For the woman, this includes a transvaginal ultrasound (to assess the uterus and count antral follicles), blood tests including AMH, FSH, LH, and oestradiol on day 2 or 3 of the cycle, and thyroid and prolactin levels. For the man, a semen analysis — ideally produced fresh on the day — provides the baseline picture of sperm health.

This assessment determines the stimulation protocol, the expected number of eggs, whether ICSI is needed, and whether any pre-treatment steps (such as hysteroscopy, sperm DNA testing, or genetic screening) are required before starting.

Step 2: Ovarian Stimulation

The ovaries are stimulated with injectable gonadotrophin medications (FSH, LH, or combined preparations) to develop multiple follicles simultaneously — typically 8 to 15 in a good response. In a natural cycle, only one follicle is selected; IVF stimulation recruits the cohort of follicles that would otherwise have been suppressed that month.

Stimulation typically lasts 10 to 14 days, during which monitoring ultrasounds (every 2 to 3 days) and blood oestradiol levels track follicle development and guide dose adjustments. When follicles reach a mature size of approximately 18 to 20 mm, a trigger injection (hCG or GnRH agonist) is administered to complete the final maturation process.

Step 3: Egg Collection

Egg collection (oocyte retrieval) is performed 35 to 36 hours after the trigger injection, under sedation or short general anaesthesia. A fine needle is passed through the vaginal wall under ultrasound guidance to aspirate the fluid from each follicle — hopefully containing a mature egg. The procedure takes approximately 20 to 30 minutes and most patients go home after a few hours of recovery.

Not every follicle yields a mature egg. Typically, 70 to 80% of follicles produce a mature oocyte. The total number of eggs collected depends on your stimulation response and ovarian reserve.

Step 4: Fertilisation

In the laboratory, collected eggs are examined and graded. Mature eggs are fertilised either by conventional IVF (placing eggs and sperm together and allowing natural fertilisation) or by ICSI (injecting a single sperm directly into each egg). ICSI is used when sperm quality is poor, when there has been previous fertilisation failure, or when genetic testing requires it.

Fertilisation is confirmed 16 to 18 hours after insemination. Typically, 70 to 80% of mature eggs fertilise successfully.

Step 5: Embryo Development

Fertilised eggs (now embryos) are cultured in the laboratory for 3 to 6 days. On day 3, embryos consist of 6 to 8 cells (cleavage stage). By day 5 to 6, the best-developing embryos reach the blastocyst stage — a more advanced structure with differentiated inner cell mass and trophoblast layers. Blastocyst culture allows the laboratory to assess which embryos have the developmental competence to implant successfully.

Step 6: Embryo Transfer

One or two embryos (depending on age, prognosis, and regulatory guidelines) are transferred into the uterus using a thin catheter passed through the cervix — a painless, non-surgical procedure. The embryo is deposited in the upper portion of the uterine cavity and is visible on ultrasound during the transfer. Most patients return to normal activity the same day.

Additional embryos of good quality are vitrified (flash frozen) for use in future cycles if the fresh transfer does not succeed, or for subsequent pregnancies.

Step 7: The Two-Week Wait and Beta-hCG

After transfer, the endometrium is supported with progesterone supplementation (vaginal pessaries, injections, or oral). A blood beta-hCG test is performed approximately 10 to 14 days after transfer to assess whether implantation has occurred. A positive beta-hCG is confirmed by rising levels 48 hours later, and then by ultrasound at 6 to 7 weeks to confirm a viable intrauterine pregnancy.

IVF Success Rates: What to Realistically Expect

IVF success rates in India are broadly comparable to international standards — and vary significantly by age. Live birth rates per transfer at leading centres in Pune approximate:

• Under 35: 45 to 55% per transfer
• 35 to 37: 35 to 45% per transfer
• 38 to 40: 20 to 30% per transfer
• Over 40: 10 to 15% per transfer with own eggs

These are approximate figures. Your individual probability depends on your specific diagnosis, egg quality, ovarian reserve, sperm quality, and the expertise of the laboratory. For a realistic, case-specific estimate, your doctor should provide a personalised prognosis — not just a clinic average. See our full guide to reading IVF success rates honestly in the related article below.

Choosing an IVF Clinic in Pune

The choice of clinic and doctor is the single most important decision you will make. Key factors to evaluate:

• Laboratory quality: The embryology laboratory is where fertilisation, culture, and vitrification happen. Temperature stability, air quality, culture media, and embryologist experience are not visible from the outside — but they drive outcomes more than almost anything else.
• Volume and experience: Clinics that perform higher volumes of IVF tend to have more refined protocols and better lab quality metrics. Solo Clinic has performed thousands of IVF cycles under Dr. Tandulwadkar's supervision.
• Transparency: Does the clinic provide case-specific success rate estimates? Are costs disclosed fully, in writing, before treatment? Can you access Dr. Tandulwadkar directly, or will you primarily see junior staff?
• Specialist continuity: Ideally, your IVF specialist is also your obstetrician — so care continues seamlessly into pregnancy. At Solo Clinic, this continuity is standard.
• Track record with complex cases: If your case involves poor ovarian reserve, repeated failure, or a need for regenerative approaches, choose a centre with experience in your specific situation.

IVF at Solo Clinic, Pune

Solo Clinic IVF & ObGyn was established by Dr. Sunita Tandulwadkar — 63rd President of FOGSI (2025), with over 35 years of experience in reproductive medicine and advanced endoscopic surgery. The clinic is known nationally for:

• India's first stem cell baby (2018)
• World's first stem cell-assisted conception in a 45-year-old woman
• Advanced laparoscopic surgery with fertility preservation
• Highly individualised IVF protocols — not a one-size approach
• Seamless continuity from IVF through high-risk obstetric care

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. How many IVF cycles does it typically take to succeed?

There is no universal answer. Many couples succeed in the first cycle — but statistically, cumulative success over three cycles is substantially higher than a single attempt. For women under 35, three complete cycles (including frozen embryo transfers from the same collection) offer a cumulative live birth probability of 70 to 80%. For women over 38, the picture varies more widely based on reserve.

Q2. Is IVF painful?

The stimulation injections are manageable for most women — similar to any subcutaneous injection. The egg collection is performed under sedation or anaesthesia and is not experienced at the time. Most women have mild cramping and bloating for 24 to 48 hours post-collection. The embryo transfer is painless for most patients.

Q3. Can I work during an IVF cycle?

Yes, in most cases. Monitoring appointments are typically early morning and take 30 to 45 minutes. The egg collection requires a half to full day off. The embryo transfer requires approximately 2 to 3 hours. Most women continue working through the majority of their cycle without significant disruption.

Q4. Does IVF increase the risk of cancer?

The evidence does not support an increase in overall cancer risk from IVF treatment. Concern has historically centred on ovarian and breast cancer — but large registry studies have not demonstrated a clinically significant increase in either. Women with a personal or family history of hormone-sensitive cancers should discuss this specifically with their doctor.

Q5. What is the difference between IVF and ICSI?

IVF is the overall process — ovarian stimulation, egg collection, fertilisation, and embryo transfer. ICSI is a fertilisation technique used within IVF, in which a single sperm is injected directly into each egg, rather than allowing sperm to fertilise the egg naturally. ICSI is used when sperm quality is poor or when previous fertilisation has been inadequate. See our dedicated article on IVF vs ICSI vs IMSI for a full explanation.