Best IVF Centre in Chennai
Personalised IVF treatment (test tube baby) for blocked tubes, PCOS, endometriosis, male factor, low egg reserve and failed IUI or IVF. Led by MRCOG (UK) certified specialists, with our own embryology lab for ICSI and embryo freezing, and 8 IVF centres across Chennai.
IVF in short: IVF (In Vitro Fertilisation), also called test tube baby treatment, is a fertility treatment in which eggs are collected from the ovaries and fertilised with sperm in a laboratory. A healthy embryo is grown for 3 to 5 days and transferred into the uterus. One IVF cycle takes about 4 to 6 weeks, and it is advised for blocked tubes, male factor infertility, PCOS, endometriosis, low egg reserve, unexplained infertility and failed IUI.
Medically reviewed by Dr. Niveditha Amilthan, MS OG, MRCOG (UK), Founder, The Hive Fertility Clinic · Last reviewed: 30 October 2026
What is IVF Treatment? IVF Full Form and Test Tube Baby Meaning
IVF full form is In Vitro Fertilisation. "In vitro" means "in glass", because eggs and sperm meet in the laboratory instead of inside the body. In IVF, the ovaries are stimulated to grow several eggs, the eggs are collected, fertilised with sperm in the embryology lab, and a healthy embryo is placed into the uterus.
Many couples know IVF as test tube baby treatment. The name is from the early days of IVF; the embryo is actually grown in a small culture dish, and the pregnancy develops naturally in the mother's uterus. The world's first IVF baby was born in 1978, and IVF is now one of the most widely used fertility treatments.
At The Hive Fertility Clinic, Chennai, every stage of IVF is carried out by our own team: evaluation, ovarian stimulation, egg retrieval, fertilisation in our embryology laboratory, embryo culture and embryo transfer. Where needed, ICSI and embryo freezing are done in the same lab.
IVF at a glance
- Full form
- In Vitro Fertilisation
- Also called
- Test tube baby treatment
- Where fertilisation happens
- In the embryology laboratory
- Cycle length
- About 4 to 6 weeks
- Egg retrieval
- About 20 minutes under mild sedation
- Embryo transfer
- Day 3 or day 5; no anaesthesia
- Pregnancy test
- 14 days after transfer
Who Needs IVF Treatment?
IVF is recommended when natural conception or simpler fertility treatments have not worked, or when a condition makes them unlikely to work.
Blocked or Damaged Fallopian Tubes
The egg and sperm cannot meet naturally, so fertilisation is done in the laboratory.
PCOS and Endometriosis
Ovulation or implantation problems that have not responded to simpler treatment.
Age Over 35 or Low Ovarian Reserve
When egg numbers are falling and time matters.
Unexplained Infertility
Normal test results but no pregnancy after 12 months or more of trying.
Failed IUI or IVF Cycles
Three or more unsuccessful IUI attempts, or a failed IVF cycle at another centre.
Genetic Conditions
Couples carrying a genetic condition who may benefit from embryo testing (PGT).
Fertility Preservation
Freezing eggs or embryos before cancer treatment or for planned later parenthood.
Recurrent Pregnancy Loss
Selected couples with repeated miscarriages, after a full evaluation.
ℹ️ This is general patient guidance. Whether IVF suits you depends on your medical history, hormone profile and scan results.
IVF Treatment Options Planned for You
Your specialist chooses the approach based on your tests, age and history. Each option is advised only when it is likely to help.
Conventional IVF
Eggs and prepared sperm are placed together in the lab so fertilisation happens on its own. Suits couples with normal sperm.
IVF with ICSI
A single sperm is injected into each egg. Used for male factor infertility or past fertilisation failure. Learn about ICSI.
Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET)
Good-quality embryos are frozen and transferred in a later cycle, often when the uterus is better prepared or to avoid OHSS.
Blastocyst Transfer
Embryos are grown to day 5 so the strongest one can be chosen, which helps single embryo transfer.
Laser Assisted Hatching
A small opening in the embryo's outer shell, considered in selected cases such as repeated implantation failure.
Donor Egg or Donor Sperm IVF
For very low egg reserve or no sperm, using gametes from an approved ART bank as per Indian law.
IVF vs IUI vs ICSI: Which Treatment is Right for You?
IUI is the simplest option, IVF fertilises eggs in the laboratory, and ICSI is a form of IVF used mainly for male factor infertility.
| Factor | IVF | IUI | ICSI |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Blocked tubes, PCOS, endometriosis, unexplained infertility, failed IUI | Mild male factor, unexplained infertility, ovulation problems | Severe male infertility, earlier fertilisation failure |
| How it works | Eggs fertilised in the lab, embryo transferred | Prepared sperm placed in the uterus | A single sperm injected into each egg |
| Tubes need to be open | No | Yes | No |
| Invasiveness | Moderate (egg retrieval) | Minimal | Moderate (egg retrieval) |
| Duration | 4 to 6 weeks per cycle | 2 to 3 weeks per cycle | 4 to 6 weeks per cycle |
| Chance per cycle | Higher | Lower | Higher |
| Relative cost | Moderate to high | Low | Moderate to high |
Read more about IUI treatment in Chennai and ICSI treatment in Chennai.
Tests and Preparation Before IVF
A full check of both partners lets us choose the right protocol and medicine dose for you.
Tests for the woman
- AMH and FSH (egg reserve)
- Transvaginal scan and antral follicle count
- Thyroid, prolactin, sugar and vitamin D
- Uterus check (hysteroscopy if needed)
Tests for the man
- Semen analysis
- Sperm DNA fragmentation if advised
- Hormone and genetic tests in severe male factor
- Infection screening
Lifestyle preparation
- Stop smoking and alcohol for both partners
- Folic acid for the woman as prescribed
- Healthy weight, sleep and stress control
- Control thyroid and sugar before starting
IVF Procedure: Your IVF Journey, Step by Step
One IVF cycle takes about 4 to 6 weeks. Here is what happens at each stage at The Hive Fertility Clinic, and roughly when.
Consultation and evaluation
A review of your medical history, hormone tests, ovarian reserve, ultrasound and semen analysis. Your IVF plan and cost estimate are agreed here.
Before day 1Ovarian stimulation
Hormone injections help the ovaries grow several mature eggs. Monitoring scans track progress at your nearest Hive centre.
Days 1 to 12Trigger injection and egg retrieval
A trigger injection completes egg maturation. About 36 hours later, eggs are collected under mild sedation in a procedure of around 20 minutes.
Around day 13 to 15Fertilisation in the lab
Eggs are fertilised with sperm in our embryology laboratory, by IVF or ICSI. Embryologists confirm fertilisation within 18 to 20 hours.
Same dayEmbryo culture and grading
Embryos develop in our incubators and are graded for quality, so the best embryo can be chosen for transfer. Extra good-quality embryos can be frozen.
3 to 5 daysEmbryo transfer
The selected embryo is placed in the uterus through a thin catheter. It is quick, usually painless and needs no anaesthesia.
Around day 20Pregnancy test
A blood test confirms pregnancy 14 days after transfer. Our team supports you throughout the two-week wait.
14 days after transferIVF Specialists and Doctors in Chennai
IVF at The Hive is led by fertility specialists trained in obstetrics, gynaecology and reproductive medicine, including MRCOG (UK) certified consultants.
Dr. Niveditha Amilthan
MS OG, MRCOG (UK), FRM, FMAS, F.ART
Trained at Kilpauk Medical College and the Institute of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Egmore, with fellowships in Reproductive Medicine and Minimal Access Surgery. She leads The Hive's IVF programme and its personalised protocol approach.
Dr. Swetha Ashok
Fertility Specialist & EndoGynaecologist
Dr. Vinu Vilashini K
Consultant Obstetrician & Fertility Specialist
IVF Success Rate: What Affects Your Chances
The Hive Fertility Clinic's overall success rate is 80%. No IVF centre can promise 100% success; your own chance depends most on the woman's age and embryo quality, and is explained after your tests.
IVF success rate by age (own eggs)
Bars show the general trend, not exact percentages. Over 40, embryo genetic testing or donor eggs may be discussed.
What raises IVF success
- Younger age of the female partner
- Good ovarian reserve (AMH)
- Good-grade blastocyst embryos
- Healthy, receptive uterine lining
- Frozen embryos for later transfers
What lowers IVF success
- Female age above 38 to 40
- Low egg numbers or poor egg quality
- High sperm DNA fragmentation
- Fibroids, polyps, adhesions or hydrosalpinx
- Smoking, high BMI, uncontrolled thyroid or sugar
Care After IVF Embryo Transfer
The 14 days between embryo transfer and the pregnancy test can feel long. These simple steps help.
Do
- Take support medicines on time
- Walk and do light housework
- Eat balanced home meals and drink water
- Sleep well and keep stress low
Avoid
- Smoking and alcohol
- Heavy lifting and intense workouts
- Hot tubs and saunas
- Medicines not approved by your doctor
Call your doctor if
- Severe abdominal pain or bloating
- Breathlessness or very low urine output
- Heavy bleeding
- Fever
Mild cramps or spotting can happen with or without pregnancy. Home urine tests can mislead this early, so wait for the blood test.
Failed IVF: Why It Happens and What Next
Whether your cycle was at The Hive or another centre, we review it in detail before planning the next attempt.
Common reasons for IVF failure
- Egg quality linked to age
- Chromosomal problems in the embryo
- High sperm DNA damage
- Uterine lining not receptive at transfer
- Fibroids, polyps, adhesions, hydrosalpinx or endometriosis
How we plan the next attempt
- Review of stimulation response, egg numbers and embryo grades
- Change in medicine protocol where needed
- Hysteroscopy to check the uterine cavity
- ICSI, blastocyst culture or frozen transfer if suitable
- Embryo genetic testing (PGT) when advised
IVF Cost in Chennai (Test Tube Baby Cost)
IVF cost in Chennai varies from patient to patient, because it depends on the medicines, laboratory procedures and number of cycles each person needs. At The Hive Fertility Clinic, you receive a written, itemised estimate after your first consultation, before any treatment begins.
What the estimate lists
- Consultations and monitoring scans
- Egg retrieval
- Fertilisation, embryo culture and transfer
- Stimulation medicines, estimated separately
- Embryo freezing, only if you need it
What changes the cost
- Your age and ovarian reserve (medicine dose)
- Whether you need ICSI
- Embryo freezing and frozen embryo transfer
- Genetic testing (PGT)
- Number of cycles
Transparent and flexible
- Written and itemised, no hidden costs
- Shared before treatment starts
- 0% EMI options available
Is IVF Safe? Risks and Side Effects
IVF has been used worldwide for over four decades. Like any treatment, it carries some risks that your doctor will explain before you start.
Linked to medicines and egg retrieval
- Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS), lowered with tailored doses and freeze-all where needed
- Bloating, mood changes or tenderness from hormones
- Mild pain or spotting after egg retrieval; bleeding or infection is rare
Linked to pregnancy
- Twins or more if more than one embryo is transferred; single embryo transfer reduces this
- Ectopic pregnancy, which is uncommon and checked with early scans
- Miscarriage, at rates similar to natural pregnancy for the same age
⚖️ Sex selection is prohibited in India under the PCPNDT Act.
Common IVF and Test Tube Baby Myths
How to Choose the Best IVF Hospital in Chennai
The best IVF hospital for you has experienced specialists, its own embryology laboratory, the treatment options you may need and a team that explains every step and its cost clearly.
Specialist training
Qualifications in reproductive medicine and years of IVF experience.
In-house embryology lab
Your embryos should never leave the centre's care.
ICSI and freezing on site
No need to move centres if your plan changes mid-cycle.
Honest guidance
Your chances explained for your age and diagnosis.
Written cost estimate
Every charge listed before you start, including medicines.
A centre near home
Stimulation needs several scans in two weeks, so distance matters.
IVF Centres Near You in Chennai
As a fertility clinic in Chennai with 8 IVF centres, monitoring scans are always close to home. Open 7 days, 7 AM to 10 PM.
IVF Centres Across Chennai
Book IVF consultations and monitoring scans at the Hive centre nearest to you. Open 7 days, 7 AM to 10 PM.
📍 Hive Fertility – Kolathur (Main Branch)
Plot No.2, Paper Mills Rd, below Mega Mart, Velavan Nagar, Kolathur – 600099
📍 THE HIVE FERTILITY CLINIC Egmore
No-25(12), CASA Major Rd, Egmore, Chennai, Greater Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600008
📍 Hive Fertility – Redhills
M.A.Nagar, Padianallur, Redhills – 600052
📍 Hive Fertility – Tambaram
Camp Rd Junction, Barathi Nagar, Ezhil Nagar, Selaiyur – 600073
📍 The Hive Fertility Clinic – Kovalam
S No. 91/7, Plot No 2/223 (A), Desai Chetty Street, Kovalam, Chengalpattu Dist. Tamilnadu - 603112
📍 The Hive Fertility Clinic – Karayanchavadi
SH 113A, Trunk road, Next to Zudio, Karayanchavadi, Poonamallee, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600056
📍 The Hive Fertility Clinic – Adyar
L1, First Floor, DP Tower, 144, Lattice Brg Rd, Indira Nagar, Adyar, Chennai - 600020
📍 The Hive Fertility Clinic – Keelkattalai
No.10A, First floor, Big street, opposite Sakthivel Murugan temple, Keelkatalai, Chennai-600117
How to Reach Our Main IVF Centre in Kolathur
Hive Fertility Kolathur, our main branch, is on Paper Mills Road below Mega Mart, easily reachable from Perambur, Villivakkam, Retteri and North Chennai. For our other 7 IVF centres, see the centre list above.
- Perambur Railway Station 3.2 km
- Villivakkam Railway Station 3.8 km
- Vyasarpadi Station 4.5 km
- Chennai Central Station 8.5 km
- Thirumangalam Metro Station 5.0 km
- Anna Nagar East Metro 5.2 km
- Koyambedu Metro Station 7.5 km
- Central Metro Station 8.5 km
- Paper Mills Road Bus Stop 100 m
- Kolathur Bus Depot 800 m
- Retteri Junction Stop 1.5 km
- Perambur Bus Terminus 3.5 km
📍 Nearby Areas Patients Commonly Travel From:
Plot No.2, Paper Mills Road · Below Mega Mart · Velavan Nagar · Retteri Flyover Junction
ஐவிஎஃப் (IVF) / டெஸ்ட் டியூப் பேபி சிகிச்சை என்றால் என்ன?
ஐவிஎஃப் என்பது பெண்ணின் கருமுட்டைகளை எடுத்து, ஆய்வகத்தில் விந்தணுவுடன் கருவுறச் செய்து, உருவான ஆரோக்கியமான கருவை கர்ப்பப்பைக்குள் வைக்கும் கருத்தரிப்பு சிகிச்சை. இதையே பலர் "டெஸ்ட் டியூப் பேபி" என்று அழைக்கிறார்கள்.
யாருக்கு ஐவிஎஃப் தேவை?
- கருக்குழாய் அடைப்பு உள்ளவர்கள்
- PCOS, எண்டோமெட்ரியோசிஸ் உள்ளவர்கள்
- விந்தணு குறைபாடு உள்ள ஆண்கள்
- வயது 35க்கு மேல் அல்லது கருமுட்டை இருப்பு குறைவாக உள்ளவர்கள்
- பலமுறை IUI தோல்வியடைந்தவர்கள்
ஒரு ஐவிஎஃப் சுழற்சி சுமார் 4 முதல் 6 வாரங்கள் ஆகும். சென்னையில் உள்ள எங்கள் 8 ஹைவ் ஃபெர்டிலிட்டி மையங்களில் ஆலோசனை பெறலாம்.
IVF Treatment FAQs
What is IVF treatment?
What is the full form of IVF?
Is IVF the same as a test tube baby?
Which is the best IVF centre in Chennai?
Is The Hive an IVF hospital or an IVF clinic?
How much does IVF cost in Chennai?
What is the IVF success rate?
Is IVF 100% successful?
How many IVF cycles will I need?
How long does one IVF cycle take?
Is IVF painful?
What is the best age for IVF?
What is the difference between IVF and ICSI?
What is the difference between IVF and IUI?
Is frozen embryo transfer as good as fresh transfer?
Can IVF be done with PCOS?
Are IVF babies healthy?
Can we choose the gender of the baby with IVF?
What should I avoid after embryo transfer?
Can I do IVF at The Hive after a failed IVF cycle elsewhere?
When should I see an IVF specialist?
Which Hive IVF centre is nearest to me?
How do I book an IVF consultation at The Hive?
Related: Fertility hospital in Chennai · IUI treatment · ICSI treatment · Embryo freezing
Medically reviewed by Dr. Niveditha Amilthan, MS OG, MRCOG (UK), FRM, FMAS, F.ART, Founder & Director, The Hive Fertility Clinic
Last reviewed: 30 October 2026. This page is for patient education and does not replace a consultation with a fertility specialist. Meet our doctors