Transvaginal Oocyte Retrieval

Transvaginal oocyte retrieval, abbreviated TVOR and also called oocyte retrieval or OCR, is a technique used in in vitro fertilization to remove oocytes, immature egg cells, from an ovary so that fertilization can take place outside the body. Once the retrieved oocytes have matured into ova, as is normally the case by the time of retrieval in IVF, the same procedure is more properly called transvaginal ovum retrieval. Beyond IVF itself, the technique is also used to support egg donation, oocyte cryopreservation, and other assisted reproductive procedures such as intracytoplasmic sperm injection.