In-Vitro Fertilisation.. In vitro fertilisation (IVF) is the term used to describe the process used to conceive a child outside the body. A woman's eggs and man's sperm are placed together in a plastic dish for fertilisation. The resulting embryos are placed back in the woman's uterus in the hope that a successful pregnancy will follow. If unsuccessful, the woman may develop a condition called ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS), which can result in nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea and shortness of breath.