Treatments for infertility
Over
six million people in the US are infertile – couples who’ve been trying to
conceive for a year without success.
The fact they’re unable to conceive means that somewhere along the
line a connection in the reproductive system is being missed. This may be down
to sperm or eggs not being healthy or not being produced at all, a blockage
that’s preventing the sperm from reaching the egg, a problem that is preventing
a fertilized egg from implanting in the uterus or the embryo itself not being
viable.
Overall, around 85 percent of
fertility problems are treated with drugs or surgery to repair damaged
reproductive organs. The remaining 15 percent come down to assisted
reproduction techniques such as IVF.
Semen analysis
This is generally the first step
in attempting to find out what’s causing your infertility – while men are no
more likely than women to have a fertility problem, checking a sperm sample
first is simply the easiest place to start because it isn’t an invasive procedure.
If there is a problem with your partner’s sperm, you may be able to conceive
with IVF or by using donor sperm.
Fertility drugs
These
can be used to prepare your body for egg retrieval and IVF, or to kickstart
your ovaries into producing healthy eggs again if you have infrequent periods.
They increase your risk of conceiving twins or multiples, and also have side effects
including headaches, depression and pelvic discomfort. They also raise your
risk of miscarriage.
Fertility surgery
Surgery
to solve infertility is much less common since the introduction of IVF (and
you’ll be advised to go the IVF route if your partner’s sperm is poor quality).
Laparoscopy (keyhole surgery) can be used to examine the fallopian tubes,
uterus and ovaries to check for scar tissue, endometriosis and fibroids. If these problems are found, then they can be surgically corrected
with operative laparoscopy. If more extensive surgery is needed, it can be done
via laparotomy, which involves a larger incision.
Assisted reproduction
Assisted
reproduction techniques help you to conceive by either helping the sperm to
reach your egg inside your body, or by using a sperm sample to fertilize your
egg outside your body and transplanting the resulting embryos back into your
uterus. IVF can be carried out using your egg and your partner’s sperm, or
using donor sperm or donor eggs.
If
IVF is going to be used, you’ll likely have to take fertility drugs to boost
ovulation prior to egg retrieval, which is carried out by laparoscopy under ultrasound guidance. Once your eggs are
retrieved they’ll be fertilized and observed for around 48 hours to check that
they show no signs of abnormalities. Then two to four embryos will be placed in
your uterus, and around 10 days later you’ll be given a blood test to check if
you’re pregnant.
Your feelings
Your
inability to conceive a child will likely be an emotional crisis for you both,
and particularly for whichever of you has the problem that is preventing
conception. Your depression and stress will be exacerbated by fertility
treatment – if you’re taking fertility drugs these can cause mood swings; and
you’ll also have to deal with the disappointment of failure if assisted
conception techniques don’t work. Your fertility clinic will likely have a
counselor or therapist on staff, who can help you work through your emotions
without blaming each other.
If
you want to find other people to talk to who are going through the same
experiences, then try our chat section that can help to link
you up with other women in a similar situation.
The information in this feature is intended for
educational purposes only. If you have any concerns about your health, the
health of your child or the health of someone you know, please consult with a
doctor or other healthcare professional.
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Last Modified: 02/05/2007
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