The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has estimated that 12 percent of the American population is suffering from infertility during their reproductive years. This statistic can be quite overwhelming. However, thanks to scientific advancements, there are more and more ways to combat infertility.
Infertility can happen to both men and women. In women, it may present as difficulty to ovulate, damaged Fallopian tubes, or it may even go unexplained. In men, infertility present as decreased sperm population. There are a variety of ways that doctors utilize to target infertility symptoms in men and women.
Here are some fertility treatment options:
Fertility Drugs
For couples experiencing problems conceiving, doctors will determine the specific causes to be able to prescribe the correct treatment. For ovulation problems of the woman, Clomiphene may be prescribed to stimulate the ovaries to produce more eggs. Metformin is prescribed for women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Some doctors resort to hormone injections to stimulate ovulation.
In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)
Chicago IVF or In Vitro Fertilization involves a multi-step process, which starts with the extraction of an egg from the female. These eggs will be fertilized in the lab using the sperm taken from the male.
Once embryos develop from the fertilization, they will be implanted back into the uterus of the female. If there are several embryos, some of them will be stored for subsequent implantations, in case the first batch does not develop fully. IVF works best for women with damaged tubes or blocked tubes, as well with men with poor sperm quality. This option is also available for couples with unexplained infertility after more conventional methods were already utilized, but to no avail.
Icsi And Donor Eggs
When it is only the male suffering from infertility, doctors will perform an Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection instead. In this process, sperm taken from the male is directly injected into the female’s egg while inside the fallopian tubes, using a microscopic needle.
Once an embryo develops, it is placed inside the uterus through IVF procedure. On the other hand, when it is only the female suffering from infertility, donor eggs from a younger donor will be fertilized with the male’s sperm. Once an embryo develops, this will be implanted to the female’s uterus through IVF. Donor eggs are also used when the female has genetic disorders that she doesn’t want to pass to her children.
Donor Embryos And Surrogacy
When both male and female have infertility symptoms, one option is through a donor embryo. Remember the embryos stored after the first batch of implantation? Once the first implantation resulted in pregnancy, the embryos can be donated to another couple with no chance of forming an embryo. This method is most suitable for couples with very low sperm count, as well as decreased eggs. The embryo will be implanted in the female’s uterus through IVF. The donors of the embryo will be compensated.
However, when the female cannot support a pregnancy, such as when she had a hysterectomy or because of disease, the couple can opt for a surrogate mother instead. An embryo from the couple’s eggs and sperm will be implanted in the surrogate’s uterus. The couple can also use an embryo from a donor’s eggs and the male’s sperm, or the female’s eggs and a donor’s sperm. This is the most expensive of all fertility treatments, with prices reaching up as high as USD 50,000 to USD 100,000.
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