Fertility Treatment FAQs
What do you need to know about your fertility treatment options? According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), infertility affects nearly one out of every five women ages 15 through 49. If you're one of the many women who is trying to conceive without success, take a look at the top treatment questions answered.
When Should You Seek Treatment for Fertility Issues?
You've tried to conceive the natural way. But you haven't gotten pregnant yet. When is it time to seek professional fertility help?
There's no standard answer to this question. The decision to seek medical help for fertility or explore treatment options depends on a few factors. Age is a major issue to consider. A woman who is under 35 and hasn't conceived after one year of trying should visit a fertility doctor, according to the CDC. Women 35 and over may only want to wait six months.
If you are 40 or older, you may want to talk to a fertility specialist before you start trying to conceive. A pre-trying-to-conceive visit gives a woman over age 40 the chance to learn more about her fertility status and plan a treatment strategy (if necessary).
Along with age, women who have endometriosis, a history of pelvic inflammatory disease, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a uterine disease, irregular or absent periods, and a history of multiple miscarriages may have decreased chances of getting pregnant quickly. Women who have any of these issues should consult a fertility doctor before trying to conceive or early on in the conception process.
What Types of Fertility Treatments Are Available?
Fertility treatments include medical, surgical, and other types of assisted reproductive technology-focused approaches. The medication clomiphene citrate can stimulate ovulation. Women who have PCOS or don't ovulate regularly could benefit from this option. Letrozole, follicle-stimulating hormone, gonadotropin-releasing hormone, metformin, bromocriptine, and human menopausal gonadotropin are other medications used alone or with other fertility treatments.
If medication doesn't work or isn't enough on its own, other common fertility treatments include intrauterine insemination (IUI) and in vitro fertilization (IVF). Some women may also need surgery to correct underlying issues such as scar tissue formation.
Are IUI and IVF Different?
Yes, these are two different assisted reproductive technology approaches. IUI can help couples with unexplained infertility issues or male infertility. This process is exactly what the name sounds like. The doctor will insert sperm (inseminate) into the woman's uterus.
IVF uses assisted reproductive technology to create fertilized embryos. An IVF cycle starts with medical egg stimulation and egg harvesting. The doctor then fertilizes the eggs (with sperm) and produces an embryo. The last step is to transfer viable embryos into the woman's uterus. The better quality the embryos are genetically, the greater the chance you will conceive through IVF.
Reach out to a clinic like Mor Fertility for more information.