Infertility Overview

 

 

 

 

 

h When To Seek Infertility
Treatment

h Finding the Cause of your Infertility

h Overview of Infertility Treatment

h What is Reproductive
Endocrinology_

h Books about Infertility

h

h Reversal of Tubal Ligation

h Infertility Over 40

h Male Infertility

h Donor Egg IVF

h Endometriosis and Infertility

h Uterine Fibroids

h Recurrent Miscarriage

h Ectopic Pregnancy

h

h Reading Between the Lines Part I: IVF Statistics

h Reading Between the Lines Part II: IVF Fees

h

h Links to Infertility Sites

h Finding a Fertility Specialist

h

h "About Infertility" en espaņol

 

A Public Service Of....

 


   

 

Please visit our sponsor, Aabra's Books, and see their selection of infertility books.

 

 

Overview of
Infertility Treatment

The therapy recommended by your fertility specialist will depend on your diagnosis.   For this reason, it is important to have a complete "fertility evaluation" prior to undergoing treatment.

For example, if a micro-organism that can cause infertility, such as "Ureaplasma" is found, you may only need a course of antibiotics.

If the tests show a problem with ovulation, your doctor may recommend ovulation-induction medication.  "Fertility pills" are usually recommended first.  If they do not correct the ovulation problem (or if they appear to be correcting it, but you still do not become pregnant), fertility injections will be recommended.  These are potent hormones, and you must be carefully monitored by an experienced fertility specialist while you are taking them.

If  you are found to have a uterine abnormality, such as  fibroids, polyps, adhesions, or a congenital abnormality of the uterus, surgery can be done to correct this.

Similarly, pelvic adhesions can be removed with laser surgery, or blocked fallopian tubes can be opened surgically.  If severe tubal disease is found, however, your doctor may feel that you are better off not attempting   surgery, and going straight to In Vitro Fertilization ("IVF") instead.

Another common cause of infertility is endometriosis - a condition in which "endometrial" tissue (that is, pieces of the uterine lining which are shed during menstruation) are found outside the uterus, in other parts of the abdominal cavity.   Endometriosis lesions can be removed with laser surgery, or they can be reduced by taking hormonal medications which suppress menstruation. 

Artificial insemination may be recommended if you are found to have "hostile mucus" - that is, if the chemical composition of your vaginal mucus will not support living sperm.

If male factor infertility is identified - that is, if the sperm count or "motility" (forward movement) is low, Artificial Insemination by Husband ("AIH") - in which your husband's sperm is purified and then inserted directly into your uterus -  may be recommended.  For more severe male factor infertility, IVF with "ICSI" (a laboratory procedure in which a sperm is injected directly into an egg) may be the best option.   If you do not wish to undergo IVF, then Artificial Insemination by Donor (using frozen sperm from a sperm bank) can be utilized.

Sometimes, more than one infertility factor may be present, and a combination of therapies may be needed.  Or, the appropriate therapy may be tried, but with no success.  When "conventional therapy" fails, IVF is usually the only recourse.

What if you are among the 5% for whom the diagnosis is never discovered_  Treatment with fertility injections plus Artificial Insemination by Husband has been found to help in many cases of "unexplained infertility."  And, if this does not work, you will be a good candidate for IVF.  In a good IVF program, In Vitro Fertilization is frequently successful for couples with unexplained infertility.

(The material on this site is presented for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice or to substitute for the recommendations of your doctor.  Every case is different, and only your own physician can advise you regarding your particular situation.)