Infertility Treatments
What is infertility?
Infertility is defined as an inability to conceive after approximately one year of unprotected sex between a person and a lady . Infertility may be a common problem, affecting approximately 10 percent of men and ladies of reproductive age.
Infertility has many causes -- among them, in both sexes, are DM , thyroid dysfunction, adrenal and pituitary problems, and genetic and environmental factors. In women the foremost common causes of infertility are failure to ovulate, blockage of the fallopian tubes by connective tissue and hormonal imbalances, including those associated with advancing age. In men the foremost common problem may be a low sperm count, which has many causes.
There are variety of assisted reproductive techniques available to infertile couples. However, far and away the foremost commonly used today is in vitro fertilization, or IVF.
What is in vitro fertilization?
In vitro (latin for "in the laboratory") fertilization may be a technique during which a woman's eggs are "harvested" by a physician then placed during a liquid medium and fertilized via the introduction of sperm. The technique is most frequently used when a few either cannot conceive or the feminine partner is unable to hold a pregnancy to term. However, the procedure now is also getting used to permit women who cannot produce eggs on their own to conceive. this is often done using eggs donated by another woman and fertilized within the laboratory using the male partner's sperm.
Although it seems like an easy procedure, IVF is way harder than it seems, and successful fertilization is comparatively rare. consistent with the Centers for Disease Control, the likelihood of successful conception in women undergoing IVF in women under 35 years aged is about 30 to 40 percent. That rate drops to 25 to 30 percent in women between the ages of 35 and 40, and falls to about 6 to 10 percent in women over 40 years aged .
What does in vitro fertilization cost?
IVF is extremely expensive and is never , if ever, covered by insurance . Typical costs for one cycle are between $10,000 and $15,000, and therefore the technique is never successful the primary time it's tried. If frozen embryos from a donor are used, the value of the procedure decreases dramatically, but most girls who prefer to use donated eggs also comply with buy their harvesting and storage, which carries with it costs like a daily cycle of IVF.
Why is in vitro fertilization so challenging?
The most obvious reason this system is such a challenge is that conception isn't an automatic process even under optimal circumstances. within the physical body following "normal" intercourse pregnancy remains rare.
In order to maximise the probabilities of a pregnancy within the laboratory, an outsized number of eggs must be fertilized directly .Under normal circumstances, a lady only produces one egg per cycle . To stimulate additional egg production for the IVF process, she is given a series of injections of hormones, or "fertility drugs." The physician uses blood tests or ultrasonic technology to work out when the eggs are ready for retrieval then removes them from the uterus during an easy surgery . The eggs are then placed into a sterile medium to which sperm that has been separated from the male partner's semen is added. The physician then observes the ova for evidence of fertilization -- the presence of two distinct cells within the egg confirms that fertilization has occurred. Then the eggs are introduced into the woman's uterus, where they still must implant themselves for pregnancy to start .
What are the common barriers to successful in vitro fertilization?
Age may be a significant barrier to the success of in vitro fertilization, as is general poor health. A recent history of smoking or drug or alcohol use will generally lessen the probabilities of success, as will obesity, which increases the likelihood of gestational diabetes and miscarriage. Excessive stress also can be a contributing factor to failed in vitro fertilization.
What are some complications of in vitro fertilization?
By far the foremost common complication of in vitro fertilization is multiple births, which is that the results of the deliberate introduction to the uterus of multiple fertilized embryos. The threat of multiple births is usually managed early within the pregnancy by "selective reduction," a mild term for aborting some number of the embryos present within the uterus. However, many ladies find this procedure objectionable and refuse to possess it done.
The alternative to selective reduction -- multiple births of as many as 3 to six infants -- carries with it enormous risks to both the babies and therefore the mother. Multiple births frequently end in prematurity and low birth weight, which carry with them a number of possible complications to the infants. Mothers who are carrying multiple fetuses are in danger of developing hypertension, pre-eclampsia and eclampsia, life threatening complications of pregnancy that carry a high probability of stroke.
Other potential risks of IVF include "hyper-stimulation syndrome," a usually benign condition during which the over-stimulated ovaries become distended with fluid and tender. Some women can also experience heart-burn, loss of appetite and nausea and vomiting.
Women who fail to become pregnant after multiple attempts at IVF may become depressed or develop anxiety disorders. there's also some evidence that infants born from IVF suffer a better incidence of birth defects, especially harelip , birth defect , esophageal problems, and heart defects.
In vitro fertilization may be a viable treatment option for several infertile couples. There are variety of risks related to the technique, both to the mother and her children, and even under optimal circumstances, it's successful only a fraction of the time. Nevertheless, for couples who want desperately to conceive using their own genetic material or that of an appropriate donor, it are often a huge blessing with rewarding results.
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