Infertility Information

Infertility is defined as a condition in which a man and woman are unable to conceive a child after one year of unprotected sexual intercourse, or in which a woman is unable to carry a pregnancy to term. Infertility can be attributed to the woman 35 percent of the time and to the man 35 percent of the time. The other 30 percent is due to fertility problems in both the man and the woman, or is due to unknown causes.

Fertility Treatment Education

For many couples who want to have a child but experience fertility problems, infertility treatment can provide them with renewed hope for achieving their dreams of a family. Read below to learn more about various fertility treatment options.

• In Vitro Fertilization
• Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection
• Artificial Insemination
• Fertility Drugs
• Sperm and Egg Donation

In Vitro Fertilization

In vitro fertilization allows couples experiencing problems with infertility to achieve a successful pregnancy. The procedure involves fertilizing a woman’s egg with a man’s sperm in a laboratory dish and implanting the embryo into the uterus.

Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection

Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is a procedure used for a couple experiencing male infertility problems. It involves injecting a single sperm into the center of an egg for fertilization, eliminating the need for the sperm to penetrate the egg. After fertilization, the embryos are implanted into the uterus.

Artificial Insemination

Artificial insemination involves artificially placing sperm into the woman’s cervix or uterus, increasing the chances of conception. This procedure is normally used when the woman has cervical mucus problems or the man has sperm deficiencies.

Fertility Drugs

Various fertility drug therapies exist to stimulate a woman’s reproductive system. There are four major groups of fertility drugs: progesterone (mimics the menstrual cycle and increases the chance of successful fertilization), gonadotropins (increases the amount of luteinizing and follicle stimulating hormones in the body), gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists (controls the amount luteinizing and follicle stimulating hormones), and gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonists (prevents the release of luteinizing and follicle stimulating hormones).

Sperm and Egg Donation

Egg and sperm donations give couples who cannot conceive on their own the chance to have a child. Individuals must go through an extensive screening process before becoming donors. Similarly, recipients must go through a long process to ensure a successful conception. However, many couples feel the possibility of raising a family makes the procedure well worth it.