Fertility Center - What Are Your Options?

Couples having difficulty conceiving often begin to look into treatment at a fertility center to find solutions. There are several methods that can help improve the ability to conceive that range from dietary changes to ovary fertilization within a laboratory setting.

Lifestyle changes and organized planning may be all that is required to increase the chance of pregnancy in some couples. Changing diets, such as cutting out high fat foods and increasing vitamin and fiber rich fruits and vegetables can help improve overall and reproductive health. Quitting, or at the very least minimizing certain activities such as smoking, drinking, and the use of recreational (and even some prescribed) drugs are also options. Organization and careful planning of the female’s monthly cycle is also crucial. Purchasing a calendar and diligently marking the days of ovulation and menstruation can help predict the optimal periods for copulation. If these adjustments fail, then tests may reveal an underlying medical issue that is the root of the problem.

If after continued attempts over a period of a year or more have failed, it is likely time to seek out further options at a fertility center. Sometimes the solution may be as simple as medication such as clomiphene. This drug is prescribed primarily to women who have chronically inconsistent ovulations, which may be caused by a condition such as polycystic ovarian syndrome. It has also been proven to successfully treat some men who suffer from below average levels or low quality sperm. It may take several ovulation cycles while on the drug before conception, so treatment can last from six months to a year before a different approach should be considered.

When medicine doesn’t improve the situation, a doctor may recommend surgery in order to relieve any defects or medical conditions that are preventing pregnancy. Polycystic ovarian syndrome, which affects a small percentage of women at child-bearing age, requires surgical intervention in a minority of cases to improve conception ability. Removing any ovarian cysts can create a small window of opportunity. However, many women suffering from this condition are also more prone to miscarriages. Other surgical procedures used in patients include clearing blockages in the fallopian tubes or vas deferens, reversing vasectomy, and removing blockage of ejaculatory duct.

Surgery isn’t always an option or successful, but another avenue is through artificial insemination or In vitro fertilization at a fertility center. Insemination is often preferred when possible due to the less invasive nature, relatively affordable cost, and fewer risks associated with it. A woman’s partner or a donor will supply sperm which is then injected into the uterus. Several treatments might be required and it is estimated that there is up to a 25% success rate. Cost will vary, but generally will not exceed $1,000. In vitro fertilization is much more involved and requires removing ovaries as well as sperm, uniting them within a lab setting, and then placing the egg back into the uterus once fertilized. While slightly more successful than artificial insemination, it is cost prohibitive, more time consuming, and there are often unwanted side effects such as a greater rate of twin (or even triplet) embryos.