Infertility is a condition in which a person is not able to reproduce by natural means after 12 months (or longer) of unprotected sexual intercourse on a regular basis. If a woman is older than age 35, infertility is defined as not being able to reproduce in such a situation after six months. Infertility may describe both a woman who is unable to conceive as well as a woman who is unable to carry a pregnancy to full term. Infertility in males may be due to issues including a low sperm count, blockages that stop the flow of sperm, or abnormal sperm function.
How is infertility treated?
Infertility may be treated with medicines, surgery, artificial insemination, or assisted reproductive technology.
What medicines are used to treat infertility? …show more content…
It is often used in women who have polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) or other problems with ovulation. This medicine is taken by mouth.
• Human menopausal gonadotropin or hMG (Repronex®, Pergonal®): This medicine is often used for women who don't ovulate due to problems with their pituitary gland. hMG acts directly on the ovaries to stimulate ovulation. It is an injected medicine.
• Follicle-stimulating hormone or FSH (Gonal-F®, Follistim®): FSH works much like hMG. It causes the ovaries to begin the process of ovulation. These medicines are usually injected.
• Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (Gn-RH) analogs: These medicines are often used for women who don't ovulate regularly each month. Women who ovulate before the egg is ready can also use these medicines. Gn-RH analogs act on the pituitary gland to change when the body ovulates. These medicines are usually injected or given with a nasal spray. Doctors use Gn-RH analogs for women who have insulin resistance and/or PCOS. This drug helps lower the high levels of male hormones in women with these conditions. As a result, the drug helps the body to ovulate. Sometimes clomiphene citrate or FSH is combined with metformin. This medicine is usually taken by …show more content…
The first procedure is to “wash” the semen to produce the healthiest sperm. The sperm are then placed into the uterus using a catheter (a thin, flexible tube) inserted through the cervix. It is timed as closely as possible to the woman’s normal cycle of ovulation, or with fertility medicines.
What is assisted reproductive technology (ART)?
Assisted reproductive technology (ART) is a method in which a woman's eggs are removed, mixed with sperm to make embryos, and the embryos are placed back in the woman's body. Depending upon a woman’s age, ART has a success rate of about 11% to 39%. Four types of ART are in vitro fertilization, zygote transfer, gamete transfer, and intracytoplasmic sperm injection.
• In vitro fertilization (IVF) means that fertilization takes place outside of the body. IVF is the most effective ART. It is often used when a woman's fallopian tubes are blocked or when a man produces too few sperm. Doctors treat the woman with a drug that causes the ovaries to produce multiple eggs. Once mature, the eggs are removed from the woman. They are put in a dish in the lab along with the man's sperm for fertilization. After 3 to 5 days, healthy embryos are implanted in the woman's
How is infertility treated?
Infertility may be treated with medicines, surgery, artificial insemination, or assisted reproductive technology.
What medicines are used to treat infertility? …show more content…
It is often used in women who have polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) or other problems with ovulation. This medicine is taken by mouth.
• Human menopausal gonadotropin or hMG (Repronex®, Pergonal®): This medicine is often used for women who don't ovulate due to problems with their pituitary gland. hMG acts directly on the ovaries to stimulate ovulation. It is an injected medicine.
• Follicle-stimulating hormone or FSH (Gonal-F®, Follistim®): FSH works much like hMG. It causes the ovaries to begin the process of ovulation. These medicines are usually injected.
• Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (Gn-RH) analogs: These medicines are often used for women who don't ovulate regularly each month. Women who ovulate before the egg is ready can also use these medicines. Gn-RH analogs act on the pituitary gland to change when the body ovulates. These medicines are usually injected or given with a nasal spray. Doctors use Gn-RH analogs for women who have insulin resistance and/or PCOS. This drug helps lower the high levels of male hormones in women with these conditions. As a result, the drug helps the body to ovulate. Sometimes clomiphene citrate or FSH is combined with metformin. This medicine is usually taken by …show more content…
The first procedure is to “wash” the semen to produce the healthiest sperm. The sperm are then placed into the uterus using a catheter (a thin, flexible tube) inserted through the cervix. It is timed as closely as possible to the woman’s normal cycle of ovulation, or with fertility medicines.
What is assisted reproductive technology (ART)?
Assisted reproductive technology (ART) is a method in which a woman's eggs are removed, mixed with sperm to make embryos, and the embryos are placed back in the woman's body. Depending upon a woman’s age, ART has a success rate of about 11% to 39%. Four types of ART are in vitro fertilization, zygote transfer, gamete transfer, and intracytoplasmic sperm injection.
• In vitro fertilization (IVF) means that fertilization takes place outside of the body. IVF is the most effective ART. It is often used when a woman's fallopian tubes are blocked or when a man produces too few sperm. Doctors treat the woman with a drug that causes the ovaries to produce multiple eggs. Once mature, the eggs are removed from the woman. They are put in a dish in the lab along with the man's sperm for fertilization. After 3 to 5 days, healthy embryos are implanted in the woman's