Ready to start a family? But maybe you’ve tried for over a year with no luck?
Trying to conceive can be an emotionally frustrating experience. One that at its worst can even drive a wedge between you and your partner. Thankfully, science has taken us far in the past 50 years, and now you have options to consider when it comes to fertility treatments. Most specialists recommend seeing a fertility doctor after 6 months of trying to conceive if you are under 35 years old. So if you’ve been trying for almost a year, visit a fertility doctor to get the process started. Your doctor will want to conduct some tests on both you and your partner. After which, the doctor will recommend a fertility plan.
The following options are the most common fertility treatments currently available.
Fertility drugs
Fertility drugs, such as clomiphene and gonadotropins, help regulate your reproductive cycle. Taking fertility drugs triggers the release of eggs during ovulation. Quite often, fertility drugs result in having twins.
Clomiphene is taken in pill form and 80 percent of those who take this drug ovulate within the first 3 months. The side effects of clomiphene include mood swings, nausea, headaches, and mild depression.
Gonadotropins is administered by injection. The success rate is 15 percent per injection cycle. Side effects include irritation at the injection site, headaches, abdominal bloating, and breast tenderness.
Tuboplasty
Surgery is used to remove blocked fallopian tubes. The fallopian tube is the pathway the eggs travel from the ovaries to the uterus. This surgery procedure is called tuboplasty. Tuboplasty is used to remove scar tissue blockages, and in some cases create a new opening in a fallopian tube. Other tuboplasty options include resection. This is where a damaged part of a fallopian tube is removed and healthy sections are reconnected. (For more info, visit http://TuboPlasty.com.)
Up to 60 percent of women who undergo this surgery are able to conceive afterward. A straightforward surgery type, there are no risks directly related to the surgery itself. But it is advised that you see a doctor immediately should you become pregnant after a tuboplasty surgery to make sure all is developing as it should.
In vitro fertilization (IVF)
This fertility treatment requires the removal of eggs from the ovary, which are then combined with semen in a lab. If fertilization is a success, the embryo is transferred to the uterus via a tube or catheter. Small side effects that follow IVF include mild bloating and cramping. As well as constipation and breast tenderness. Less common more serious side effects include blood in the urine, fever, pelvic pain, or vaginal bleeding. If such symptoms occur, you should call your doctor.
IVF costs anywhere from $12,000 to $17,000 for a single treatment. Success rates as provided by the American Pregnancy Association for IVF are as follows:
- 41 to 43 percent for women under age 35
- 33 to 36 percent for women ages 35 to 37
- 23 to 27 percent for women ages 38 to 40
- 13 to 18 percent for women ages over 40
Donors
IVF advancements allow for another woman’s egg to be fertilized with your partner’s sperm and then transferred to your uterus. When using a donor egg, there are medications you will need to take to prepare your uterus for the embryo. Fresh donor eggs have a success rate of about 50 percent. Side effects include feeling emotionally disconnected from the child and it can take a while to find an egg donor.
While there are other fertility options on the market, the above are the most common treatments available today. Do your research and take a frank look at the level of your commitment because starting a family has its fair share of challenges to overcome. The costs for treatments can also be quite high, which does put an additional strain on an already emotional situation. But without a doubt the reward is beautiful.
