Assisted Reproductive Technology With Infertility Remedies
Infertility is defined as not being able to get pregnant after a year of trying to do so. Although, a woman may be able to get pregnant for several times but cannot sustain it until the 9th month, she may also be suffering from some infertility problems.
Infertility cannot be at all times blamed on the woman. It can happen in both gender due to a variety of factors, such as age, genetics, and pre-existing medical condition. For men, infertility can happen due to varicocele or damage in the reproductive system.
According to survey, the number of couples who are suffering from infertility has increased these past few years. One factor that also contributes to infertility is the kind of food that people are eating nowadays. Depending on the severity, infertility can still be treated through a healthy lifestyle. However, some couples, whose infertility is caused by medical complications (i.e. endometriosis, tubal blockage, impotence, and PCOS), usually opt to undergoing assisted reproductive technology (ART).
In-Vitro Fertilization
Also known as IVF, this is the most common form of ART used for women whose infertility is caused by a damaged fallopian tube and other severe factors. In the process, the patient should undergo an egg stimulation, wherein the doctor prescribes drugs (i.e. Clomid) to stimulate the production of eggs per month. After a few months of closed monitoring, the eggs are removed from the woman’s ovaries to be fertilized in the laboratory together with the partner’s semen. The gametes are placed in an incubator to allow fertilization to occur. After 3 to 5 days, the healthy embryos are then injected back to the woman’s uterus.
Zygote Intrafallopian Transfer (ZIFT)
This process is also known as Tubal Embryo Transfer, wherein the egg and sperm are fertilized in the laboratory. However, in ZIFT the zygote is injected back to the fallopian tube instead of the uterus so that it can naturally travel and implant itself in the uterus.
Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI)
This process is often used to treat male infertility and is also the best options for older couples who have failed IVF attempt. This process is done through a test tube wherein one sperm is directly injected into an egg to achieve fertilization. Once the zygote has matured, it is injected back to the woman’s uterus or fallopian tube. Other infertility problems where ICSI can be used are as follows:
– Very low or zero sperm count
– High percentage of abnormally shaped sperms due to poor motility
– Erectile dysfunction and problems with ejaculation due to spinal cord injuries or diabetes