Artificial Insemination Through Reproductive Medicine
Today, artificial insemination (IVF) offers couples struggling with infertility a chance to finally fulfill their dream of becoming parents.
In what cases is in vitro fertilization performed?
Artificial insemination is performed when infertility treatments have failed to help a couple. When all possible treatments prove ineffective, yet the desire to become parents is very strong, couples turn to their only remaining option: IVF. This type of fertilization takes place outside the human body and is feasible for virtually any form of infertility. IVF is performed in a laboratory by artificially fertilizing an egg that has been retrieved beforehand. After fertilization, the embryo is incubated for five days to allow it to develop, and then it is transferred to the uterus.
What is the success rate of in vitro fertilization?
It’s important to remember that with each passing year, the chances of conceiving a child through artificial insemination decrease. According to statistics, women under the age of thirty-five have a forty percent chance of giving birth; by the age of thirty-seven, the chances drop to thirty percent, and by the age of forty, the birth of a child is possible in only ten percent of cases.
In vitro fertilization and intrauterine insemination should not be considered the same thing. The difference between intrauterine insemination and artificial insemination is that pre-collected sperm is introduced into the uterus. However, this method is only available if the fallopian tubes are patent.
The IVF Process:
— The first stage is the initial phase. To undergo IVF, both the man and the woman must undergo all necessary tests so that the doctor can determine whether there are any contraindications to artificial conception for the woman. Only then can the couple and the doctor decide whether to proceed with IVF or not.
— The second stage involves prescribing the necessary treatment for the woman to induce superovulation, which involves administering hormones to allow doctors to retrieve multiple eggs, as the presence of multiple eggs makes IVF more effective. However, hormone therapy is contraindicated for some women, as it can lead to adverse health effects.
— The third stage involves obtaining sperm. Ideally, this is done immediately before fertilization, although sperm can also be frozen. During the fertilization process, doctors separate the sperm. The most viable sperm will be used for fertilization.
— The fourth stage is artificial insemination. This involves the artificial fertilization of the egg using a procedure called insemination. This procedure takes about three hours. However, insemination is not always possible, as the sperm may be of poor quality. In such cases, the cells are fertilized using microsurgical intervention. After fertilization, five days must pass, during which the embryo will develop in an incubator.
— The fifth stage involves transferring the embryo to the uterus.
Despite the high cost of IVF, couples who dream of becoming parents but are struggling with infertility should consider this method.
