Being in a situation you never saw in your future is always going to be unsettling especially when it means possibly losing the chance to have your own biological children.
If you find yourself in this situation, once you have recovered from the initial shock, you may take comfort in knowing you are not alone. In fact, studies have shown that in the United States, around 9% of men and around 11% of women who are of reproductive age have experienced fertility problems, with the statistics showing that;
- in one-third of infertile couples, the issues lie with the man
- In one third the issue can’t be identified as with who
- In one third the issue is with the woman
In 2014 it was reported that there were over 165000 Assisted reproductive technology procedures in the US, resulting in over 61000 births. Compared to the previous year this was an increase of more than 2000 births.
When facing the future and realizing you may not be able to conceive the way you had always thought, the world of fertility clinics can seem very daunting. When starting to look into different treatments and fertility, you should feel hopeful that you can still have a chance at your own family.
Why IVF?
With all the choices out there, IVF treatment is the one even the most unknowing of us are sure to have heard of. In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) has become but the most successful at allowing couples to conceive who previously couldn’t.
IVF treatment entails everything from ovarian stimulation, egg recovery, insemination, and embryo replacement. Most couples see success rates of about 20-25% per cycle. With the likeliness of a successful pregnancy reaching 45-53% if three cycles of treatment are done. Although three cycles are recommended if you are not able to conceive with the first, it is worth knowing that each cycle gets more expensive.
One of the ways that we can see medicine is still advancing to give the best possible chances to conceive is through Intralipid infusion IVF. Intralipid is used alongside IVF treatment to help women who have suffered from miscarriages or repeatedly fail embryo implantation.
How does it work?
- To develop the follicles needed in a patient’s ovaries, a course of hormone therapy will start. These follicles are then collected as eggs and transferred to a test tube.
- These follicles are then fertilized to create embryos.
- Then the embryos will remain in an incubator for 2-5 days before they are transferred and implanted into the uterus.
- This is when pregnancy should begin.
Can I have IVF?
To know if you qualify to have IVF treatment, The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has fertility guidelines. These tell us that IVF is a suitable fertility treatment for women who are under 43 years of age and have been actively trying to conceive for two years or who have already undergone 12 cycles of artificial insemination.
If you do not fit into these guidelines, you can still go for the treatment at your own cost privately.