According to 2021 statistics, about 48.5 million couples deal with infertility. Not being able to conceive a baby can be difficult for your and your spouse’s mental health. You may walk by a children’s park and watch parents play with their kids, which may upset you.
Infertility may occur for several causes. Thankfully, science has provided us with several fertility treatments. Different treatments may be suitable for different couples, depending on their fertility issue. A fertility clinic in Newport Beach, CA, can guide you to determine which fertility treatment will work best according to your condition.
Most Commonly Opted Fertility Options
- IVF or In Vitro Fertilization
In this treatment, the fertilization of ovaries and sperm is done outside the woman’s body, in a lab. The couple may use their eggs and sperm. If the male or female or both are infertile, they may use the sperm and eggs of another person or a donor with healthy reproductive organs.
After the egg/eggs are fertilized in the lab, they are placed in the woman’s uterus. Multiple embryos are transferred at once so that at least one of them will implant itself in your uterus and begin to develop and thus get you pregnant. This implantation may take about 6-10 days or more. After a certain period, your pregnancy test will be conducted.
- ICSI or Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection
A man’s sperm is required to fertilize a woman’s embryos for pregnancy to occur. However, sometimes this sperm cannot penetrate the embryo’s outer layer due to reasons of infertility. In this case, ICSI treatment is done. It is a similar procedure to IVF.
In ICSI, the sperm and egg are first put in a laboratory dish. With a micro-needle, known as a micropipette, a single sperm is directly injected into the center of the egg. When the sperm has fertilized the egg, it grows in the laboratory for 1-5 days. Finally, it is placed inside the woman’s uterus. After two weeks of this treatment, you can take the pregnancy test.
Causes Of Infertility In Males
- Overexposure to harmful environmental factors such as toxic chemicals.
- Abnormal production of sperm due to undescended testicles.
- Damage due to chemotherapy or radiation because of cancer treatment.
- Problems with the delivery of the sperm, such as immature ejaculation.
Causes Of Infertility In Females
- Irregular ovulation.
- Damage or blockage in the fallopian tubes.
- Abnormalities in the cervix or the uterus.
- Poor quality of eggs.
- Radiation and chemotherapy.
- Old age
There are several options that you and your partner can opt for if you are unable to conceive. Other than the two listed options, you may opt for a different procedure suggested by your doctor that’s best suited for you. To begin your fertility journey, contact OC Fertility and book an appointment today.