FAQ

Infertility

Parenthood is the dream of every couple. The urge to procreate is genetically motivated and is one of the greatest sources of enduring joy for couples.
Yet, given increasing levels of infertility in today's generation, there are millions of couples who pine for the joy of having a baby.

Most people will have a strong desire to conceive a child at some point during their lifetime. Most couples (approximately 85%) will achieve pregnancy within one year of trying, with the greatest likelihood of conception occurring during the earlier months. Only an additional 7% of couples will conceive in the second year. As a result, infertility has come to be defined as the inability to conceive within 12 months.

What is infertility?

Infertility is a condition of the reproductive system. This is not just a one sided problem. Approximately, 30% of infertility is due to a female factor and 30% is due to a male factor. In the balance of the cases, infertility also can result from problems in both partners and often the outlying cause of the infertility cannot be explained. In this case it is known as an “unexplained infertility” diagnosis. All of which, equally frustrating.

What are my risk factors?

There may be a number of external factors, lifestyle choices and environmental causes that can attribute to an infertility diagnosis. Some risk factors can be gender specific. Here’s a brief snapshot on some of the more common risks factors.

  • Weight
  • Age
  • Smoking
  • Alcohol
  • Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)
  • Tubal Disease
  • Endometriosis
  • DES Exposure
Are there any signs or symptoms?

Short answer: not often. Longer answer: Listen to your body. By getting regular checkups and communicating what you do know, will help to detect any possible clues to potential fertility issues.
Early detection and treatment of a problem are often critical in achieving successful pregnancy outcomes later.

What are some ways to treat infertility?

There are many options for treating infertility, however deciding on which one is best for you and your partner can feel a bit overwhelming at first. Start with learning about all of the options that are available to you. With advancing medical technology there are more choices for both men and women trying to conceive. It can be a broad spectrum of hormonal treatments, ovulation induction and Intrauterine insemination to more advanced technologies like in vitro fertilization, ICSI to surrogacy, egg/sperm donation and even embryo donation. If you are craving more information about your options check out family building options here.

What medications are used?

There’s quite a wide variety of medications that can be used to treat infertility. First, it is important to talk to your provider about a course of care plan. Also, you can gain a better understanding of the medications and what their purpose is, by asking your doctor at Shree Hospital to explain all of the medications that will be used in your specific treatment plan.

What is artificial insemination?

Artificial insemination is more commonly referred to as an IUI (intrauterine insemination). Typically, this procedure is recommended for couples with unexplained infertility, minimal male factor infertility, and women with cervical mucus problems. The process uses the male partner or donor’s sperm, washing and treating the sperm, and then injecting it into the woman during the time of ovulation.

What is In Vitro or IVF?

In vitro fertilization or for acronym-y purposes, IVF, gets its name from the fact that fertilization occurs outside of the woman’s body, in a lab dish instead of a woman’s fallopian tubes. Typically, a woman will use ovulation stimulating drugs to produce an excess number of eggs. These eggs or “follicles”, are surgically removed from the woman and fertilized in dish with sperm. If fertilization takes place, the physician transfers the embryo(s) into the women’s uterus. Learn more about the IVF process.