Infertility – Diagnosis and Treatment Options

June 13, 2019
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Determining the cause of infertility:

Male:

A semen analysis test can be done to evaluate the number and health of sperms. Also, a blood test can be done to check his testosterone and other hormones.

Female:

A blood test can be done to check hormone levels.

An endometrial biopsy is recommended to check the lining of the uterus.

Hysterosalpingography (HSG) test, a radiologic procedure to investigate the shape of the uterine cavity and the shape and patency of the fallopian tubes helps to determine scar & tubal obstructions.

Laparoscopy: Laparoscope a tube fitted with a fiber optic camera is inserted into the abdomen through a small incision near the belly button. This laparoscope enables the doctor to view the outside of the uterus, ovaries, and fallopian tubes to check abnormal growth, as in endometriosis. The doctor can also check if the fallopian tubes are open.

 

Treating Female Infertility:

Female infertility is treated in many ways, including:

Laparoscopy

Women who have tubal or pelvic disease can undergo surgery to reconstruct the reproductive organs or can conceive by the in vitro fertilization (IVF). By laparoscopy, scar tissue in the region can be removed, endometriosis can be treated, ovarian cysts can be removed, and also, blocked fallopian tubes can be opened.

Hysteroscopy

Hysteroscopy can be used to remove polyps and fibroid tumors, scar tissue, and opening of blocked fallopian tubes.

Medical treatment for infertility

Women who suffer with ovulation problems can be prescribed drugs which can lead to ovulation. These drugs can also enhance fertility by causing multiple eggs to ovulate during the cycle.

Intrauterine insemination for infertility

In intrauterine insemination semen is collected, then rinsed with a special solution, and then inserted into the uterus at the time of ovulation. Then these sperm are deposited into the uterus from a catheter that is inserted through the cervix. This procedure can be done with combination of the medications that stimulate ovulation.

In vitro fertilization (IVF)

IVF is a procedure in which eggs are fertilized in a culture dish in a lab and placed into the uterus. The woman is administered with gonadotropins to stimulate multiple egg growth. When the eggs are mature, they are collected using a vaginal ultrasound probe with a needle. The collected sperms are washed, and added to the eggs in a culture dish. Few days later, embryos — or fertilized eggs — are returned to the uterus using an intrauterine insemination catheter.

ICSI

In this method of intracytoplasmic sperm injection, the sperms are injected directly into the egg in a culture dish at lab and then placed into the woman’s uterus.

GIFT (Gamete intrafallopian tube transfer) and ZIFT (zygote intrafallopian transfer)

GIFT : Just like IVF, these procedures involve removing an egg from the woman, then combining with sperm in a lab and then transferring back to her body.

ZIFT : In ZIFT, the fertilized eggs called zygotes, are placed in the fallopian tubes within 24 hours.

Egg Donation

Women who do not have normally functioning ovaries and have a normal uterus, can take eggs or oocytes from the ovary of a donor who has undergone ovarian stimulation with the use of fertility drugs. Then these donor’s eggs are placed together with the sperm from the recipient’s partner for in vitro fertilization. Then the fertilized eggs are transferred to the woman’s uterus.

A combination of Medical therapy and in vitro fertilization can increase the chance of pregnancy in women diagnosed with infertility to a great extent.

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