In vitro fertilization (IVF) is the most common ART technique. IVF involves stimulating and retrieving multiple mature eggs, fertilizing them with sperm in a dish in a lab, and implanting the embryos in the uterus several days after fertilization.
In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)
In vitro fertilization is considered to be the most effective fertility treatment available and uses assisted reproductive technology. In this process, the woman's eggs are removed from her ovaries through an outpatient procedure under anesthesia and then are fertilized with sperm in a lab.
Clomiphene or Clomiphene Citrate
It causes the body to make more of the hormones that cause the eggs to mature in the ovaries. If a woman does not become pregnant after taking clomiphene for six menstrual cycles, a health care provider may prescribe other fertility treatments.
Fertility treatments often include medications that help with hormones and ovulation, sometimes combined with minor surgical procedures. Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) describes several kinds of procedures that can help you have a baby.
Historically, clomiphene citrate has been the first line therapy for inducing ovulation in patients with PCOS and up to 80% of patients with PCOS will respond and ovulate.
Generally speaking, IVF is the most powerful and successful treatment for all forms of infertility, including age-related infertility and unexplained infertility.
Estrogen is the most commonly used hormone in fertility therapy. In actuality, estrogen is three different hormones in the body: estradiol, estrone, and estriol. Estradiol is prescribed for some types of infertility and other women's health conditions.
The good news is that 85 to 90% of couples dealing with infertility are treated with low-tech treatments, like medication or surgery. 1 Less than 5% are treated by assisted reproductive technologies like IVF. Of those who receive fertility treatments, just under half will have a baby.
Intrauterine Insemination (IUI)
Doctors place sperm into your uterus, but not into the egg itself, while you ovulate. You may also need to take drugs to trigger ovulation. IUI is less expensive and simpler than IVF (in vitro fertilization), but pregnancy rates are much lower.
Fertility treatments
Fertility drugs contain FSH and LH to artificially alter the menstrual cycle and increase the chance of pregnancy. The FSH stimulates eggs to mature in the ovary and the LH encourages ovulation to occur.
For couples struggling to conceive, hormonal therapy can be a life-changing solution as many cases of infertility can be attributed to hormonal imbalances. Hormone treatments work by controlled ovarian hyperstimulation to promote egg maturation and ovulation.
Any NSW resident who is eligible for Medicare and who is referred by their doctor can access the publicly supported IVF clinics. The clinic must also deem IVF treatment clinically appropriate for the patient.
The first IVF cycle in the calendar year: between $8,800 to about $10,600, with the out-of-pocket expense ranging from about $4,480 to about $5,330. These fees do not include day surgery fees or an anaesthetist, which can cost an additional $2,000. If you have private health insurance, you may be covered for this cost.
News Corp analysis of Yourivfsuccess.com.au data shows the most successful IVF clinics Australia-wide are Genea's Newcastle, Wollongong and Canberra clinics. Among women aged under 35 success rates are 64.79 per cent, 60 per cent and 59.42 per cent at these clinics.
Other treatments including timed intercourse, ovarian stimulation, and artificial insemination, are important alternatives to IVF.
If you're considering a fertility treatment, it's normal to wonder, "What are my chances of getting pregnant?" It's also smart to ask about success rates of any treatment or clinic you're thinking about. Overall, the success rate of fertility treatment is about 50%.
Who Might Need a Fertility Treatment? If you're younger than 35 years old and have been trying to get pregnant for a year, you are likely a good candidate for fertility treatments. If you're 35 or older, many clinics advise making an appointment after six months of trying, as fertility decreases with age.
A good rule of thumb established by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine is that couples under the age of 35 who have failed to conceive after 12 months of regular, unprotected sex during peak ovulation cycles should seek assistance from a fertility specialist.
Fertility drugs generally work like natural hormones — follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) — to trigger ovulation. They're also used in women who ovulate to try to stimulate a better egg or an extra egg or eggs. Fertility drugs include: Clomiphene citrate.
These are: Human chorionic gonadotropin hormone (hCG). This hormone is only made during pregnancy. It is made almost exclusively in the placenta.
Some estimate that the odds for a successful pregnancy and birth for a woman under age 35 after using fertility injections with IUI are 5 to 15 percent per cycle, and with IVF about 50 percent per cycle.