3 Fertility Treatments to Consider If You're Struggling to Conceive
Oct 02, 2023
Infertility is a common problem in the United States. According to the CDC, one in four women of childbearing age who have not given birth previously struggle with getting pregnant or fully carrying a pregnancy to term. Fortunately, there are several infertility treatments.
One or both partners in a relationship may be the source of the infertility, meaning diagnostic testing almost always comes before treatment. Once we have a strong picture of the reasons for your fertility issues, we can start to help.
Gen 5 Fertility offers multiple fertility treatments. Our providers — Dr. Samuel Wood, Dr. Benito Villanueva, and Dr. Martin Bastuba — want to help you achieve your dream of becoming parents in the safest, most effective way for you.
There are many treatments available for conception assistance. For example, we offer egg freezing for those who aren’t ready to have children but want the option down the line. We also provide LGBTQIA+ family-building options, semen analysis, treatment for blocked tubes, and more.
But the process of treating infertility is very personal. And we want to provide you with the best choices for your needs. Once you get the results from your diagnostic test, we discuss one or more of these three fertility treatments with you and your partner.
In vitro fertilization — or IVF for short — is the process of taking eggs and sperm from the parents-to-be and artificially initiating the fertilization process in a lab. Then, we place the fertilized embryos inside the uterus.
We can also perform IVF with donor sperm, donor eggs, or both if you and/or your partner have found through diagnostic testing that your own sperm and/or eggs are not viable. Your provider will also be there every step of the way to discuss the process with you and provide you with the results.
This treatment isn’t for everyone, but many couples succeed with it. The CDC has created an IVF Success Estimator to help you determine whether you’re a good candidate.
IUI (intrauterine insemination) is less invasive than IVF and often feels more natural. It involves placing the sperm from your partner or a sperm donor directly into your uterus. It’s often a great option for couples with strong, healthy sperm and fewer blocks to fertility.
IUI is less costly than IVF and doesn’t require quite as much preparation. However, it doesn’t have the success rates of IVF, so we encourage many couples to try it first and move on to IVF if necessary.
Also known as ovulation induction, we combine this treatment with IVF to stimulate egg production and ensure multiple mature eggs are released every ovulation cycle. The process involves the female partner taking fertility medications that regulate and intensify ovulation.
Ovulation stimulation alone can be an effective treatment for some couples. For example, many people with PCOS successfully use this as an infertility treatment and never require IVF. You might choose ovulation stimulation as part or all of your fertility treatment plan, depending on your situation.
Whether you or your partner has issues with conception, there are ways to manage the problem through a number of available fertility treatments.
To learn more or make an appointment at our San Diego, California, office, call or visit us online today.