Wanting children is a natural next step for a lot of individuals around the world. Although there’s people out there that are happy to forego having children, there’s just as many who plan to eventually have them. Unfortunately however, life can sometimes make it difficult to do that naturally.
In such stressful situations, fertility issues can become overwhelming, as too can the treatment options available. If you’re in a position where you need to seek additional help to be able to start your family, it’s important to know just how many different options are available. By fully understanding the range of treatments you can explore, you make a more informed choice that suits your preferences and needs.
Traditional IVF
IVF is by far the most common form of fertility treatment you’ll come across. When infertility is discussed, be it in real life situations or in visual mediums, IVF is mentioned before all other options. As a result, people can be easily fooled into thinking this is the only route to go down. Traditional IVF refers to the standard process of extracting the egg and fertilising it with the sperm within a clinical environment. Then, once fertilisation is complete, the egg is then implanted back into the uterus. As you can see from the brief overview of the procedure, this is an invasive form of treatment, often involving hormone stimulants, extraction, insemination, and so forth. Furthermore, it’s also one of the more expensive routes to take.
Embryo Adoption
Similar in nature to IVF, so far as insemination goes, this option removes using your own eggs/sperm and instead allows you to “adopt” someone else’s. By using someone else’s fertilised embryo, you avoid any genetic defeats you or your partner could pass on during the normal IVF process. What is more, it allows you to experience both the beauty of childbirth and adoption, arguably giving you the best of both. As you’d expect with embryo adoption, it’s normally cheaper than IVF, thus making it much more accessible. However, you also have more genetic variables to consider when you don’t use your own eggs/sperm, which some people may struggle to come to terms with.
IUI
This form of insemination is ideal for couples where the only issue is the male factor of the fertility process, e.g. sperm deficinies, same sex couples, etc. Not only is it less invasive, with the main part of the procedure being when the sperm is introduced via an insemination catheter, but it also works out much cheaper. Insemination is done at two separate peak times during your cycle, with the concentration of sperm used being stronger than what’s produced during natural conception. By choosing IUI, you experience a more authentic means of conceiving, which some individuals find easier to cope with. Nonetheless, while less invasive, it also has a slightly lower success rate than IVF.
Thinking about the future and starting a family is a big step. Although conceiving may present problems, there are treatments available that can help you get the family you’ve always wanted.