When it comes to infertility treatments, many people think of In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) as the most effective and only option to treat infertility issues. But it isn’t true. Infertility treatments support all possible conservative treatments beyond IVF to help women experience a healthy pregnancy.
This article will list all possible infertility treatments except IVF!
What Are the Different Types of Infertility Treatments?
When the doctors diagnose the cause of infertility, they may choose one of the proper treatments, such as:
- Drug treatment,
- In Vitro Fertilization (IVF),
- Intrauterine Insemination (IUI),
- Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI),
- In Vitro Maturation (IVM),
- Gamete Intrafallopian Transfer (GIFT),
- Zygote Intrafallopian Transfer (ZIFT).
In the following, we will precisely discuss each procedure and its effects.
Drug Treatment
Each infertility issue in men and women has specific treatment methods. Generally, minimally invasive methods such as drug therapy are used to treat mild infertility issues caused by hormonal imbalances. Therefore, as the first step of infertility treatment, doctors run specific tests and decide whether to use drug therapy. These hormonal drugs affect the couple’s reproductive system and increase the level of fertility hormones.
Some of these drugs are:
Clomiphene Citrate (Clomid)
This drug affects ovulation by stimulating the pituitary gland. Generally, doctors prescribe Clomid for women with polycystic ovary syndrome or ovulation issues.
Gonadotropins (hMG)
This drug is often used for women who cannot ovulate due to pituitary gland issues.
Metformin
Doctors prescribe this medicine to women who are insulin resistant and have polycystic ovary syndrome.
Bromocriptine
This medicine is prescribed for women with ovulating issues caused by high prolactin levels.
The good news is that many of these drugs increase the chance of having twins, triplets, or multiples. If couples fail to obtain results in drug therapy, the doctor goes to other methods called assisted reproductive technology (ART).
What Is ART Treatment for Infertility?
Couples who do not get pregnant due to low sperm count or problems in the fallopian tubes can benefit from surgical methods called Assisted reproductive technology (ART). This technology removes the egg from the woman’s body and combines it with sperm to create an embryo. Then the resulting embryo will be transferred to the woman’s body again. We will discuss these surgical methods in the following.
Intrauterine Insemination (IUI)
The IUI procedure is usually used for couples who have been trying unprotected sex for a year and have failed to have a baby. In this method, the doctor controls the growth of follicles and injects HCG hormone to stimulate and release the eggs from the follicles. In the next step, the doctor places the sperm directly into the uterus through a catheter (thin elastic tube). It’s worth noting that this operation is not considered an assisted reproductive method (ART).
Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI)
Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is performed by injecting sperm into the egg, and it is almost similar to the IVF method. The big difference is that in the IVF method, sperm and egg are placed next to each other in a laboratory container so that the sperm enters the egg. In contrast, in the ICSI method, after stimulating the ovaries by applying ovulation-stimulating drugs, the specialist doctor injects the sperm directly into the egg with a thin needle after preparing healthy sperm to increase accuracy and facilitate fertility. In this method, only one sperm is injected into each egg, and there is no need for numerous sperm. The following levels of the procedure are the same as the IVF method.
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In Vitro Maturation (IVM)
IVM is used for women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). In this non-IVF infertility treatment, the immature eggs, 2 to 10 mm in size, are removed from the body and placed in a laboratory incubator. These eggs are kept in the laboratory until they reach full maturity. After this stage, the sperm is injected into the eggs using the ICSI method to form an embryo. The rest of the steps are carried out like the IVF method.
Gamete Intrafallopian Transfer (GIFT)
This fertility option suits couples with cervical problems, endometriosis, and immune system disorders. However, in this method, the fallopian tubes must be healthy. After the egg selection and sperm preparation, which is done similarly to the IVF method, the sperm and egg are placed directly into the fallopian tubes by laparoscopy.
Zygote Intrafallopian Transfer (ZIFT)
This treatment is a combination of IVF and GIFT methods. ZIFT therapy is performed in conditions of poor ovarian response and where embryo transfer through the cervix is impossible. The difference between this method and the GIFT method is that in the GIFT method, only the sperm and egg mixture is transferred to the fallopian tubes. While in the ZIFT method, the fertilized embryo – in the zygote stage – is transferred into the fallopian tubes. So this makes this method more successful than microinjection and IVF.
What Is the Best Fertility Option?
All the methods can visibly help in the treatment of infertility. But your doctor’s opinion determines the best treatment method for you.
Finally, it is necessary to pay attention to choosing a skilled specialist and experienced place for your treatment to increase the success rate.
It’s worth noting that CarefulTrip has been recognized as one of the centers of infertility treatment with well-equipped clinical and paraclinical facilities, specialists, and infertility experts. “CarefulTrip” is one of the infertility treatment agencies in Iran and accepts patients from other countries, and its costs are lower than other treatment agencies.
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To Wrap Things Up
There are other fertility solutions except IVF to treat infertility. The methods of diagnosing and treating infertility are different, and according to the cause of infertility in males or females, the best method for treating infertility is chosen. Couples must be patient in the process of infertility treatment and keep their composure, and not be disappointed. If you’re looking for an excellent place to treat infertility, go to CarefulTrip and take full advantage of its experienced specialists!