Trying to have a child is often portrayed as an exciting time for couples who are elated by the prospect of bringing new life into this world. However, those same-sex or infertile parents hoping for children may experience tremendous emotional swings–from optimism about becoming mothers/fathers one day through despair at never being able to parent biologically so much different from what they would’ve liked.
Fertile people, it’s time to get busy. A fertility evaluation will give you the green light for baby-making without having to go through any of that pesky contraception! If both partners are over 35 or have been previously unsuccessful at getting pregnant within one year then they should consider undergoing a medical examination where doctors and nurses perform several tests on them including blood work as well an ultrasound scan just in case there is anything wrong with their reproductive health.
You’re not alone! One in every eight American couples has difficulty getting pregnant or maintaining a pregnancy. Fortunately, today there are numerous fertility treatments available to help you carry your baby to term and give them life with all its joys – from prenatal care to delivery at home if necessary…
The following list includes just some examples of how these work:
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Lifestyle Changes
Fertility treatments are often used in conjunction with lifestyle changes to help improve your chances of becoming pregnant. Your doctor may advise you to make some simple dietary and exercise modifications, like quitting smoking or drinking alcohol completely if currently engaged in these behaviors (and/or cutting back). Making healthy food choices can also be beneficial; research shows that losing just 10% weight could jump-start ovulation for women experiencing infertility-related obesity due to breasts fertility problems!
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Fertility Drugs
Fertility drugs can be used to treat both men and women who suffer from ovulation disorders, as well as induce sperm production in some cases. The two most popular types of fertility medication include clomiphene citrate (Clomy) or gonadotropins – this helps regulates hormones necessary for conception after intercourse has occurred. The first part tells you what it is while the second half provides more information about how this will affect your body.
Success rates: Approximately 40 to 45 percent of couples who use Clomid get pregnant within six cycles. Each cycle, couples who use gonadotropins have a 15% chance of conceiving.
Side effects and risks: Fertility drugs increase your chances of having a high-risk multiple pregnancy (twins or triplets), and they can cause mood swings, breast tenderness, headaches, nausea, mild depression, and ovarian cysts.
Cost: Clomid pills range in price from $10 to $100 per month. The cost of gonadotropin injections ranges from $1000 to $5000 per month. These costs do not include doctor visits or blood tests.
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Surgery
Laparoscopy and laparotomy are surgical procedures that can be used to treat a variety of fertility issues. These operations open blocked fallopian tubes, remove endometrial tissue in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), or uterine fibroids; they also have the potential for resolving male infertility problems by removing obstructions from sperm pathologies like azoospermia where there is no viable sperm cells left due to obstruction ages caused elsewhere along their journey before arriving at penetration point inside an intact egg cell.
For most people, this type of surgery will lead back into having regular checkups while monitoring progress closely over time but some may require medical intervention if things don’t improve following initial treatment plan adjustments.
Success rates: Pregnancy rates range from 20 to 60 percent after unblocking fallopian tubes, 40 percent for women treated for mild endometriosis, and around 50 percent for women treated for PCOS. It can take up to a year for women to fall pregnant after surgery, depending on the condition.
Risks and side effects: Your incisions may be sore for a few days after surgery. If you had a laparoscopy, the carbon dioxide used to inflate your abdomen may have caused shoulder and back pain. Side effects of general anesthesia may include sleepiness, nausea, vomiting, and sore throat. In rare cases, general anesthesia can cause dangerous side effects such as blood pressure spikes.
Costs: Depending on the procedure and your health insurance coverage, costs range from $2000 to $10,000 or more.
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Intrauterine Insemination (IUI)
Intrauterine insemination is the process of depositing your partner’s or a donor’s sperm in your uterus while you are ovulating. To stimulate ovulation, IUI can be used in conjunction with fertility drugs.
Success rates: With only a 4% chance of conceiving per IUI cycle that does not include fertility drugs and an 8 to 17% chance when fertility drugs are used, IUI has a low success rate. However, because it is less expensive than IVF, many couples try it first.
Risks and side effects: Breast tenderness and mood swings are possible side effects, and IUI increases your chances of having multiples, infection, ectopic pregnancy, and ovarian hypersensitivity syndrome (OHSS, which involves producing too many eggs).
Cost: The cost per cycle is approximately $900.
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Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART)
ART refers to any fertility treatment that involves the handling of both the egg and the sperm. In vitro fertilization (IVF) is the most common, and it involves stimulating ovulation with fertility drugs, collecting eggs from your ovaries and combining them in a lab with your partner’s or a donor’s sperm, waiting for fertilization to occur, and then transferring one to three embryos to your uterus. Other procedures, such as intracytoplasmic sperm injection (or ICSI), which involves injecting one sperm directly into one egg, can be added to an IVF treatment to increase the chances of success.
Gamete intrafallopian transfer (GIFT) entails mixing eggs and sperm in a lab and then injecting them into your fallopian tubes to allow for natural fertilization. Zygote intrafallopian transfer (ZIFT) involves fertilization in the lab and the placement of zygotes (one-celled embryos) into your fallopian tubes.
Success rates: Approximately 40% of IVF cycles in women under the age of 34 results in a successful pregnancy. As maternal age increases, the percentage drops steadily, reaching around 30% for women aged 35 to 37 and 5% for women aged 43 and up. Approximately 26% of GIFT cycles and 22% of ZIFT cycles result in a baby.
Risks and side effects: ART increases the likelihood of multiples, OHSS, and infection. Mood swings, sore breasts, headaches, cramping, and spotting are some of the side effects. Because they involve laparoscopic surgery, GIFT and ZIFT have a longer recovery time than IVF.
Cost: Basic IVF using your own egg and sperm costs between $12,000 and $15,000 per cycle. Additional technologies, such as ICSI and donor eggs, are not included in the price. The cost of GIFT and ZIFT can range from $15,000 to $25,000 per cycle.
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Third-Party Reproduction
Donor eggs, sperm, or embryos may be used if your own eggs or your partner’s sperm aren’t viable. They can also be used after multiple failed IVF cycles or by same-sex couples.
Success rates: The chances of a successful pregnancy with fresh donor eggs are around 50%, and they are around 40% with frozen donor embryos and embryos created from frozen donor eggs.
Risks and side effects: It can be a long and expensive process, and it may be difficult to accept that your child is not biologically yours. There is also a greater likelihood of having multiples.
Costs: $4000 to $9000 per frozen embryo donor cycle, $12,000 to $16,000 per frozen egg donor cycle, and $20,000 to $30,000 per fresh egg donor cycle.
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Surrogacy
Surrogacy is when a woman carries a baby for a couple either because the woman can’t carry it herself or the couple comprises two gay men. In traditional surrogacy, the surrogate mother is also the egg donor, whereas in gestational surrogacy she simply carries the embryo created using the parents’ or donors’ eggs and sperm (or a combination of the two). Altruistic surrogacy is when a surrogate doesn’t receive any financial compensation and commercial surrogacy is when the surrogate is paid.
Success rates: For women aged 34 and under who use their own eggs and a surrogate, approximately 50 percent of IVF cycles produce a baby. Success rates decrease as the age of the mother increases.
Risks and side effects: Surrogacy can be expensive and emotionally taxing for the intended parents.
Costs: Commercial surrogacy costs between $90,000 and $130,000. You can cut costs significantly if you use an altruistic surrogate or your own eggs.
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Natural Fertility Treatments
A natural fertility specialist can recommend herbs, natural medicines, dietary changes, and alternative therapies such as acupuncture if you want to try a more natural approach. These can be used alone or in conjunction with traditional fertility treatments to improve your chances of success.
Success rates: Because these treatments are often used in combination with traditional fertility treatments, success rates are hard to determine. Studies on the effectiveness of acupuncture have shown mixed results.
Risks and side effects: While herbs are generally safe to use, some can be risky during pregnancy. Consult your healthcare provider before taking any herbal medicines or supplements. Acupuncture is generally deemed safe while pregnant.
Costs: The initial consultation with a natural fertility specialist ranges between $100 and $300. Acupuncture sessions cost $75 to $150 each and they’re generally performed once a week to once every two weeks. Herbs and supplements can cost $100 to $150 a month.
Do You Need a Naturopathic Doctor Specializing in Fertility in Gilbert, Arizona?
Atlas Health Medical Group in Gilbert, Arizona specializes in providing Naturopathic Fertility Treatment to the East Valley including Gilbert, Chandler, Mesa, San Tan, and Queen Creek. When women with PCOS or polycystic ovarian syndrome start thinking about becoming pregnant, they find that it can be challenging and they may suffer from infertility. Infertility is defined as struggling to become pregnant after trying for 1 full year, or if you are over 35 years old- after 6 months of trying. Some women have even been told by their ob/gyn that they won’t be able to have a baby without IVF or a fertility specialist. However, we have worked with many women diagnosed with PCOS and I have been able to help them reach hormone balance in order to naturally conceive! We pride ourselves on setting the standards of patient care and result-driven treatments. This approach has allowed us to become the leading Naturopathic clinic in Gilbert, Arizona. Our patients return to health and live the life they intended. Contact us today for your first appointment!
