Which Treatment Should Be Applied to Which Infertility Case?

Infertility can take a huge toll on your emotional well-being, but if you are infertile and are hoping to have a baby, there are many options for you to hope for. Science continues to evolve, treatment options are getting better and more babies are born each year using one of the techniques listed below. In fact, more than half of couples experiencing infertility can conceive after treatment, not including high-tech and valuable treatments such as in vitro fertilization.

Which Treatment Should Be Applied to Which Infertility Event?
Which technique you will need depends on the cause of your infertility. How much it will cost can also vary depending on a number of factors such as where you live.

Fertility Pills

How it works: These drugs, taken in the form of injections or pills, release hormones that initiate ovulation to increase egg production and make the uterus more suitable for embryo placement.

Good for: Women who do not ovulate regularly and in cases where there are spouses with low sperm quality. Avoid if you have damaged or blocked fallopian tubes and scarring from endometriosis.

Success rates: 40-45% of women who take the pills and ovulate become pregnant, while those who have injections have a success rate of up to 50%.

Pros: These drugs are often the first choice for infertility treatment because they are low in cost and easy to use.

Cons: Bloating, headaches, hot flashes and nausea. Side effects are worse with needles and multiple births, preterm delivery and the formation of large ovarian cysts may occur.

Artificial Insemination

How it works: Specially prepared sperm are inserted directly into the uterus through a thin, flexible instrument and is the most common fertility technique. If you choose this formula, your doctor may want you to increase your chances of fertilization by taking fertility pills.

Good for whom: It is suitable if the movement of the sperm of the man is slow or the quality is low, and also if the number of sperm is low. It is also used in women who produce antibodies against their partner’s sperm or women whose vaginal fluid is too heavy, acidic or insufficient for sperm to reach the egg.

Success rates: It depends on the age of the woman and the quality of the man’s sperm, but in general, there is a 15-20% success rate in each trial, a success rate of around 60-70% after 6 attempts.

Pros: Easy procedure that can be done in the doctor’s office.

Cons: May cause multiple births due to possible side effects of fertility pills.

IVF Treatment

How it works: It’s a multi-step process, during which your eggs are collected and fertilized with sperm in the lab. When the embryos develop, one or two are implanted in the uterus, the rest are stored.

Good for: Women with endometriosis scars, blocked or severely damaged fallopian tubes, and the elderly. Also in cases where there are couples with inexplicable infertility and men with very poor sperm quality.

Success rates: Depends on age. 41% of women under the age of 35, 32% of those aged 35-37, and 23% of those aged 38-40 become pregnant.

Pros: Couples with significant fertility issues can become parents.

Cons: Treatment is costly and physically tiring. Also, before each try fertility drugmay require use.

Surrogacy

How it works: A surrogate mother carries the baby for another lady. With artificial insemination, the surrogate mother becomes pregnant, while the father’s sperm or the couple’s embryo is used for IVF treatment.

Best for: Mothers who cannot carry a baby due to illness, hysterectomy or infertility. In rare cases, it can be used if both partners are infertile.

Success rates: Depends on egg and sperm quality. On average, the live birth rate is around 5%-30% per trial.

Pros: Couples with fertility problems can achieve pregnancy.

Cons: Costs are high. Couples may feel as if there is no pregnancy. In addition, they have to deal with many legal obligations.

Reproductive System Surgery

How it works: With surgery, anatomical defects, scars and obstructions are treated in both men and women.

For whom it is sufficient: couples diagnosed with illness or abnormality.

Success rates: Depends on the disease and its weight, as well as age. One study found that women who received laparoscopic treatment for endometriosis had twice as many pregnancy rates as those who did not receive this treatment.

Pros: If we ignore the pain and discomfort associated with the disease, it can increase the probability of pregnancy.

Cons: Some surgeries are more extensive than others, adding to the risk, cost, and rest period.

Gamete Intrafallopian Transfer
How it works: Eggs are collected from the female, mixed in a petri dish with the male’s sperm, and then transferred directly to the fallopian tubes, where fertilization takes place.

For whom it is good: In cases where at least one fallopian tube of the woman is working or when the man has low sperm count and poor mobility. Also, those who refuse IVF treatment for religious and moral reasons and those with unexplained infertility.

Success rates: 25-30% pregnancy is achieved in one trial, young, healthy women are more likely to succeed.

Pros: Provides fertilization in a natural environment.

Cons: No quick confirmation of fertilization. It is more complicated than IVF treatment because laparoscopy is required to insert the egg and sperm into the tubes. If more than one egg is used, which usually happens, the risk of multiple births is higher than usual.

Zygote Intrafallopian Transfer
How it works: IVF is about to be treated, but in this case the embryo is transferred to the fallopian tubes, not the uterus.

Suitable for: Couples with unexplained infertility or cases with low male sperm count. The woman must have at least one tube open or have ovulation problems.

Success rate: As with multiple assisted reproductive techniques, it depends on age and health. Overall, 36% of those who try get pregnant, while 29% give birth.

Pros: Fertilization of the egg-sperm mixture is known before it is implanted in the fallopian tubes. Therefore, fewer eggs can be used, which reduces the risk of multiple births.

Cons: It is an intrusive operation as the laparoscope is used, which increases the risks and costs compared to other treatments. This method and the gamete intrafallopian transfer method are rarely used.

Source: Prof. Dr. Bulent Shaving