women s health issues
Overview of Infertility
Treatment of Infertility
Treatment of the cause Sometimes medications Sometimes assisted reproductive technologies Measures to lessen stress, including counseling and support The goals of treatment are To treat the cause of infertility if possible To make conception more likely To reduce the time needed to conceive Even when no cause of infertility can be identified, the couple may still be treated. In such cases, the woman may be given medications that stimulate several eggs to mature and be released— Treatment . Examples are Alternatively, doctors may use Assisted Reproductive Technologies , such as the following: Assisted Reproductive Technologies involves selecting only the most active sperm, which are then placed directly in the uterus. In vitro (test tube) fertilization (IVF) (IVF) involves stimulating the ovaries, retrieving the mature eggs, fertilizing them with sperm in culture dishes (in vitro), growing the embryos in the culture, and implanting one or more embryos in the woman's uterus. Assisted reproductive technologies may result in more than one fetus. While a couple is being treated for infertility, one or both partners may experience frustration, emotional stress, feelings of inadequacy, and guilt. They may alternate between hope and despair. Feeling isolated and unable to communicate, they may become angry at or resentful toward each other, family members, friends, or the doctor. The emotional stress can lead to fatigue, anxiety, sleep or eating disturbances, and an inability to concentrate. In addition, the financial burden and time commitment involved in diagnosis and treatment can cause marital strife. These problems can be lessened if both partners are involved in and are given information about the treatment process (including how long it takes), regardless of which one has the diagnosed problem. Knowing what the chances of success are, as well as realizing that treatment may not be successful and cannot continue indefinitely, can help a couple cope with the stress. Information about the following is also helpful: When to end treatment When to seek a second opinion When to consider adoption For example, if pregnancy has not occurred after 3 years of attempting it or after 2 years of being treated for infertility, the chance of pregnancy is very low. Ideally, couples should ask for this information before treatment is begun. Counseling and psychologic support, including support groups such as RESOLVE and Family Equality, can help. 