For couples living with the reality of infertility problems IVF clinics and other centres can be a lifeline. The inability to achieve natural conception is a delicate subject and the professionals in fertility clinics are adept at putting patients at ease whilst also finding them the most suitable treatment.
Below are three of the most widely used fertility treatments, these are IVF, ICSI and IUI:
IVF – In Vitro Fertilisation
IVF is probably the most common form of fertility treatment used today. IVF stands for In Vitro Fertilisation; in vitro coming from the Latin root for “within the glass” referring to some of the equipment used in early experiments. The IVF process involves the fertilization of the egg with sperm in a Petri dish, within the controlled environment of a laboratory. The time it takes to fertilize the eggs is dependent upon the quality and number of eggs although it can vary from three to five days before they are transferred back to the patient.
Within IVF treatment the woman normally undertakes a course of drugs that encourage the ovaries to produce healthy eggs for fertilization. The length of the course is dependent upon the patient’s hormonal response.
ICSI – Intra Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection
ICSI is similar to IVF in a number of ways, for example it is also wholly performed in the laboratory, although predominantly the process is used to treat male infertility problems rather than female. In contrast to IVF where the sperm and the egg are left to fertilize naturally, the sperm are inserted directly into the egg in order to assist the fertilization process. The man’s sperm sample is provided fresh, typically on the same day as the treatment and is washed and prepared before the injection begins. Once again, the embryos are left to fertilize before being injected back into the woman.
IUI – Intra Uterine Insemination
The final method of fertility treatment is considered by many to be the least invasive. In IUI natural fertilization is given a helping hand by injecting sperm directly into the woman. This is typically used when there are problems with the sperm. The process involves the man producing a fresh sample, (sometimes as little as an hour before the treatment) this is then washed, prepared and then injected into the woman. Treatment will take place close to ovulation to assist the fertilization of an embryo within the body.
In vitro fertilization (IVF) is perhaps the most well-known of all fertility treatments. It involves combining eggs and sperm in a dish in a laboratory and then transferring the resulting embryos to the uterus after a short period of time. The embryos will have the opportunity to implant in the uterine wall once in the uterus and develop into a child. Only a select number of embryos are transferred to help reduce the risk of multiple births.
Zygote intrafallopian transfer (ZIFT) is similar to IVF in that eggs are extracted from the woman and combined with sperm from the man in a laboratory to create embryos. Instead of being transferred to the uterus, however, embryos are transferred to the fallopian tubes. If successful, the embryo(s) will travel to the uterus for implantation in the uterine wall. ZIFT involves embryos transferred at the zygote stage before cell division, whereas tubal embryo transfer (TET), a similar procedure, involves embryos transferred about two days after fertilization when the embryo has developed into two to six cells.
A third type of ART is gamete intrafallopian transfer (GIFT). With this procedure, fertilization does not occur in a laboratory, but rather in the fallopian tubes. Sperm and eggs are placed into the fallopian tubes through a procedure called laparoscopy. This is where the sperm and egg normally meet in fertile couples, and GIFT attempts to recreate this scenario as much as possible. If successful, the embryo will begin to divide.
Success rates typically depend on the age of the woman with women under the age of 35 usually enjoying the most success. This may vary, however, as certain medical conditions may harm possible success rates in younger women. Some couples choose to take measures to improve the chances of success such as opting for intracytoplasmic sperm injection with IVF procedures.
GIFT and ZIFT/TET procedures tend to be more expensive than IVF procedures because patients must cover the cost of outpatient hospitalization as well as the cost of the actual procedure. IVF may run between $10,000 and $15,000 with GIFT and ZIFT/TET running about $12,000 to $15,000. The price varies depending on various factors as well.