What methods for getting pregnant are offered by the medicine?
Way to get pregnant №1. Intrauterine or artificial insemination
What is it?
Artificial insemination
Intrauterine insemination is the way to get pregnant, which involves injection of specially prepared husband's or donor's sperm into the uterus. Conception occurs as usually: from the uterine cavity sperm cells penetrate into the fallopian tubes and fertilize the egg.
If mucus from the cervical canal prevents conception, sperm cells get stuck in it and cannot get further. In order to increase the probability of conception in such cases, the sperm is introduced directly into the uterine cavity. Now sperm cells do not have any obstructions, and they can reach the fallopian tubes - to meet the egg.
The way to get pregnant with intrauterine insemination is used in different situations.
— From the man's side: lack of sperm cells, their insufficient amount or problems with the structure, a high risk of serious hereditary diseases, ejaculatory-sexual disorders, infertility.
— From the woman's side: lack of sexual partner, "cervical factor" (sperm cells get stuck in the uterine cervix), vaginismus.
How effective is the way of getting pregnant through IUI?
The average efficiency ranges from 5 to 35%. On the average, the probability to conceive a child is about 15%. Artificial insemination is considered the most effective method for getting pregnant in younger women. As the years go by, the probability of conception decreases due to the deteriorating of the eggs' quality.
In case if conception of a child does not happen after 3-6 attempts, you may need in vitro fertilization (IVF).
Advantages
The procedure is effective and at the same time is several times cheaper than IVF. Children conceived through intrauterine insemination, are no different from kids who were conceived naturally.
Way to get pregnant №2. GIFT and ZIFT methods
What is it?
GIFT (gamete intrafallopian transfer) - it is a way of conceiving a child, for which one or more eggs are mixed with sperm, and then introduced into the fallopian tubes.
ZIFT (zygote intrafallopian transfer) - it is a way to conceive a child, which involves introduction of already fertilized egg - a zygote, into the fallopian tubes.
These methods of conception are performed under ultrasound control, or through laparoscopy. During ultrasound examination a zygote or an egg with a sperm cell are introduced through the uterine cervix, during laparoscopy they are introduced from the side of the abdominal wall.
In what cases the methods of conceiving a child through GIFT and ZIFT are used?
Ways of conception GIFT and ZIFT are used in case of infertility, the causes of which could not be established - the results of studies and analyzes do not indicate the presence of pathology, but a couple cannot conceive. Another indication for these methods for getting pregnant is endometriosis.
How effective are the methods of conception GIFT and ZIFT?
Such methods of conception, as GIFT and ZIFT, are quite effective if the fallopian tubes are well passable. The probability to conceive a child as a result of ZIFT is higher, as an egg and a sperm cell have already "found each other". GIFT and ZIFT are effective methods for getting pregnant, because the result reaches 30%.
Way to get pregnant №3. In vitro fertilization (IVF)
What is it?In vitro fertilization (IVF) is one of the most effective ways of conceiving a child, in which multiple eggs are fertilized with sperm of a husband or a donor in vitro. Then a few of obtained embryos (usually 2-3) are introduced into the uterine cavity.
The method of conceiving a child through IVF procedure involves:
• hyperstimulation of the ovaries, i.e. the stimulation of development of multiple follicles at once;
• withdrawal of eggs;
• selection of semen;
• fertilization;
• monitoring of the pregnancy for 10-12 weeks.
• cultivation of an embryo for 2-5 days in vitro;
• introduction of multiple embryos into the uterine cavity;
In a special glass cup the selected sperm is mixed with eggs at a temperature of 37°C. A day later, out of several fertilized eggs (zygotes) there are selected the most viable ones, the rest of them is frozen. Selected zygotes are kept in a special liquid media for another day - there they have to reach the level of four or eight cells.
In a few days two embryos are introduced with a special catheter through the cervix into the uterine cavity. A week later, a pregnancy test is performed.
In what cases is the method of conceiving a child with IVF is used?
IVF is carried out in the case of both female and male infertility. The way to get pregnant with IVF is a real salvation for women with tubal obstruction.
The method of conception with IVF is effective in the cases, when:
• the child should be of a particular sex (in the case of hereditary diseases possibility);
• the causes of infertility could not be figure out;
• the causes of infertility could not be figure out;
• sperm cells are not motile enough, their amount in sperm is insufficient, or they have an irregular structure.
How effective is the way to get pregnant with IVF?
The effectiveness of IVF depends on several factors: woman's age, cause of infertility, body weight. Usually pregnancy occurs in 30-50% of cases, so IVF is a sufficiently effective way to get pregnant. A child born after IVF is no different from children that were conceived naturally.
