In Vitro Fertilization

The three fertility options that I researched were In Vitro fertilization (IVF), donor eggs and embryos, and gestational surrogacy. People choose to participate in In Vitro Fertilization when they are struggling to get pregnant and need additional help. In Vitro Fertilization could help couples who are going through ovulation disorders, blocked or damaged fallopian tubes, premature failure of ovaries, Uterine fibroid tumors, prior sterilization or removal, Endometriosis, low sperm count, or genetic disorders. In Vitro Fertilization occurs when the medical personnel combine an egg with a sperm in a laboratory dish used for fertilization.

In Vitro Fertilization starts by retrieving the eggs, then by retrieving the sperm. After that is completed then comes the fertilization, and then ends with the embryo transfer. IVF can use a donor’s egg or sperm, or can also be done with the couple’s egg or sperm. Statistics show that couples who are under the age of 35 would be the best candidates for IVF. As women get older, In Vitro Fertilization becomes less successful. IVF can be very expensive in which the average cost is around $12,000 for one cycle, and that is if you are using your own eggs and your partners sperm. IVF is not a single treatment, but will take multiple procedures to complete. On average, an IVF cycle will take about 7 to 9 weeks from the consultation to the transfer. The length can vary depending on how your body reacts to each stage. You should contact a fertility specialist if you are interested in In Vitro Fertilization.

The next fertility option that I researched was donor eggs and embryos. I learned that for this process that eggs are retrieved from another woman’s ovaries and then are fertilized with sperm of the recipient’s partner. This procedure is typically best for women who have undergone chemotherapy and radiation, women who have some type of genetic disorder that they do not want to pass on to their child, women whose ovaries are damaged or are failing, and also for older women who have a very poor and low quality of eggs. This procedure can enable older women and women who have ovarian problems to have a child of their own. The negative about this procedure is that it is very expensive. It could cost anywhere from $15,000 to $30,000. The couple might also feel a sense of loss and sadness at not having a baby that is genetically theirs. This process could also take a very long time. The recipient must also take a somewhat harsh and demanding cycle of medications which have many side effects that come along with it.

The last fertility option that I research was gestational surrogacy. This procedure works by when a surrogate carries a baby for some other woman. This is done by artificial insemination, which is when medical personnel inject previously stored sperm into a woman’s womb. The best candidate for this procedure would be for woman who are experiencing infertility, have had a hysterectomy, or cannot carry a baby because they have some type of a disease. One of the negatives of this process would be that the couples may feel removed from the pregnancy because the mother of the soon to be child is not carrying her own child. This can be extremely hard for the parents. Another negative of this process would be that it is also very expensive. This could cost anywhere from $50,000 to $100,000. This process has better success rates the younger the woman is.