By Spencer Richlin, M.D.Partner and Surgical Director at Illume Fertility
When you’re ready to have a baby, you can just…have a baby, right? Well, for the one in eight couples who experience infertility in the United States, it’s not always that easy. Thankfully, there are now many different fertility treatment options for those struggling to conceive on their own.
Let’s explore seven options that range from tried-and-true methods to innovative technologies. It is always important to get a full fertility assessment and discuss what’s best for you with your doctor.
Timed Intercourse
This is the least invasive treatment option, and a great starting place for couples without more severe fertility challenges who simply need help understanding their optimal fertility window to successfully conceive.
Ovulation Induction
Ideal for women experiencing irregular ovulation due to conditions like Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) and other issues, ovulation induction involves taking fertility medications to help regulate your cycle. Superovulation is a method often used in conjunction with Ovulation Induction, which encourages your ovaries to mature additional eggs for fertilization each month.
Intrauterine Insemination (IUI)
IUI can help overcome fertility challenges like mild to moderate male factor fertility issues without additional procedures such as an egg retrieval. From non-medicated cycles to IUI with ovulation induction or injectable medication, IUI offers varying levels of intervention, giving you more choices. IUI works by placing a high concentration of sperm into the uterus, decreasing the distance sperm needs to travel to fertilize an egg.
In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)
IVF is the most well-known fertility treatment option, but that doesn’t mean it’s right for everyone, and it doesn’t guarantee success – despite what many may think. For those with more severe fertility issues, genetic conditions, or other challenges, IVF may be a great choice. Here’s how it works:
You are prescribed fertility medications to stimulate the development of multiple ovarian follicles (which contain eggs)
Then, you have those eggs removed during an egg retrieval and combined with sperm in the lab to create embryos
Finally, your doctor transfers one of the resulting embryos back into your uterus
Reciprocal IVF
This treatment option is ideal for lesbian couples who both want to both want to participate in the conception and carrying process. The difference between “traditional” IVF and Reciprocal IVF is that the partner who undergoes the egg retrieval is not the same partner who carries the pregnancy. In short, both moms-to-be contribute to their future child, either biologically (for the partner contributing their eggs) or physiologically (for the partner carrying the pregnancy).
INVOcell
This is a great option for straight or LGBTQ+ couples who want more personal involvement in the conception of their future child, and are looking for a more affordable choice. INVOcell offers an innovative technology called an Intravaginal Culture System (IVC), which allows one partner with a uterus to incubate the eggs and sperm in their own body using the small, secure INVOcell device. After five days, the device is removed, and the resulting embryos are then frozen for future use or transferred into the carrying partner.
Surrogacy
For couples who cannot carry a pregnancy on their own, surrogacy offers the choice to work with a gestational carrier (also referred to as a surrogate) who can safely carry their baby to term for them. Intended parents work closely with a surrogacy agency and fertility clinic to match with a gestational carrier, make legal decisions with the help of a reproductive attorney, and achieve their dreams of growing their family. Note: the gestational carrier (or surrogate) is not biologically-related to the baby, and there are rigorous contracts in place to protect the intended parents, their gestational carrier and the baby.
Your dreams of a family may be closer than you think.
While discovering you have fertility issues can be frustrating, overwhelming and unexpected, there is hope. With the help of an experienced reproductive endocrinologist, you will discover which fertility treatment option may be right for you and your family-building goals. Remember: you’re never alone in this process, and help is available.
Dr. Spencer Richlin is a board-certified Reproductive Endocrinologist with extensive reproductive surgical experience. He has been practicing at Illume Fertility since 2004, where he is a partner and Surgical Director.
