If a couple has been trying to achieve pregnancy unsuccessfully for 12 months or more it is considered that there is an infertility problem, that is when it becomes necessary to consult the different options of fertility treatments.
The causes of infertility can be associated with problems in the reproductive system of the woman, the man, or both at the same time, although on some occasions it is due to unknown factors, and it will be the study of these that determines the types of fertility treatment to be used in each case.
Levels of complexity in fertility treatments
Fertility treatments, depending on the complexity, can be classified as low or high complexity.
The first, low-complexity fertility treatments, could be classified as more “natural”, since human intervention is less and fertilization occurs in the woman’s body.
Once the basis of the infertility problem has been detected, it is a matter of promoting pregnancy by applying some type of corrective measure or stimulating and synchronizing the woman’s fertile cycle.
However, even within this type of treatment there are different levels: the most natural would be those that improve the conditions in which pregnancy occurs, either by inducing ovulation or by enhancing sperm.
A next level involves the performance of one or more surgeries to solve functional and anatomical problems in the woman or man, and finally there would be Artificial Insemination, in which the woman’s fertile cycle is optimized, providing a more suitable environment so that when introducing sperm to the uterus through a simple procedure, fertilization can occur.
When talking about highly complex fertility treatments, we are mentioning cases in which it is not possible to get fertilization to take place inside the woman’s body and it is necessary to carry out the process in the laboratory. This is what is commonly known as In Vitro Fertilization.
What are the chances of success of fertility treatments?
The success rate of each of the fertility treatments can be variable. Low-complexity fertility treatments have a success rate of 50 to 60% in a cumulative 4 to six months.
On the other hand, highly complex fertility treatments, such as In Vitro Fertilization, tend to present satisfactory results in the short term, since their success rate is similar, between 50-60% but for each attempt.
In short, the study of the causes that motivate infertility will be what determines which of the fertility treatment options is the most appropriate and what their success rate will be.
You can see this video about fertility treatments at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNce63V0R5M
Author: Dr Sergio Tamayo H.
stmayo@inser.com.co
