When attempting to conceive a child, infertility issues are not always something that couples consider. However, around 10 to 15 percent of couples in the United States face infertility issues. Among these issues is poor quality egg production by the female and sperm abnormalities with males.

IVF ICSI procedures can be used for couples facing these issues to increase their chance of pregnancy. Intracytoplasmic sperm injection or ICSI is often considered the single most fundamental breakthrough in the field of reproductive medicine.

There are no set criteria in the field of medicine to determine which cases should receive IVF ICSI procedures and which should not. It depends on the physician or infertility specialist and the fertility clinic that is being used.

Some fertility clinics use ICSI procedures for cases that only involve severe problems of male infertility, while others use it for a larger array of infertility problems. While ICSI procedures have a solid success rate, the success can depend on a number of factors. It will depend on the severity of the infertility problem, but can also depend on the technique that is being used and how skillful the person performing the procedure is.

While fertility clinics vary, some recommend IVF ICSI procedures for specific situations. Some of the situations are when couples are faced with male infertility that is severe and are not looking to use a sperm donor and for couples who have used IVF and have had no luck with fertilization or a low percentage of their mature eggs were fertilized. It is also used when couples have had IVF in the past and have produced very few eggs during the retrieval process.

When ICSI is used in this instance, it is to attempt to produce a higher amount of eggs that will become fertilized. The success rate for in vitro fertilization methods that include intracytoplasmic sperm injection have shown, in several studies, to be higher than that of IVF used alone. The normal reason for this is that most times the women involved were young and considered fertile.

A low quality or volume of egg production is another reason that IVF ICSI procedures can be used. The success rate when dealing with this particular infertility issue is normally lower. The main determining factor in the case of IVF procedures is the viability and quality of the embryos that are transferred.

The viability and quality of these embryos depends on the quality of the eggs that are produced. Whether the infertility issue is the production of quality eggs or the quality of the sperm, IVF and ICSI techniques can increase the chances of a couple being able to conceive a child, in most cases.



Thanks to MIKE SELVON for contributing this article to our Infertility blog:

How To Increase Sperm Count

Artificial Insemination can be used as an alternative to IVF treatment to achieve pregnancy

IVF treatment is now a household name and home insemination is not heard of or understood by many as an option to help with pregnancy if you have been struggling with infertility.

A cheaper and easier alternative to IVF is Artificial Insemination which can be performed in the comfort of your own home using devices to insert sperm into the vagina.

Artificial Insemination should be attempted first before you spend loads of money on IVF treatments, especially if you fall into the category below.

Artificial Insemination at home can help in situations like:

* Problems with the cervical mucus - there may not be enough mucus to allow sperm to move easily, or it may be too thick and sticky. Sometimes, the female partner’s cervical mucus is not compatible with the male partner’s sperm

* Women with mild endometriosis (a condition in which the lining of the uterus can become attached to organs such as the fallopian tubes preventing the passage of eggs)

* Anatomical problems with the cervix, which prevents sperm finding the egg

* Premature ejaculation

* Retrograde ejaculation (the entry of semen into the bladder instead of going out through the Urethra during ejaculation)

* Low sperm count or motility issues

* Abnormalities of the genitals, such as severe hypospadias. This is when the ejaculate appears at the base of the genitals instead of the tip.

Occasionally, injury to the genitals can also prevent normal penetration and ejaculation

* Impotence that makes sexual intercourse impossible

 

Visit www.insemination-help.com or www.homeinsemination.co.uk for more information



Thanks to Bridget English for contributing this article to our Infertility blog:

Making Money Online

Can you answer Kutie*’s question about Infertility?:

What is a good vitamin that me and my husband could take to help with our infertility problem? We have been trying to conceive for almost 4 years now. Any advice will help.

Ivf Treatment Cost

It goes without saying that infertility is a life-altering experience for couples. Many couples who struggle with infertility can attest to the toll it takes on relationships, careers, family planning, and self-esteem.  And while numerous medical treatments for infertility are becoming available, the emotional aspect of infertility is often overlooked. Ultimately, infertility is not just a medical problem. It is also a condition with both social and emotional consequences.

               

There are seven emotional stages of infertility. While these stages can be generalized to many couples, it should be recognized that given the very personal nature of this struggle, every couple’s experience is different and unique.

 

Stage One: Concern (6 to 8 months)

This is where it all begins. A couple decides that they will begin to try to get pregnant. The birth control is stashed away in the medicine cabinet; the condoms are no longer needed. Most couples will not get pregnant immediately (and this is to be expected) however after six months of trying, they find that they are still not successful.  At this point, many women will seek the help of their family doctor.  After the traditional battery of tests have been performed (ultrasounds, internal examinations, blood work, etc.), the doctor concludes that while not necessarily downright infertile, she will have difficulty conceiving.

 

Stage Two: Denial (6 months)

While not outright dismissing the doctor’s opinion, it is still hard to swallow, and some women find themselves feeling skeptical. A lot of women think of all the various reasons they may not be getting pregnant: poor eating habits, lack of real effort, poor cycle timing, stress levels, and the list goes on. So with a new steadfast resolve, the attempts at conception continue. This time, extra attention is placed on monitoring of cycles, eating well, stress management, etc. After approximately a year of trying to no avail, a sense of fear begins to set in.

               

Stage Three: Anxiety (can last from a few months to a year)

At this point, the couple has realized that their problems with infertility extend beyond their immediate control.  Many women experience a drop in self-esteem: feeling as though their infertility somehow symbolizes their failure as a woman. This stage is also characterized by feelings of depression, anger, and self-blame.  Relationships between partners and loved ones may become strained, and it is as though life has been put on hold—all the while, the women can hear their biological clock loudly ticking away.

 

Stage Four: Intervention (up to 2 years)             

After the initial sting wears off, it is time to take a more medically focused aggressive approach to conception.  Specialists are consulted, and different treatment options are discussed. In order to determine the most effective treatment, it is vital that all potential causes of infertility be examined—this includes having the male partner examined as well. Alternative therapies are also considered.  Towards the end of this stage, it feels as though all efforts and options have been exhausted yielding no results, and despair begins to set in.

 

Stage Five: Despair (up to 2 years)

At this emotional stage of infertility, it is very common to feel a sense of defeat. The struggle with infertility does not remain contained within the marriage or relationship, either—it seeps into every other aspect of their lives. Social situations where children will be present or discussed become increasingly awkward and emotionally challenging to handle. It seems as though every other couple has already begun to start a family. Children are everywhere; happy parents continuously talk about them—in effect, the couple coping with infertility can never forget that they are missing out. There is also a certain amount of internal conflict: on the one hand, a stubborn determination to become pregnant, and on the other an overwhelming sense of depression and constant defeat.

 

Stage Six: Mourning (up to a year)

There is a certain sense of finality that often accompanies this emotional stage of infertility. The realization that they will never be parents, for example, feels very much like a loss—a loss of something that was meant to naturally happen, a loss of the opportunity that so many people say is unlike any other life experience. Some couples grieve the loss of babies lost through miscarriage or still-births, while others grieve the loss of a baby that was never conceived at all.

 

Stage Seven: reorganization (on going)

During the final emotional stage of infertility, couples take inventory of their situation. It is time to explore the remaining options and determine both what is desirable and feasible. Couples can explore options such as surrogacy, sperm banks, open or closed adoption, or to live child-free. Weighing the costs and benefits for any of these options can be emotionally challenging, not to mention potentially financially stressful. Access to resources and information can make this stage a lot easier, combined with the support and guidance of friends, family members, and professionals.

 

All couples coping with infertility go through some form of these stages however it is important to point out that the best way to manage these stages is by developing a strong support team.  Of course your team already would consist of your spouse, your doctors and possibly some close family and friends.  Also consider adding a nutritionist to help you make good eating decisions, a personal trainer to keep you physically in shape for the challenges ahead and a fertility coach to help you make sense of it all.  Infertility can be emotionally draining but having a support team can get you through it.



Thanks to Naureen Khan for contributing this article to our Infertility blog:

How To Increase Sperm Count

Dog infertility most likely sounds like something that is not that serious. Dog infertility is certainly not like human infertility. For dog breeders, it is devastating to find out that the male and female dogs that were purchased for that purpose can’t have babies. They are unfavorable to the livelihood of the dog breeder.

There a quite a bunch of different variants to factor in when you are considering the breeding dogs and the infertility problems you can experience. You will need to have a good veterinarian that you can trust ready to assist you before, during, and after the pregnancy to make sure that all goes as close to the plans you have for the experience as possible.

The reproductive process in dogs is much more complicated than what you can imagine. You need to learn everything you can about the dogs reproductive organs and system before you decide to breed them. Breeding dog’s problems can be better understood if you have a clear understanding of how things are supposed to work. You must study and learn to know about when your dog is in normal cycles and when will the dog going into the heat cycle. You will also need to be familiar with the roll of pregnancy ad all the problems and other things that can and will go wrong in breeding. Breeding dogs and infertility can be fixed when you can catch it before it gets to be a really bad situation. Learning how to care for the puppies after the birth will get you wonderful animals that you might be able to make into breeding dogs and infertility will be past.

To make sure that your breeding dogs and infertility don’t come together. You need to visit the veterinarian to have your dog tested and scan for any problems with disease or with bacterial infections that can cause your breeding dog and infection to meet. There are a lot of problems of the medical variety that will be an obstacle to the natural order of conception in your animals.

Causes of Dogs Infertility

The major reason of dog infertility is the timing of the breeding. Just as with human breeding, you will have to do the act at the right time or pregnancy will not occur. Your dogs could be fine but, the period of ovulation was miscalculated. This means that you may just need to have the female and male dog try again on the next cycle. This problem attributes about eighty percent of the amount of female dogs that do not get pregnant. The second largest reason for dog infertility is that the male dog that the female is being bred with is infertile himself. In this case, you will not know until you have the male dog tested. This is usually not done until the breeder or owner has problems with them conceiving. Dog infertility in males is rather common.

Female cycles are just as important as a women cycle is. If the female dog is not coming into heat the way she should, she will also experience dog infertility. There are a few different other medical causes that lead to dog infertility problems. Some are structural in nature and some of them are bacterial. Whatever the problem is that is causing the dog infertility, the veterinarian can help you to decide how to best treat it.

Puppies Everywhere

Breeders and some pet owners would like to have puppies running around everywhere. It is not possible if the male and female dog that you have has infertility. When you make a decision to breed your dog, you need to learn about every aspect of the job. It is not as simple as letting the animals go at it and puppies are born. There are tiny details that can not be overlooked for the best set of puppies you can have. Breeding dogs and infertility can cause very costly problems for you and medical problems for the dog. It is very important for the veterinarian to be involved in every stage of breeding dogs so that everything runs can run smoothly as possible. If dog infertility is something you may be concerned about for your animal, have them check out.



Thanks to Cindy Heller for contributing this article to our Infertility blog:

Ways To Increase Fertility