Treatments for Infertility

Infertility Inability to conceive a child after 12 months of sexual relations without contraception

Assisted Reproduction All medical procedures used to help women become pregnant

Ovarian Stimulation Use of medication to stimulate ovaries into developing one follicles and eggs Encourages more than 1 ova to be released, increase odds of fertilization Used for women who rarely, or never ovaulate

Artificial Insemination Option for women having difficulty conceiving Sperm can’t pass through cervix, poor sperm count or motility Injecting sperm directly into uterus on day of ovulation Semen may be treated to increase sperm count

In Vitro Fertilization Fertilization of ovum by sperm in lab 1. Ovarian stimulation 2. Retrieval of ovum and sperm 3. Fertilization in lab (test tube or petri dish-3 to 7 days in culture medium) 4. Transfer of embryos to uterus - most developed transferred (2 to 4) - Those not transferred may be frozen for future attempts

Microinjection Same steps as “In Vitro”, but physician injects sperm (in lab) directly into ova with microsyringe Used when low sperm count or fertilization problem Very little sperm- may extract directly from testicles

Work Read p. 258-260 TB Do. # 27, 28, p. 265 TB Do WB. Top p. 150, #5, 6 p. 152