exploring therapy options

The prospect of needing treatment in order to get pregnant may take you some time to accept. Plus, the range of therapies and procedures available can be both unfamiliar and overwhelming. Your healthcare provider will keep you well informed of your therapy options, but knowing what to expect and familiarizing yourselves with infertility therapy options may help alleviate some of your anxiety. Here we provide important information about infertility therapy options in language that you and your partner can digest and understand.

Although there are no guarantees with infertility treatment, the reported success rates are encouraging. For instance, from the 138,198 assisted reproductive technology (ART) cycles reported in 2006, there were 41,343 deliveries (of one or more living infants) and 54,656 infants born (individual live infants born).¹

Most cases of infertility are treated with conventional medical therapies such as fertility drug therapies or fertility surgery, although newer techniques, such as ovarian stimulation followed by in vitro fertilization (IVF), can increase the chances of success by 40% overall.

For women with anovulation (the absence of ovulation) – one of the most common causes of female infertility – ovulation induction therapy may be an option. Bromocriptine may be used in cases of hyperprolactinemia, whereas drug therapy for endometriosis can be more varied. As for surgical options, hysteroscopy may be recommended for women with blockages, endometriosis or adhesions. Vasovasostomy or vasoepididymostomy can be used in men to treat blockages that may be caused by hernias, birth defects or vasectomies.

Drug therapies and surgeries alone may not resolve your fertility problems. If these haven't worked for you, you may want to consider more advanced infertility treatment, known as assisted reproductive technologies (ART). We will also help you to gain a solid understanding of more advanced infertility treatments such as in vitro fertilization (IVF), sperm, egg and embryo donation and surrogacy.

If you’re not sure where to start, visit where are you today? and we’ll provide a printable package customized for your situation that highlights actions you can take today to help you achieve your goal of getting pregnant.