If you face problems conceiving, here are fertility-treatment options to consider.
Couples with problems conceiving can try assisted reproductive treatments such as intra-uterine insemination (IUI), where the sperm is injected directly into the uterus to speed up the fertilisation process.
Although Dr Roland Chieng, an obstetrics and gynaecologist specialist at Roland Chieng Fertility and Women Care, only sees a 15 per cent success rate in every IUI cycle, he thinks this will help couples who don’t have sex regularly, and also if the man is struggling with sexual dysfunction, such as the inability to ejaculate or penetrate.
If IUI doesn’t work for you, your best bet is to try traditional IVF or intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection. In both processes, the eggs and sperm are retrieved and then fertilised before being implanted in the uterus. The only difference is that in the former method, fertilisation takes place in a dish, while in the latter, injecting the sperm directly into the egg promises greater success.
However, Dr Chieng also encourages his patients to increase their odds of succeeding by complementing the treatment with additional steps. He advises his patients to get counselling to help manage their expectations. At the same time, they should try to relax as much as possible by meditating, as well as doing yoga and breathing exercises.
He observes, “At the end of the day, assisted reproductive procedures are not about cost nor pain, it’s all about emotion. There are lot of emotional ups and downs with infertility and it’s best that patients look at it holistically and manage their expectations well.”
Photo: iStock
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