The next question would be, when do you visit a doctor or a specialist? If the couple is young it’s better to act after 12 months, though this is not necessary at all. But about a year of failure to conceive is more than enough time to think that maybe there is something wrong. For a woman 35 years and above, time is of the essence. Laboratory test results can take time and treatment might be needed immediately. 6 months of failed attempts is just about right for action in this critical age.
The first option is fertility drugs. For women these drugs might be there to assist and regulate ovulation. This enables the woman to have one fertilized egg in one cycle. For men, medication might address the low production of sperm. Medications are basic interventions but on many simple cases, enough to solve the problem. This approach might not work to more complicated fertility problems.
The next option is those that are under the category of assisted reproduction technology (ART). A good example of this is the In Vitro Fertilization (IVF). The first thing done in this procedure is to stimulate the ovaries to produce eggs. A specialist then removes one or more eggs through surgery and introduces a sperm into it. The intention is to produce several embryos. The fertilization happens outside the woman’s womb. The embryo will then be inserted back to the ovary and hope all will go well and a baby is produced.
Surgery can also be an option in making sure fertilization happens. Men whose sperm ducts are blocked are candidates for surgery. By removing the blockage, the sperm can be produced at normal levels. Women who might have blockage in her fallopian tubes can also undergo surgery.
Infertility options do have some limitations. 15% of the cases usually return with no abnormal findings in the tests. Specialists believe that the problems might not be detectable just yet with present testing technologies.
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