Unifert

Unifert

Assisted reproduction consists of a set of techniques aimed at infertile couples, homosexuals or single women. It is a branch of medicine that has helped many people to dream of having children. In many cases, this would not have been possible a few years ago. In today's post, we'll learn about the most common among these treatments.

In vitro fertilization

For infertile couples, depending on the case, this is the most suitable technique. First, the woman undergoes hormonal stimulation sessions so that her gametes are collected, a stage that lasts about twelve to fifteen days. Then, in the operating room with the help of anesthesia, the patient has her eggs collected through a needle coupled to an endovaginal ultrasound. The selected eggs will be fertilized, still in the laboratory, with sperm from a partner or donor. The selected embryos will then be implanted into the patient's uterus. As a rule, they are transferred to the woman's body between days 3 (D3) and 5 (D5) of her cell development process, also known as the cleavage (D3) and blastocyst (D5) phases. Having success,  

In the case of men with azoospermia (absence of sperm in the semen), it is now possible to perform a biopsy in the testicles and find gametes, which can be used in in vitro fertilization through intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), when a single male gamete is selected and inserted directly into the egg.

Artificial insemination

The main difference of Artificial Insemination in relation to in vitro Fertilization is that it consists in the application of sperm directly into the uterus, with only the semen sample being processed in the laboratory. As it is a little simpler, it is recommended for milder cases. In this procedure, the woman also needs to undergo controlled hormonal stimulation, to increase her chances without running the risk of multiple pregnancy. During this period, follicular development is monitored by ultrasound, and insemination is scheduled for 36 hours after administration of the hormone that will induce ovulation.  

Two hours before insemination, the semen is collected via masturbation or the semen from a cryopreserved bank is thawed, and the preparation is carried out in the laboratory to increase its fertilization potential. Future single mothers or couples of women can avail themselves of the sperm bank, with anonymous donors. In insemination, male gametes are introduced into the uterus through a catheter by the attending physician. After this intervention, it is time to wait about 15 days until it is possible to perform the blood test to check if the patient is pregnant. 

Scheduled intercourse

Programmed Coitus is a method based on monitoring the woman's menstrual cycle. It also involves ovarian stimulation, to increase the odds. All accompanied by a professional. Medical monitoring will determine the most favorable moment for conception, and the specialist will schedule the day and time when the couple must have sexual intercourse.

Finally, it is important to understand that the specialist in reproduction is the one who will indicate the best treatment for the couple, based on their clinical case. There are many factors that can contribute to infertility, and only a series of professional evaluations and exams can determine the most appropriate path towards the perpetuation of love translated into the dream of having children.