IVF and IUI fertility treatments

Infertility is a rising concern in today’s world. Handling stress and other sensitive emotions affects women’s hormones, leading to hormonal imbalances, which, in turn, lead to issues in pregnancy. But infertility is not just a rising concern in women, but also in men. Lifestyle choices like smoking and excessive drinking, which are considered ‘cool’, are one of the main reasons for rising infertility.

In women, infertility can also be due to endometriosis, ovulation disorders, etc. Whereas in men, it could be because of sperm production and function. Problems have risen, and solutions have been found. IVF and IUI are some fertility treatments that couples can look into for parenthood. This blog will help you explore types of IVF treatments and provide more information on IUI treatments in Chennai. 

What is IVF? 

IVF or In Vitro Fertilisation is a medical infertility process of fertilising an egg by a sperm in a laboratory. The embryo is then moved to a woman’s uterus for the potential of a pregnancy. It involves ovarian stimulation to produce eggs, retrieving the mature eggs and fertilising them with sperm in a laboratory. The fertilised embryos are then transferred into a woman’s uterus through a thin tube. The pregnancy only takes place if the fertilised embryo attaches itself to the uterine lining.

Process of IVF treatment 

• The first step of IVF treatment is to stimulate the ovary. Fertility medications are given to the mother to facilitate the production of multiple eggs instead of just one, as per the usual cycle.
• The next step is a minor medical procedure of egg retrieval, where the egg is surgically retrieved from the mother’s uterus.
• The next step is fertilisation. The sperm is collected, either from a sperm donor or the male partner and fertilised in a laboratory. Sperm can either be inseminated in a lab dish or directly injected into an egg using ICSI (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection).
• The next step is called embryo culture. The fertilised eggs are left in the lab for several days to develop into embryos. The next step, embryo transfer, is then performed, during which one or more embryos are transferred to the woman’s uterus through a thin tube.

Pregnancy only takes place if the embryo attaches itself to the woman’s uterine lining. In IVF treatments, women may also be prescribed progesterone pills to help the embryo implant and survive. IVF treatments are slow and lengthy medical procedures that require strength and resilience from both partners. IVF treatments can be performed at the best IVF centre in Chennai for higher success rates.   

What is IUI?

IUI or Intrauterine insemination is a medical infertility process where a concentrated healthy sperm is placed directly into a woman’s uterus during the period of ovulation to increase the chances of pregnancy. It is also considered the least invasive treatment. The best infertility doctors in Chennai recommend IUI treatment for unexplained infertility, mild male fertility issues, or for those using donor sperm.  

Process of IUI treatment 

• The very first step of an IUI treatment is sperm collection. A sperm sample is collected from a sperm donor or from the male partner.
• In the next step, the sperm is processed in a lab, where the sample is washed, motile sperm are separated from nonmotile sperm, and the motile sperm are concentrated.
• In the last step, the sperm is inseminated, where a doctor uses a thin catheter, a medical tool, to insert the processed sperm into the woman’s uterus during ovulation.
• The ovulation in this process can be timed naturally or with the help of fertility drugs and a triggered injection. This process is recommended to aid in pregnancy when the reasons are mild or unexplained.

Conclusion 

IVF and IUI treatments are complex steps towards parenthood. In India, even though natural birth is seen to be the only way to parenthood, many hospitals and clinics are arising that offer IVF and IUI treatments, especially in Chennai. 

Many factors need to be looked into before choosing either of these treatments, but depending on age, medical history and reasons of infertility, doctors diagnose accordingly. Even if these treatments sound daunting, understanding the process eases stress and anxiety and makes it a more comfortable experience.