Medication
Surgery
Intrauterine insemination/artificial insemination (woman is injected with carefully prepared sperm from the husband, partner, or a donor)
Assisted reproductive technology (ART), such as in vitro fertilization

Most often, health care providers treat infertility with medication or surgical repair of the reproductive organs. In addition, lifestyle changes may also help alleviate infertility, such as reducing stress, diet modification, stopping use of drugs or alcohol, or reducing the temperature around the testes.

Infertility is one serious problem faced by many couples today. Fortunately, technology has improved to such a level that even the most difficult barriers against conceiving a child can now be successfully overcome. If you and your spouse are looking for ways to successfully have a child with a little bit if help, here are some options.

Ovulation induction

This is probably one of the cheaper methods through which a successful conception can be achieved. This involves the administration of hormone-based medications to induce follicle development and ovulation. Common medications used for ovulation induction include Clomid and Femara.

In vitro fertilization

This is the most advanced and most expensive infertility treatment today at about $10,000 a roun, and is often the last resort when other forms of treatment have failed. It is also one of the most popular, simply because of its relatively high success rate. In this process the eggs and sperm are allowed to meet in an environment outside of the woman‚Äôs body. It may be done using the biological eggs and sperm of the couple, or using donor eggs or sperm if one or both of the couples have problems producing their own. Once fertilization has occurred, the resulting zygote is transferred to the woman‚Äôs uterus where it completes its development.

Artificial insemination

This is often done if the sperm only needs a little help getting to the woman‚Äôs eggs. A sperm sample is taken from the male partner. It is processed to get rid of other proteins and other elements and then injected directly into the uterus, bypassing the acidic environment of the vagina. This is done in cases where the woman‚Äôs vaginal canal is too acidic for the survival of the sperm, or in cases where the male partner is unable to deposit his semen into the vagina due to various reasons. AI is being popularly used by same-sex couples who want to have a child (i.e a lesbian couple who want to have a child using donor sperm).

Surgery

Some conditions like scarring, uterine fibroids, endometriosis, ovarian cysts and blocked fallopian tubes may be remedied by surgery. In minor cases a process called laparoscopy is done, where a thin, fiber optic telescope is inserted through incisions made on the patients abdomen to visualize the internal reproductive organs and make repairs.

Acupuncture

This traditional Chinese form of healing has been shown in conventional studies to regulate menstrual cycles, maintain healthy hormone levels, and increase the circulation to the reproductive organs, all of which contribute to the successful conception of healthy babies. It has also been shown to increase the number of sperm in men who previously showed low sperm counts. Acupuncture involves the use of very thin needles to penetrate various points in the skin to increase the circulation and trigger the release of specific hormones.

There are many reasons for infertility and with the advances in medical health technology today, there is also an equal number of fertility treatments which have been proven successful to work. The most popular method is probably in vitro fertilization but there are other forms of equally promising fertility treatments out there which could prove useful for the different kinds of fertility problems faced by so many couples today.

There are many ways through which men and women can improve their chances at reproduction. These include acupuncture, the right diet and exercise, hypnotherapy, yoga and meditation and the use of herbal medicines. When it comes to boosting one’s level of fertility, vitamin supplements, for example, can help promote health and achieve the optimum level of balance in the body. Antioxidants like Vit. A, C, and E can help strengthen the immune system. Vit. A plays an important part in embryo development and hormone production. Minerals like iron and zinc promote cell division and may be effective at lowering the risk for a miscarriage. Another important supplement is folic acid, which is important in preventing neural problems from occurring in the developing fetus.

Meditation, yoga, and relaxation are essential in maintaining the natural balance of reproductive hormones. While the link between stress and fertility is not clear, experts believe that a positive frame of mind is essential when a couple is trying to conceive, a process which can be equally stressful in itself.

The right diet is also important. Couples who are trying to conceive are often told to avoid caffeine, tea, and alcohol since these substances may contribute to infertility. Coffee interferes with iron absorption and constricts the blood vessels, thus restricting the blood flow to the reproductive organs. Studies have shown that low iron levels in the body have been linked to a higher risk for miscarriages.

When it comes to medical intervention, assisted reproductive techniques like IVF and ovulation induction lead the pack. In ovulation induction, the woman is prescribed fertility drugs to help her ovaries produce eggs. The drugs are usually taken over a period of 3 to 6 months and work by sending signals to the brain which causes it to increase the production of follicle stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone, which then stimulates ovulation. Clomid is the most common fertility drug prescribed by doctors. It is an estrogen-receptor analogue which binds to the estrogen receptors in the brain. However, Clomid has its share of side effects, most notably visual disturbances, hot flushes, as well as an increased risk for multiple pregnancies and in rare cases, ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome.

Finally, in in vitro fertilization, a woman’s egg is harvested and is fertilized by her husband’s sperm outside the body. Once an embryo has been formed, it is transferred to the woman’s uterus where it can complete its development.IVF was initially designed for women who had structural problems in their fallopian tubes but is now used to treat infertility problems caused by low sperm counts, ovulatory disorders, and endometriosis, among others. In third party reproduction, IVF may also be done but the sperm or the egg may come from a donor and the embryo may be implanted in the womb of a surrogate when the woman is unable to carry a fetus to term for a variety of reasons.