Infertility Treatment Services
Intra Uterine Insemination (IUI)
This is the method by which processed semen is placed directly in the uterus with the help of a catheter. IUI can be done in a natural cycle, however, to get better results, it is usually preceded by ovulation induction / ovarian stimulation using appropriate fertility enhancing drugs.
In vitro fertilisation (IVF )
In vitro fertilization is an option for many couples who cannot conceive through conventional therapies. In IVF, fertilization occurs outside the woman’s body. The woman’s eggs and the man’s sperm are united in the laboratory. Once fertilization occurs, the early embryo(s) are transferred to the woman’s uterus.
Intra Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI )
ICSI involves injecting a single sperm directly into the cytoplasm of a mature egg (oocyte) using a glass needle (pipette) thus bypassing any barriers to fertilization. ICSI is currently the most successful form of micromanipulative assisted fertilization available for male factor infertility.
IVF Using Donor Oocyte (Eggs)
Women who are unable to produce their own eggs or their eggs failed to fertilise during an IVF cycle due to poor Oocyte quality can be helped by using other women’s egg (Donor Oocyte). Replacement of donor embryos and surrogacy are other available options to the infertile couple.
Surrogacy
Surrogacy is when a woman, surrogate mother, carries and delivers a child that is not genetically related to her. For medical reasons, the wife of the intended parents cannot carry a child but produces healthy eggs. If the wife cannot produce healthy eggs an egg donor can be used. The intended mother or egg donor takes fertility medication to produce multiple eggs. At the right time, these eggs are retrieved from the intended mother/egg donor and fertilized with the husband’s sperm in a Petri dish through the process of in-vitro fertilization/Embryo Transfer (IVF/ET). The resulting embryos are then transferred to the surrogate mother. If a pregnancy results the surrogate mother will carry the child(ren) to term for the intended parents.
PGD – Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis
PGD, or Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis, is a new technique, which marries the recent spectacular advances in molecular genetics and assisted reproductive technology (ART).
Preimplantation genetic diagnosis enables physicians to identify genetic diseases in the embryo, prior to implantation, before the pregnancy is established.
Laser Assisted Hatching
It’s a sad fact that IVF (In Vitro Fertilization) technology today is still not perfect. Only one of ten embryos we transfer in the uterus implants successfully in the endometrium to become a baby. Why is the embryo ( Laser Hatching Video ) implantation rate only 10 ? Some doctors believe this is because the surrounding shell of the embryo (called the zona pellucida) hardens when it is cultured in the laboratory.
Male Infertility Treatment
Male Infertility Treatment – and why it does not work
Male Infertility can be treated in several ways, and you should be aware that there may be side effects to some of them. Treatments vary from ineffective Vitamin supplements to the highly successful advanced ICSI (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection) treatment
Conventional treatment of male infertility in the past used a wide array of medicines to try to improve a low sperm count in the infertile man.
Cryo Preservation of Embryos ( embryo freezing )
Excess (Surplus) embryos can be Cryo-preserved at ultra low temperatures for many years. These frozen embryos can be used subsequently without the need for ovarian stimulation and egg retrieval. However the pregnancy rate following transfer of frozen embryos is lower than that with fresh embryos.
Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART)
Any medical technique that attempts to obtain a pregnancy by means other than by intercourse is defined as ART. These techniques involve the manipulation of sperm or Oocyte or both, and the gametes or the embryos are transferred into the uterus or fallopian tubes. ART includes Intrauterine Insemination (IUI), In Vitro Fertilisation-Embryo Transfer (IVF-ET), Intra Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI), Assisted Hatching (AH) etc
Steps involved in IVF procedure:
- » Ovarian stimulation by hormonal injections to produce multiple eggs.
- » Monitoring of the response by ultrasound scans and blood tests.
- » Egg retrieval with the help of a needle under local / general anaesthesia.
- » Fertilisation of the eggs in the laboratory.
- » Transfer of the resulting embryo(s) into the uterus of the woman.
- » Blood test performed 15 days after embryo transfer to access the establish Pregnancy.
If the treatment procedure is successful, one or more embryos will implant in the uterus and the pregnancy will result, just as it happens in the natural process of conception
Assisted Hatching ( AH )
The procedure is based on the fact that an alteration in zona pellucida (outer covering of egg) either by drilling a hole through it or by thinning it, will promote hatching or implantation of embryos that are otherwise unable to escape intact from the zona pellucida.
Semen /Sperm freezing
Semen /Sperm can be stored frozen at ultra low temperatures for long duration which could be helpful in a variety of circumstances such as:
- » Semen freezing prior to chemotherapy.
- » Inability of the male partner to be present or to deliver the semen on the day of procedure(however, the frozen semen is used as a standby and fresh sample is always preferable)
- » Testicular biopsy / sperm freezing to avoid repeated biopsies.
- » Donor semen, until getting a repeated investigation done for the infectious diseases.
