What Is In-Vitro Fertilization?

The inability to conceive is an emotionally trying experience and can leave couples feeling as though they're out of options. However, in-vitro fertilization may be able to provide couples who aren't able to conceive the ability to biologically parent a child of their own.

What Is In-Vitro Fertilization?

As the oldest Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART), in-vitro fertilization is a tried and true method of achieving conception and is still the most widely used reproductive technology today. At its most basic definition, in-vitro fertilization means that fertilization of the egg by the sperm takes place outside of the body.

Male Infertility Factors

There are many factors that affect the sperm's ability to penetrate and fertilize an egg. The following issues can contribute to the inability to conceive:

- Low testosterone levels that have a negative effect on healthy sperm production - Swelling of the testicular veins that carry sperm out of the testicles - Retrograde ejaculation, where semen enters the bladder - Defects in the sperm ducts - Medications

Before IVF takes place, a facility can conduct comprehensive testing to determine potential causes of male infertility.

Female Infertility Factors

As with male infertility, there are a variety of factors that can affect a woman's ability to conceive and carry a healthy embryo, including:

- Endometriosis - Failure to release an egg - Abnormalities in the uterus - Defects in the fallopian tubes - Cervical defects

An IVF clinic will conduct thorough testing to determine one or more causes of infertility, and will make a recommendation on how to proceed with treatment or in-vitro fertilization.

How In-Vitro Fertilization Can Help

In some cases, the cause of infertility is never found. This is called "unexplained infertility" and affects many couples. Whether the cause of infertility is determined or not, in-vitro fertilization can help couples conceive when one or both partners are being affected by infertility issues.

Through in-vitro fertilization, eggs are harvested from the mother and sperm is obtained from the father. Several eggs are fertilized outside the mother's body, and then implanted into her uterus or the uterus of a surrogate mother. The mother may take hormones or other medications to increase the chances that one or more eggs will attach to the wall of the uterus.

Contact an in-vitro fertilization clinic near you to learn more about how the procedure can help you circumvent both male and female infertility issues and achieve your goals of biologically parenting a child together.

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