2023 Author: Anita Thornton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-11-27 18:44
There is no standardized response to infertility. And before resorting to in vitro fertilization, there is a range of solutions that have neither the same requirements, nor the same costs, nor the same results.
Medical treatments
Hormonal treatmentThis is one of the most common forms of treatment for female infertility, and can even be prescribed first line by your doctor. It aims to stimulate ovulation when it is absent or irregular. The aim of the treatment will then be simply to produce several eggs, to increase the chances of fertilization.
In general, clomiphene citrate is first used: this ovulator stimulates the production of natural gonadotropins and is taken in the form of tablets. The couple will have to have intercourse on the "presumed" day of ovulation, and if the results are positive, they are generally rapid: 80% of pregnancies resulting from clomiphene treatment occur during the first three months of treatment..
If there is failure, treatment with clomiphene citrate will be continued, but coupled with intrauterine insemination of the spouse's sperm for the following three cycles. If there isstill no pregnancy, or that the ovaries do not react, the doctor will then resort to more intense stimulation: injections of gonadotropins. These hormones, which are taken by injection, mimic the gonadotropins naturally produced by the body and directly stimulate the ovaries. One must therefore be very careful to avoid overstimulation and multiple pregnancies, and in general, these will be coupled with intrauterine insemination.
On the men's side, less than 5% of infertile men have a condition that can be treated with hormone therapy (or medication). But again, a hormone supplement can be given as injections, pills, or a combination of both.
SurgeryIn women, surgery can repair damaged tubes or remove endometriosis. But this is rare, because more and more doctors are afraid that surgery will "worsen" the situation by weakening the tissues. They often prefer to resort directly to in vitro fertilization. On the side of the infertile man, surgery will be useful to treat varicoceles, or to extract sperm from the epididymis or testicle.
Artificial insemination or "intrauterine"Intrauterine insemination allows sperm to be deposited in the uterus using a small catheter soft. It is recommended in cases of unexplained infertility, but also in all cases of "subfertility": blocked tube on one side, endometriosis, weakness of thesperm. Insemination will then be combined with ovarian stimulation in women, to maximize the chances of conception. Insemination without ovarian stimulation is rare: it is mainly indicated for insemination with a donor.
How's it going?
When two or three follicles have reached the desired size, ovulation will be triggered by means of an injection of hormones (hCG), and it will be time to inseminate the man's sperm. The sperm sample is collected the morning of ovulation, prepared and inseminated into the woman's uterus the same day. The chances of success are 10 to 20 %.
Natural alternatives
Focus on good nutrition and exerciseBalanced diet is very important for fertility, since foods and nutrients affect hormonal balance. Thus, lack of vitamin A, zinc, magnesium and antioxidants are enough to cause hormonal imbalance and block ovulation. It is also known that overweight and excessive thinness can disrupt menstrual cycles. So if you want a pregnancy, try to follow the recommendations of nutritionists and favor:
- fresh, unprocessed foods;
- fruits and vegetables;
- whole grains;
- legumes;
- reduce the meat;
- eliminate bad fats, fast food, overly sweet and s alty things. Otherwise the body devotes all its energy to detoxifying itself from thisbad fuel, to the detriment of "non-vital" functions such as fertility.
Sport, for its part, will fight against everything that disrupts fertility: stress, overweight, anxiety, sleep disorders, as well as certain immune problems. Favor brisk walking, cycling, swimming, skating, which work the muscles, but also the cardiovascular.
Eliminate sources of stressInfertility can also be linked to psychological blocks or a very stressful and unbalanced lifestyle. In women in particular, stress causes an excess of prolactin (reproductive hormone) which affects ovulation, and periods become irregular. Prolonged stress would even have the ability to cause spasms in the fallopian tubes, thus preventing a fertilized egg from descending to implant in the uterus.
On the men's side, semen analyzes show a drop in volume and more sperm abnormalities. The stressed man can also produce prolactin, which inhibits his testosterone production, also leading to a decrease in his libido, premature ejaculations, even erectile dysfunction.
The most effective remedies? Exercise, massage, yoga, deep breathing, visualization, even aromatherapy. Last but not least, rest.
Against “psychosomatic” infertility, on the other hand, psychotherapy should be preferred. The blockage can for example result from a conflictconscious or unconscious with the mother, a painful history of miscarriage, the memory of a traumatic childbirth…
Try alternative medicine
Although they are not as fast, they are worth trying. These include acupuncture, hypnotherapy, herbal medicine, or chiropractic.
acupuncture gives very good results, for example, in addition to traditional treatments, to increase the chances of success of in vitro fertilization and reduce stress. But it can also be used alone to balance hormones, restore ovulation, treat fibroids, endometriosis, or polycystic ovary syndrome.
hypnotherapy will allow you to work on certain blockages or traumas that may be at the root of infertility. For example, a very painful episode of miscarriage. Because hypnosis is based on the principle that all emotions, thoughts, or unconscious decisions are "encoded" in certain areas of the brain, and that it is possible to access them through an altered state of our consciousness.
In herbal medicine, where the whole plant is used rather than its active ingredients alone, a plant like chasteberry has been a great "hormone regulator" since the dawn of time. It would act on irregular periods, stop the growth of fibroids, and help balance hormones.
While chiropractic, used forimproving posture, mobility and blood circulation, would also improve fertility by releasing pressure on the spinal nerves, connected to the uterus. Simply correcting the "nerve interference" caused by spinal deformity would also have an impact on fertility.
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