“It’s going to be alright in the end…”
Treating infertility goes beyond fertility treatments. Infertility treatment can also include surgical interventions, lifestyle changes, weight loss, or treatment of an underlying medical condition.
Once you and your partner have had a fertility evaluation, it’s time to start considering your treatment options. Fertility treatment typically refers to medications that stimulate egg or sperm production, or procedures that involve the handling of eggs, sperm, or embryos.
The good news is that 85 to 90% of couples dealing with infertility are treated with low-tech treatments, like medication or surgery. Less than 5 percent are treated by assisted reproductive technologies like IVF. Of those who receive fertility treatments, just under half will have a baby.
Are there some low-cost fertility treatment options I should consider before considering advanced treatment options?
Ovulation problems affect up to 20% of women who are having trouble getting pregnant. Women who are overweight or underweight may ovulate less frequently and this can contribute to trouble conceiving. For overweight women, losing 5-10% of their body weight can restore normal ovulation, without further fertility treatment. Women who are underweight can also see a return of regular menstrual cycles with weight gain. Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is the most common hormonal disorder in reproductive aged women and many women with PCOS also experience problems with ovulation.
A common treatment for women with irregular ovulation is ovulation induction (OI). With OI treatment, a woman takes an oral medication, like clomid or letrozole, and then may have an ultrasound to determine how the ovaries responded to the medication. OI can be combined with intercourse timed around expected ovulation or coordinated with an intrauterine insemination (IUI) procedure. The same medications used for OI can be used for superovulation in women who ovulate regularly, but are having difficulty conceiving.
Treating Underlying Diseases and Lifestyle Changes as Fertility Treatments
If an underlying medical issue is ignored, fertility treatment may be significantly less likely to be successful.
For example, untreated diabetes, celiac disease, and thyroid imbalances can cause infertility. In some cases, treating these diseases will be enough to return natural fertility.
Obesity is one of the most common causes of preventable infertility. Research has found that a 10 percent weight loss may be enough to restart regular ovulation in some women.
Lifestyle choices and diet can also impact fertility. Some couples may choose to pursue alternative or natural fertility treatments alongside fertility treatments, or they may decide to only go with a natural approach.
Success rates vary considerably. The vast majority of infertile couples will need fertility treatments in addition to any lifestyle changes or alternate therapies.
What Are Possible Fertility Treatment Risks and Side Effects?
Risks and side effects vary depending on what fertility treatment is being used. Clearly, surgical fertility treatments will have different risks than Clomid.
The most common side effects from fertility drugs include headache, bloating, and mood swings. In rare cases, side effects can be life threatening. Fertility drug use and IVF treatment increase your risk of conceiving multiples. While your risk of conceiving twins on Clomid is around 10 percent, your odds for twins (or more!) with injectable fertility drugs are closer to 30 percent. Multiple pregnancy comes with many risks to both the mother and baby.
IVF treatment may increase the risk of some birth defects, though this is debatable. It’s unclear if the risk is increased because of treatment or due to infertility itself.
IVF with ICSI (which is when a sperm cell is directly injected into an egg) may increase the odds of a male child also being infertile. Some worry that fertility treatments increase your risk for cancer. According to the latest research, fertility treatments are mostly in the clear.
However, infertility itself and never carrying a pregnancy or breastfeeding can increase your cancer risks.
Will Fertility Treatments Work?
Success rates depend on what treatment is being used, the cause for your infertility, how long you’ve experienced infertility, and your age.
For example, a woman with PCOS being treated with Clomid at age 23 doesn’t have the same live birth success rate as a 42-year-old woman with low ovarian reserves.
Be sure to discuss with your doctor their experience with cases like yours, and what he thinks your odds for successful treatment are. IVF treatment is often thought of as fool proof, but this isn’t true. IVF is not successful for everyone.
Most couples will require a few cycles of IVF treatment to achieve pregnancy. One large study found that the odds for pregnancy success after three cycles are between 34 and 42 percent.
What Happens if Fertility Treatment Fails?
There is so much hope when you begin a fertility treatment cycle. Everyone wishes for the first treatment cycle to be “the one.” Unfortunately, it doesn’t always work that way. In fact, it’s unlikely to happen that way.
Some people assume if the first basic treatments fail, IVF is next. However, there are many variations and “levels” of fertility treatment before IVF is the next step.
You have more options for building your family or making an impact in a child’s life. Other options include:
- foster parenting
- adoption
- being an awesome auntie or uncle to your family or friend’s children
- living a childfree life
We want to encourage you to advocate for yourself.
Always be sure you understand your financial responsibilities before you sign on the dotted line, and don’t hesitate to consult with a reproductive lawyer or speak to a fertility counsellor, especially when considering treatments like gamete donation or surrogacy.
This part of your life will not last forever. There will be a time when fertility treatments are behind you. Whether or not you have a child from treatments, you will—with time—be able to move on and live a full, joyful life.