Intrauterine insemination (IUI) and in vitro fertilization (IVF) are two commonly used methods of fertility treatment, which increase a couple s chance of becoming pregnant.

The Procedure

IUI- IUI is a procedure during which processed and concentrated motile sperm are inserted directly into a woman s uterus. This procedure is timed according to a woman s ovulation, and may be performed one to two times in the days immediately following the detection of ovulation. After ovulation a woman s egg is picked up by the fallopian tube and waits there for the sperm. Since the IUI procedure deposits higher concentrations of good quality sperm close to where the egg is waiting, the chances that the egg and sperm will find one another are increased.

IVF- IVF is the most successful method of fertility treatment utilized today to help couples to conceive. The basic components of the IVF process include stimulation of the ovaries to produce multiple eggs at a time, removal of the eggs from the ovary (egg retrieval), fertilization of the eggs in the laboratory, and subsequent placement of the resulting embryos into the uterus (embryo transfer). The chance of pregnancy from IVF depends primarily on the age of the woman, the cause of infertility, and factors related to the quality of the IVF laboratory.

Success Rates

IUI Treatment: There is a marked difference between IVF and IUI pregnancy rates. IUI has a success rate between 5% and 20%, but it can even be as low as 1-2 %, depending on the woman s age and fertility levels. The chances of conceiving through IUI is higher if fertility drugs are administered along with the treatment.

IVF Treatment: IVF has a high success rate   between 20% and 35% and it can even go as high as 40%. This may not seem like a lot, but it is very high, considering that an average young and fertile couple has only a 15-20% chance to conceive in a month. It is important to understand what IVF and IUI success rates mean and the factors that affect it before deciding on a fertility treatment. You can also use any reliable online IUI vs IVF comparison tool to determine your approximate success rates with each of these treatments, depending on your age, lifestyle, and medical history.

You should use online sources of information to understand more about fertility problems, how age affects fertility levels, and whether freezing your eggs is a good option for you. However, discuss all these issues with your doctor to ensure that you have the right information and that you have understood it correctly. Fertility specialists provide you with personalized fertility plans based on your health which is why you should always talk to them before you make any decision.

IVF or IUI - Which One Should You Opt for?

Women undergo menopause in their 40s and this is primarily known as the age after which they can't bear children in their wombs any more. The ability to develop and maintain a healthy pregnancy wanes as a woman crosses the age of 30, which according to research is the optimal time for a woman to become a mother.

The body undergoes changes as it gets older and women slowly start losing the perfect conditions for pregnancy. However, with the rise of the IVF treatment for infertility, a great number of people are choosing to embrace parenthood at a relatively advanced age. However, the question is, can the same IVF treatment prove effective for a woman after her menopause?

The answer is yes. There have been several instances where a woman past menopause has been implanted with a fertilized egg and has been able to conceive a healthy offspring from the same. However, such an IVF treatment is much more complex and can require a lot of external hormonal treatments on the side as well.

How can IVF help menopausal women?
Women, who have gone into menopause more than 6 months ago, require additional care to achieve pregnancy through IVF. The uterus is usually shrunken in such people and the endometrial lining also develops a resistance to estrogen. Several cycles of estrogen treatment are needed for such women to achieve a healthy pregnancy.

Most doctors suggest at least a couple of months of estrogen and progesterone treatment prior to taking the actual IVF treatment. However, there is no guarantee that the same will be effective in every case.

By any chance, if the menopausal woman chose to store her eggs prior to her menopause, she can get those eggs fertilized and implanted after menopause, using the IVF method, in order to achieve a healthy pregnancy. Through, this procedure, the woman can not only become pregnant after menopause but can also ensure that she is the biological mother of the child who would be born.

At any rate, it is best to undergo the IVF treatment before menopause, as this improves the chances of conceiving. The hormonal treatments are often easier and most women can completely forego the progesterone and estrogen supplementation in such a case. This will not only reduce the time required to complete the treatment but will also significantly reduce the cost that the parents have to bear.

Can IVF Help Menopausal Women Get Pregnant?

Every one is aware that exercise offers several health benefits, both physically and mentally. A few are aware that exercise is indeed the key to a better, energetic and active sex life. There have been several studies that assert that regular exercise can have a positive impact on your sex life. Read on to get a deeper insight on how exercise can improve the quality of your sex life.

Exercise ensures genital arousal: It is a proven fact that exercise boosts blood flow. And sexual responses, especially in men, have a lot to do with the blood flow. When the sexual desire of a person gets turned on, the erectile tissues become filled with blood, resulting in arousal of the genitals. In order to experience complete genital arousal, for example preventing erectile dysfunction, a good blood circulation becomes necessary which can be achieved by exercise.

It naturally boosts the libido: Various studies have shown the perfect combination of the two sex hormones, estrogen, and testosterone, to be responsible for sexual desire. Yes, it is also the hormones that that regulates the majority of behavioural and physiological activities. As exercise helps in maintaining a perfect balance between the hormones, it naturally boosts the sex drive or the libido.

Exercise also improves performance: Studies have shown that those who exercise on a regular basis enjoy a better sex life than those who don't practice any physical activities at all. There's no denying of this scientifically proven fact that regular exercising improves the stamina or endurance of a person, increasing the heart and lung capacity. Exercise also allows the muscles in the body to function for longer periods of time which ensures longer and more satisfying sexual experience.

Exercise also helps to relax: Anxiety and stress often take a serious toll on a person s sex life, making it difficult to achieve an orgasm or set the mood right, resulting in complications of sexual arousal. Depression, anxiety, and stress also lead to sleep deprivation which also hampers the sex life, making one feel agitated and stressed all the time. However, exercise can be an effective solution to all these as it simply relaxes the mind and ensures a good night s sleep which boosts the sex life.

In case, you are experiencing any difficulty or issues regarding your sex life, make it a point to consult with a sexologist right away. Remember, the very purpose of exercising is not only to boost your sex life but also for improving your physical qualities. Therefore, without consulting a doctor, don t opt for any strenuous physical activity as it can deteriorate your overall health condition, resulting in decreased quality of your sex life.

Reasons Regular Exercise Is Necessary For Better Sex!

What are the factors that make a woman fertile? + The most effective way to address infertility

Infertility is the inability to get pregnant after a year of unprotected intercourse. Both men and women can be infertile.

In about one-third of cases, the cause of infertility involves only the male.

In about one-third of cases, the cause of infertility involves only the female.

In the remaining cases, the cause of infertility involves both the male and female or no cause can be identified.

Women are born with a finite number of eggs. Thus, as the reproductive years progress, the number and quality of the eggs diminish. The chances of having a baby decrease by 3% to 5% per year after the age of 30 and this reduction is noted to a much greater extent after age 40.

Female infertility can also be caused by a number of factors including:

1. Damage to fallopian tubes

Damage to the fallopian tubes can prevent contact between the egg and sperm. Pelvic infections, endometriosis, and pelvic surgeries can lead to fallopian tube damage.

2. Hormonal causes

This can lead to ovulation disorders which prevent the ovaries from releasing eggs such as in polycystic ovary syndrome ,  hyperprolactinemia or disorders of the thyroid gland - hyperthyroidism / hypothyroidism, can interrupt the menstrual cycle and cause infertility.

3. Cervical causes

A small group of women may have a problem in which the sperm cannot pass through the cervical canal. Whatever the reason is , this problem may be treated with intrauterine inseminations.

4. Uterine causes

Abnormal anatomy and distortion of the uterine cavity due to the presence of polyps and fibroids or problem with the endometrial lining can lead to failed implantation of the embryo.

Endometriosis occurs when endometrial tissue grows outside the uterus - often affecting the function of the ovaries, uterus, and fallopian tubes.

5. Primary Ovarian Insufficiency:

Also called as Premature Menopause, when the ovaries stop working prematurely before the age of 40. Certain conditions are associated with early menopause like immune system diseases, radiation or chemotherapy and smoking.

Causes of male infertility may include:

1. Abnormal sperm production or function due to various problems, such as undescended testicles, genetic defects, health problems including diabetes, prior infections such as mumps, trauma or prior surgeries on the testicles or inguinal region.

2. Problems with the delivery of sperm, due to sexual problems, such as premature or retrograde ejaculation, certain genetic diseases, such as cystic fibrosis, structural problems, such as blockage of the epididymis, or damage to the reproductive organs.

3. Overexposure to certain chemicals and toxins, such as pesticides, radiation, tobacco smoke, alcohol, frequent exposure to heat can elevate the testicular temperature, impairing sperm production.

4. Damage related to cancer and its treatment, including radiation or chemotherapy for which timely cryopreservation can be done for future use.

5. Unexplained infertility, In approximately 20% of couples the cause cannot be determined using the currently available methods of investigation.

Why is IVF the best way to treat infertility in women?

Conception is a complicated process that depends on upon many factors:

On the production of healthy sperm by the man and healthy eggs by the woman

The sperm's ability to fertilize the egg when they meet.

The ability of the fertilized egg (embryo) to become implanted in the woman's uterus

IVF (or in-vitro fertilization) is a lab procedure where the sperm and the egg are combined in a dish (where fertilization takes place) and is followed by transferring the embryo (the fertilized egg) into the uterus. It is increasingly being used as a method to conceive as it has been established as a safe procedure that helps bypass a number of complications women may face while conceiving such as ovulation problems and issues with the fallopian tube.

Even women who face issues such as PCOS, endometriosis, and premature ovarian failure can conceive through this process. Moreover, IVF has been in practice since 1978 and has a safe track record. The success rates of IVF are high as well, making it a preferred procedure for couples who suffer from fertility problems. Unexplained infertility can also be treated with the help of this procedure.



What factors that  make a woman fertile? + The most effective way to address infertility

In vitro fertilisation (IVF) is a medical procedure followed for those women or couples suffering from infertility or for certain specific genetic problem. In the normal course, women or couples experience positive results within a few IVF cycles. However, in spite of reasonable pregnancy rates, some women may require few more cycles to achieve pregnancy. In such cases, in order to ensure a healthy pregnancy, the gynecologist may suggest the women undergo Endometrial Scratching before IVF. 

Endometrium explained in brief: 

The uterus is located in the pelvic region and it is in the size and shape of a pear. The inner cavity of the womb or uterus is protected by the tissue lining called endometrium, also called endometrial. The endometrium plays a significant role in supporting the pregnancy. 

The enhanced success of achieving pregnancy: 

The endometrial scratching procedure is a very simple one, which is resorted, so as to improve the results of IVF procedure. In this procedure, the gynecologist uses a very fine catheter and makes a small scratch on the endometrial lining. In fact, the scratch causes a kind of inflammatory reaction in the uterus. This inflammatory reaction induces the endometrium to be highly receptive to embryos during the successive menstrual cycle. This added receptivity enhances the success of pregnancy during the next menstrual cycle. 

Considering the higher level of success in achieving pregnancy, the endometrial scratching procedure has gained popularity in the IVF procedure. However, some of the other issues related to endometrial scratching may be as follows: 

Endometrial scratching optimises the uterine lining and thereby, makes it easier to continue the embryo implanting procedure. Normally, before the endometrial scratching procedure, the gynecologist may suggest endometrial biopsy. 
The endometrial procedure is usually suggested for those women who had two or more unsuccessful IVF procedures, despite having good quality embryos. However, in some cases, depending on the health of the patient and various other factors, the gynecologist may suggest this endometrial scratching at the very first IVF procedure. This procedure can be availed either for fresh embryos of the couple or frozen embryos or for the donor egg. 
Although this is a part of a surgical procedure; endometrial scratching is very simple and painless and it is done without administering anesthesia. The procedure does not require any hospitalisation. In fact, the patient can go home soon after the procedure. Except for a few pain killers, this procedure does not require any extensive medication. 
This is a safe and easy procedure. Neither does it lead to any side effects, nor is the procedure burdensome for your wallet. Many couples have been benefited by this endometrial scratching procedure.

Endometrial Scratching and IVF - Can it Help You Get Pregnant?

In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a process of fertilization in which eggs (ova) from a woman's ovary are removed. They are combined with sperm outside the body in a laboratory procedure, and then the fertilized egg (zygote) is transferred to the same or another woman s uterus for a successful pregnancy.

IVF is one of the several assisted reproductive techniques (ART) used to help infertile couples to conceive a child.

Causes of Infertility

Blocked fallopian tubes
Hormonal imbalance
Endometriosis
Women with ovulation disorder
Uterine fibroids
In the man, low sperm count or poor quality sperm
Genetic disorder
Procedures
Two procedures are done to gain access to ovaries

It involves inserting the needle through the vagina (transvaginally). With the help of an ultrasound machine, the physician guides the needle to the location of the ovaries
In the other procedure, called laparoscopy, a small thin tube with a viewing lens is inserted through an incision in the navel. This lets physician to see inside the patient, and locate the ovaries.
Method
Without additional techniques, the chances of pregnancy would be extremely small. The additional techniques used in IVF include-

Ovarian hyperstimulation- Stimulation to induce development of multiple follicles of the ovaries.
Final maturation induction- Induction of final oocyte maturation is performed, generally by an injection of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), when the ovarian follicles have reached a certain degree of development. This is known as the "trigger shot  
Egg and sperm preparation- Semen is prepared for fertilization by removing inactive cells and seminal fluid in a process called sperm washing. An oocyte selection may be performed prior to fertilization to select eggs with optimal chances of successful pregnancy. 
Co-incubation- Eggs are removed from the woman and placed in one of the fallopian tubes, along with the man's sperm. This allows fertilization to take place inside the woman's body. Therefore, this variation is actually an in vivo fertilization, not in vitro.
Embryo culture- The main durations of embryo culture are until cleavage stage (day two to four after co-incubation) or the blastocyst stage (day five or six after co-incubation)
Embryo transfer- The number to be transferred depends on the number available, the age of the woman and other health and diagnostic factors. Embryos are transferred to the patient's uterus through a thin, plastic catheter, which goes through her vagina and cervix.
Aftercare
After the IVF procedure is performed the woman can resume normal activities. A pregnancy test can be done approximately 12-14 days later to determine if the procedure was successful.

Risks

Multiple pregnancies
Ectopic pregnancy
Ovarian rupture, bleeding
Infections
Complications of anesthesia

In Vitro Fertilization - Quick Facts!

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