What Are The Various Fertility Treatments Available In India?

If you and your partner are having trouble conceiving a child, you are not alone. In India, 10% to 15% of couples are unable to conceive. Infertility is described as a couple's inability to conceive after having regular, unprotected sex for at least a year. Infertility can be due to various factors that hinder reproduction. Fortunately, several safe and successful treatments will significantly increase the odds of conceiving.

Assisted reproductive technology like IVF is the most common fertility treatment in India. If you are planning on going for IVF as well, please consult an IVF doctor in India.

In this article, we are going to discuss several other fertility treatment options in India. However, let us first understand how your fertility specialist will diagnose your fertility condition.

Also read: Age And Fertility In Women: Here's All You Need To Know About Age-Related Fertility Decline

How does a specialist diagnose your fertility condition?

Your doctor will review your:

• Medical records
• Prescriptions
• Marital history
• Sex patterns

This will help them decide if you are infertile. Men may have a physical check and, in many cases, a sperm examination to determine the health of their sperm.

• A woman's research starts with a personal history and physical examination, which includes a pelvic exam.
• The doctor will then check to see if they are ovulating regularly and releasing eggs from their ovaries. Hormone levels are measured by blood testing.
• Ultrasound may be used to analyse the ovaries and bladder, and a further X-ray procedure may be used to inspect the uterus and fallopian tubes.
• The cause of infertility in about 80% of couples is either an ovulation problem, a blockage of fallopian tubes, or a sperm problem.

Fertility Treatments in India

Infertility treatment in India is based on:

• What is the source of infertility?
• How long have you been unable to conceive?
• Your age and the age of your partner
• Interests of individuals

Some causes of infertility are permanent. Now let us look into the various treatment options available for males and females.

Also read: Irregular Periods And Infertility In Women: Know All About Ovulation Disorders

Treatment options for males

Men might have a lack of healthy sperm or low sperm quality and quantity. Some of the male infertility treatment options involve:

Changing lifestyle factors:

• Reducing the consumption of alcohol and drugs
• Minimising or removing toxic chemicals
• Improving the duration and timing of sex
• Exercising regularly

There are other factors as well that could affect fertility.

• Medications: Certain drugs can help increase sperm count and increase the chances of healthy pregnancy. These drugs can improve sperm production and efficiency as well.
• Surgical procedures: Surgery may reverse a sperm blockage and restore fertility in some cases. In some instances, healing a varicocele surgically will increase the odds of becoming pregnant.
• Sperm Retrieval: It is used when there is no sperm in the ejaculated fluid. Sperm retrieval is also used in ART procedures, but when sperm levels are limited or irregular.

Treatment options for females

Some women only need one or two treatments to improve fertility. Other women may require a combination of treatments to conceive.

Some common female infertility treatment involves:

• Fertility medications to stimulate ovulation: Fertility medications are a common treatment for women who cannot conceive due to ovulation problems. Ovulation is controlled or induced by these drugs. Consult your fertility specialist in India about your fertility treatment choices.
• IUI (intrauterine insemination): Good sperm is injected directly into the uterus during IUI when the ovary releases one or more eggs. The timing of IUI may be synchronized with a normal cycle or with fertility drugs, depending on the cause of infertility.
• Fertility restoration surgery: Hysteroscopic surgery can be used to treat uterine conditions. It includes endometrial polyps, a uterine septum, intrauterine scar tissue, and certain fibroids.

Assisted reproduction technology

Assisted reproductive technology (ART) refers to any fertility procedure that deals with the egg and sperm. ART comes in a variety of forms.

The most popular ART method is In Vitro Fertilizations (IVF). IVF involves:

• Stimulating and extracting several mature eggs.
• Fertilizing them with semen in a lab dish.
• Implanting the embryos several days later in the uterus.

An IVF centre in India will carry out this procedure. In an IVF cycle, other methods can be used, such as:

• Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI): A mature egg is injected with a single stable sperm. When the quality or quantity of the sperm is low, or fertilization attempts during previous IVF cycles have failed, ICSI is often used.
• Assisted hatching: By opening the embryo's outer shell, this procedure aids in the embryo's implantation into the uterine lining (hatching).
• Eggs or sperm from a donor: Most ART is performed using a couple's eggs and sperm. If you have severe issues with your eggs or semen, you can use eggs, sperm, or embryos from a known or unknown donor instead.

Now that you are aware of all the fertility treatments consult the best fertility doctor in India for your treatment. Do not worry; achieving parenthood is not impossible with fertility issues. Your specialist will provide all the help you need to fulfil your dream of parenthood.

Also read: Here's Everything You Need To Know About Male Infertility Diagnosis

(Dr Hrishikesh Pai is a leading Gynaecologist and Infertility specialist with Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai, D Y Patil Hospital in Navi Mumbai and Fortis Hospital in New Delhi, Gurugram and Chandigarh)

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