When you start your fertility journey, you’ll likely encounter a lot of unfamiliar terms and have a lot of questions. It can be overwhelming to try to find all the answers on your own. As fertility financing experts, we get a lot of questions from aspiring parents. We believe you should have all the information you need to make an informed decision on your fertility journey, so we’ve compiled our frequently asked fertility questions here.
Infertility is defined as the condition of being unable to conceive after trying for a year or longer.
Intrauterine insemination (IUI) is a fertility treatment that involves simulating ovulation with medication, then placing sperm inside the uterus to facilitate fertilization. IUI is often the first step in fertility treatment for unexplained infertility, and is also commonly used to achieve pregnancy with donor sperm.
In vitro fertilization (IVF) is the most commonly used form of assisted reproductive technology. It involves retrieving eggs from the ovaries, fertilizing them with sperm, and implanting the embryos in the uterus. It remains one of the most effective fertility treatments today.
Typically, IVF success rates are higher than those of IUI. IUI success will vary depending on how well a patient responds to the IUI drugs, the age of the patient, and their ovarian reserve. While IVF is generally more expensive, it may be the most effective way to become pregnant for some patients.
Egg donor cycles are needed when a woman’s ovaries do not produce healthy eggs. Women are born with a set number of eggs, and over time the quality and number of eggs (the ovarian reserve) declines, particularly after age 35. Egg donors may also be needed if a patient has a history of failed IVF treatments or experiences premature ovarian failure.
FET is a type of IVF treatment that involves using an embryo from a prior IVF cycle. The IVF procedure frequently creates more than one embryo. Thus, couples can opt to freeze those embryos to use in a future cycle if the first IVF cycle is not successful.
ICSI is a process in which a single sperm is injected into the center of an egg. It is often done with IVF to help fertilize the egg.
PGT is a type of genetic testing that can be done on embryos before they are transferred into the uterus. PGT helps to determine if the embryo contains any genetic or chromosomal abnormalities.
PGT may be recommended if a patient is over 35, has a history of miscarriages, has had multiple unsuccessful IVF cycles, or has a family history of chromosome issues.
