Finding out that you or your partner are unable to conceive can be upsetting and difficult to deal with. There are a number of fertility treatments available to both of you.

Infertility treatment is available and can bring hope to people who want to have a baby, but it also has financial, physical and emotional costs. And success is not guaranteed.

Investigations

You and your partner will need to carry out investigations to find out the possible cause. Sometimes, the problem lies with the woman. Sometimes with the man. Sometimes with both. And sometimes, there’s no reason at all.

Treatments

Treatment usually aims to either fix the underlying cause of infertility, or use an assisted reproductive technology such as artificial insemination (IVF) to help you have a baby.

Female infertility treatments

Which treatment may work for you depends on the cause of the infertility.

• Hormonal medications such as clomiphene (a tablet called Clomid) can help stimulate ovulation.
• Surgery can treat a blocked or damaged fallopian tube.
• Surgery, laser therapy, or medications can treat endometriosis or fibroids.
• Intrauterine insemination (also called artificial insemination) is the placement of sperm directly into the uterus, bypassing the cervical mucus. It can be used by women with unexplained infertility, damage to the fallopian tubes or mild endometriosis.
• In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a well-known form of infertility treatment, in which eggs are collected from a woman’s ovaries, and sperm from a man, and fertilization is done in a laboratory. The fertilized egg (embryo) is then placed in the woman’s uterus.
• Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is a type of artificial insemination, which involves injecting a single sperm into an egg in a laboratory. It is used to treat male infertility associated with sperm problems.

Male infertility treatments

Which treatment may work for you depends on the cause of the problem. Treatments vary in how much they cost and how effective they are.

Treatments include:

• Sperm retrieval (removal of sperm) for use in assisted reproductive treatments, including timely IVF
• IVF with the male partner’s sperm
• ICSI (see section above)

Eating a healthy diet and avoiding alcohol and cigarettes can help improve sperm quality.

A donor pregnancy may be another option to achieve pregnancy. Donor sperm, donor eggs or donor embryos can be used for assisted reproductive treatments.