Fertility Treatments

There is a wide range of different fertility treatments available to treat different types of infertility and help you get pregnant. Your doctor will probably give you a series of fertility tests to identify the cause of your infertility.

The most common female fertility treatment is medication to balance your hormone levels or induce ovulation. Injections can also be used to induce ovulation, increasing the chances of the embryo being implanted.

There are also male fertility treatments which can balance hormone levels and improve sperm production. Another method is selecting the best quality sperm, which is routinely done in many fertility clinics from a semen sample. The meeting of a sperm and an egg can then be achieved through intra-uterine insemination (IUI), in vitro fertilisation (IVF), or intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).

Intra-uterine insemination (or IUI) solves the problem of poor cervical mucus quality or low sperm motility as it allows semen to be deposited as close as possible to the egg.

IVF may not be the best solution for you

IVF allows the sperm and the egg to meet in a test tube before the embryo(s) is/are re-introduced in the womb in order for the sperm to fertilise the egg. This is particularly useful in the case of blocked Fallopian tubes but also for the treatment of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) when ovulation induction has not been successful.

Many couples ask about IVF without understanding what a stressful and difficult procedure it can be. IVF is expensive, costing up to £5000 per cycle (which may not be funded by the NHS in some regions) and there may be long waiting lists, depending on demand in your region. IVF takes an average of three to five rounds of treatment to become pregnant. So even if you are considering IVF as an option, you should also consider an alternative such a DuoFertility between rounds of IVF.

Six months using Duofertility is as successful as a round of IVF at one tenth of the price. And you get the reassurance of not only trying for a natural pregnancy with expert support, you have the confidence of knowing you are ovulating, seeing fertile days a week in advance – and a comprehensive fertility report to discuss with your doctor. If you are considering IVF, you should bear in mind that it can be a stressful and painful procedure with ovarian stimulation carrying a risk of multiple pregnancy.

Many couples find IVF something of an emotional rollercoaster. This is why more and more couples are trying ‘one more time’ for a natural pregnancy with DuoFertility

ICSI involves injecting part of the sperm directly into the egg, and then re-introducing the embryo(s) into the womb. This is mostly used for couples who have been through failed IVF, and for severe cases of low sperm motility.

Below are the main causes of infertility and the fertility treatments available:

While taking these infertility treatments, it is a good idea to increase your chances of getting pregnant by monitoring your ovulation on the side. DuoFertility tells you your fertile days in an accurate yet convenient way and up to six days in advance.