IVF, IUI and ICSI treatments
On your journey to pregnancy, there are several pathways. Below are some of the treatment options but will depend on your personal circumstances.
Timed sexual intercourse (TSI)
You can increase the possibility of falling pregnant if you time sexual intercourse to coincide with the most fertile day in your cycle. You may be given medication to stimulate your ovaries to produce one or two mature follicles, or your natural cycle will be monitored. You may also have a pelvic ultrasound near ovulation time to show developing follicles and determine the best days to have intercourse, thereby maximising the prospects of fertilisation.
Ovulation induction (OI)
The concept of Ovulation Induction (OI) is to stimulate the ovaries (with fertility drugs) to produce a small number of eggs, and to allow fertilisation to occur through natural intercourse or Intra-Uterine Insemination (IUI). Individuals most suitable for this method are those with hormonal conditions or those diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). Critical for success, intercourse or insemination must be timed to coincide with ovulation achieved by treatment. Observing the response to the procedure is, therefore, a crucial component of the program to maximise the chance of a successful pregnancy and minimise any risks.
Intra-uterine insemination (IUI)
Intra-Uterine Insemination (IUI) comprises of inserting sperm into the uterus. This is performed with a fine tube that is inserted into the opening of the uterus (cervix), where the “prepared’’ sperm (donor or known) is gently transferred inside. Insemination is typically timed to your natural cycle.
However, if there are complications with ovulation, eggs can be released using the Ovulation Induction (OI) method. This procedure, for which you do not require an anaesthetic, is generally performed in the rooms at Dr Ernst’s clinics and you will be able to return home the same day.
In vitro fertilisation (IVF)
Commonly known as IVF, this procedure is the most recognised fertility treatment.
With IVF, your ovaries are stimulated to produce more eggs than in a natural cycle. Then the eggs are collected during a minor surgical procedure, for which you’ll be given a general anaesthetic. The eggs are then fertilised in the laboratory and the resulting embryos are incubated for two to five days. The healthiest embryo is transferred to your uterus, in a simple outpatient procedure. The remaining embryos can be frozen for use at a later time.
Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) with sperm slow
Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) is an IVF technique, where a single sperm (donor or known) is injected straight into an egg. This technique is typically utilised for treatment of severe cases of male-factor fertility, e.g. low sperm quality, low number of sperm or if sperm has been surgically retrieved, i.e. testicular aspirate for azoospermic / vasectomy patients. A medium named Sperm Slow is used throughout sperm selection. By implementing this technique, the scientists are preferentially using the better-quality sperm. This method is standard practice with no additional costs. As with IVF, once the egg is fertilised, the embryos are incubated, then transferred back to you.