7 treatment methods - from a simple pill regimen to a test tube
Many people think that help to get pregnant involves a test tube. The truth is that many of the couples who come to Medicus do not need it.
Here is an overview of the different treatment methods we offer to those who want to get pregnant:
1. Pill regimen to stimulate ovulation
Problems with ovulation are a common cause of involuntary infertility. In those cases, we start with the simplest form of stimulation for the woman: a pill regimen we call simple stimulation.
The woman then takes one pill every day for five days. She then goes for ultrasound scans to investigate how the egg is developing. After that, we are happy to write out a prescription for the ovulation spray, which she puts on at an agreed time before intercourse takes place.
2. Insemination
Wide insemination (IUI) we squirt sperm into the uterus. The sperm cells therefore do not have to swim as far to reach the egg.
The method is used both for women who will use their own sperm (Artificial Insemination by Husband – AIH), och för er som ska uogjad donatorsperma (Artificial Insemination by Donor – AID).
3. Test tube/IVF
Test tube treatment (IVF) involves mixing eggs and sperm in a bowl and growing them in a laboratory - then putting them back into the woman.
The treatment begins with the woman being stimulated with hormones so that she produces more eggs than she usually does. Then we give her an ovulation shot. 36 hours after the injection, we meet her at Medicus. Now take out the egg.
Egg retrieval is quick and usually involves little pain. The eggs are placed in a dish together with sperm cells where they live in the laboratory for a few days. Our embryologists follow the cultivation process closely with the help of a sharp eye and modern technology. One of the embryos that develops correctly is put back into the woman, the rest we can freeze for later use. She receives tablets with the hormone progesterone during the following days and after about two weeks we will get an answer as to whether a new person is under development.
4. Test tube with microinjection
This test tube method is called ICSI. It is used if the woman's eggs cannot be fertilized through normal test tube treatment, or if the man has very low sperm quality.
In the same way as with normal test tube processing, we take eggs from the woman and sperm from the man. Instead of mixing them in a bowl, we poke a hole in the egg with a pipette and place it in the sperm cell. After a day, we know if the egg is fertilized.
5. Sperm collection
Between 10 and 15 percent of the men who come for examination at Medicus are diagnosed with Azoospermia: reduced sperm quality. The condition makes it very difficult for the couple to get pregnant on their own. But fortunately, it is possible to speed up the situation.
Medicus uses several methods to extract sperm. The most common is THESIS, which involves making a small incision in the scrotum on the skin and taking out a piece of tissue. The tissue is examined in our laboratory and in many cases we find sperm that can fertilize the egg well.
By a similar method called TESA, we insert a needle into the testicle and take out liquid which often contains functioning sperm cells.
6. Tillbakasättning of frozen embryo
In some cases, we get several good embryos that we cannot put back during the test tube treatment. These are instead placed in liquid nitrogen, so that they can be put back at a later time. This method is called IRON: Frozen Embryo Replacement.
The couple thereby avoids new rounds of stimulation, egg retrieval or sperm extraction. Frozen embryos can be stored for five years.
7. Treatment with donor sperm
Treatment with donor sperm is an additional component to insemination or in vitro fertilization. In recent years, Medicus has helped a number of couples to become parents with the help of donor sperm - both heterosexual and lesbian.
