Good advice in advance |
"Can we do anything to improve our chances of success?" is something we hear often. Although IVF treatment is something that you yourself can have little influence upon, there are indeed a number of aspects connected to your lifestyle which could improve chances. Stopping smoking - for both partners is the most important. To read more about the effects of smoking, stress, overweight, alcohol, sport etc and your chances of pregnancy, see lifestyle. |
Folic acidEvery woman attempting to become pregnant (even by natural means) can benefit from the intake of folic acid. This medicine has been proven to significantly reduce the risk of Spina Bifeda in the foetus. The best daily dose is 0.4mg at least four weeks before pregnancy. If you are carrying twins, the dose should be increased to 4mg daily. You continue with the pills during pregnancy as well as during breastfeeding.see folic acid. |
Ovarion stimulation
Ovulation induction
Timed intercourse
Artificial insemination
IVF | ICSI
If getting pregnant isn't working in the natural way, there are a number of treatments available. Which method of treatment is right for you will depend upon the nature of your fertility problem. This will be determined by a series of preliminary investigations, see investigations for women and men.
A situation in which you would not immediately be referred for IVF is
unexplained infertility. Firstly, other methods aimed at bringing the sperm and egg as close together as possible at the point of ovulation will be suggested, such as:
Artificial insemination or Intra Uterine Insemination (IUI) is indicated if the fertility problem is connected to the transport of the sperm through the vagina and cervix. If too few healthy sperm survive the journey because of biological barriers within the womans' body, this method of depositing sperm directly in the uterus can be effective.
IUI is also possible using donor sperm. This is useful in heterosexual couples where the man is infertile, but also for single women and lesbian couples too.
If one or more of the above mentioned methods does not lead to pregnancy, then IVF may be the next step. See
IVF l ICSI for the main points and
IVF l ICSI - step by step for a more detailed description of the treatment. Sometimes the use of
donor sperm is necessary for IVF. This option is not discussed separately, because the treatment in this case for the woman is exactly the same. The only difference is that frozen sperm is used, (which could also be from her own partner) instead of a fresh sample, produced on the day of egg collection.
For patients not resident in Belgium, the treatment in the beginning takes a different approach. For more information regarding this, see
IVF - overseas patients.