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Assisted reproduction is a set of techniques used by doctors specialized in fertility, whose main objective is to help pregnancy in women with difficulties to conceive.
Over the years, women may experience decreased fertility, although younger women may also have difficulties in becoming pregnant due to several factors, such as changes in the tubes or polycystic ovary syndrome. Here's what to do if you have trouble getting pregnant.
This condition makes couples increasingly seek alternative methods of becoming pregnant, such as assisted reproduction.
Main assisted reproduction methods
Depending on the case and the situation of the couple or woman who wants to become pregnant, the doctor may recommend one of the following methods of assisted reproduction:
1. In vitro fertilization
In vitro fertilization is the union of the egg and the sperm in the laboratory, to form the embryo. After formed, 2 to 4 embryos are placed in the woman's uterus, which is why it is common for twins to occur in couples who have undergone this procedure.
Normally in vitro fertilization is indicated for women with severe changes in the fallopian tubes and moderate to severe endometriosis. See when it is indicated and how IVF is done.
2. Induction of ovulation
Induction of ovulation is done through injections or pills with hormones that stimulate the production of eggs in women, increasing their chances of becoming pregnant.
This technique is used mainly in women with hormonal changes and irregular menstrual cycles, as in the case of polycystic ovaries. See how ovulation induction works.
3. Scheduled sexual intercourse
In this method, sexual intercourse is planned for the same day that the woman will ovulate. The exact day of ovulation is followed by ultrasound of the ovaries throughout the month, allowing the doctor to know the ideal day to try to get pregnant. Another possibility is to buy an ovulation test that is sold at the pharmacy to find out when you are ovulating.
Scheduled sexual intercourse is indicated for women who have ovulatory disorders, irregular and very long menstrual cycles or who are diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome.
4. Artificial insemination
Artificial insemination is a technique in which sperm are placed directly in the woman's uterus, increasing the chances of fertilization of the egg.
The woman normally takes hormones to stimulate ovulation, and the whole process of collecting and inseminating the sperm is done on the day scheduled for the woman to ovulate. See more about how artificial insemination is done.
This technique is used when the woman has irregularities in ovulation and changes in the cervix.
5. Egg donation
In this technique, the reproduction clinic produces an embryo from the egg of an unknown donor and the sperm of the partner of the woman who wants to become pregnant.
This embryo is then placed in the woman's uterus, which will need to take hormones to prepare the body for pregnancy. It should also be noted that it is possible to know the physical and personality characteristics of the egg donor woman, such as skin and eye color, height and profession.
Egg donation can be used when a woman is no longer able to produce eggs, which is usually due to early menopause.
6. Donation of sperm
In this method, the embryo is formed from the sperm of an unknown donor and the egg of the woman who wants to become pregnant. It is important to highlight that it is possible to choose the characteristics of the male sperm donor, such as height, skin color and profession, but it is not possible to identify who the donor is.
Sperm donation can be used when a man is unable to produce sperm, a problem usually caused by genetic changes.
7. “surrogacy”
The surrogate belly, also called a replacement uterus, is when the entire pregnancy is performed on the belly of another woman. The surrogacy rules require that there can be no payment for the process and that the woman lending the belly must be up to 50 years old and be a relative to the 4th degree of the child's father or mother, and may be a mother, sister, cousin or couple's aunt.
Usually, this technique is indicated when the woman has high-risk diseases, such as kidney or heart disease, when she does not have the uterus, when she has experienced many failures in other techniques to get pregnant or has malformations in the uterus.
When it is necessary to seek assisted reproduction
The general rule of thumb is to seek help to get pregnant after 1 year of unsuccessful attempts, as this is the period that most couples take to get pregnant.
However, it is necessary to be aware of some situations that can make pregnancy difficult, such as:
Age of woman
After the woman turns 35, it is common for the quality of the eggs to decrease, making the couple more difficult to conceive. Thus, it is recommended to try natural pregnancy for 6 months and after that time, it is advisable to seek medical help.
Reproductive system problems
Women with problems in the reproductive system, such as septate uterus, endometriosis, polycystic ovary or tubal obstruction should see the doctor as soon as they decide to become pregnant, as these diseases increase the difficulty of generating children, and must be treated and monitored by a gynecologist.
The same rule applies to men diagnosed with varicocele, which is the enlargement of the veins in the testicles, the main cause of male infertility.
Irregular menstrual cycle
The irregular menstrual cycle is a sign that ovulation may not be occurring monthly. This means that it is more difficult to predict the fertile period, the planning of sexual intercourse and the chances of becoming pregnant.
Thus, in the presence of an irregular menstrual cycle, the doctor should be consulted so that he can assess the cause of the problem and start the appropriate treatment.
History of 3 or more abortions
Having a history of 3 or more abortions is a reason to seek medical advice when deciding to become pregnant, as it is necessary to assess the causes of abortions and carefully plan the next pregnancy.
In addition to the care before becoming pregnant, the entire pregnancy must be closely monitored by the doctor, to avoid complications for both mother and baby.
How to manage anxiety to get pregnant
It is normal to feel anxious for the pregnancy to happen soon, but it is important to remember that it is natural for the positive result to take longer than desired. Thus, it is essential that the couple support each other and keep trying, and that they know when to seek help.
However, if they want to know right away if there is an infertility problem, the doctor should be contacted so that the couple undergoes a health assessment to identify if there are any fertility problems. See what tests are used to assess the cause of infertility in the couple.
Created by: Tua Saúde Editorial Team
Bibliography>
- BRAZILIAN SOCIETY OF ASSISTED REPRODUCTION. Assisted Reproduction: An Easy and Uncomplicated Guide to Health and Rights. 2020. Available at:. Accessed on 16 Jun 2020
- BRAZILIAN FEDERATION OF GYNECOLOGY AND OBSTETRICS ASSOCIATIONS. Human Reproduction Guidance Manual. 2011. Available at:. Accessed on 17 Jan 2020