What is in vitro fertilization?
Also known as
IVF,
in vitro fertilization involves uniting sperm and egg to create
embryos in the lab ("in vitro"). Once embryos are created, they
are placed in the uterus (through the cervix). Once the embryos
are in place, pregnancy can begin.
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What is egg donation?
Egg donation is the
process by which one woman(an egg donor) donates her ova, or
eggs, so that an infertile couple may have a child. This does
not involve the actual removal or donation of the ovaries; it
simply means that doctors will extract egg cells from one of
the woman's ovaries.
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What is tubal reversal?
A
tubal reversal is a procedure that restores blocked or tied fallopian tubes
to restore fertility in a woman. The procedure is called a tubal
reversal because it is performed to reverse the effects of a
tubal ligation, a surgical procedure which involves blocking
the fallopian tubes (usually by tying) to prevent pregnancy.
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What is intrauterine insemination?
IntraUterine Insemination, or
IUI, is the process when sperm are washed and
concentrated, and are injected directly into the uterus. The
advantage of intrauterine insemination is that a significantly
larger number of sperm make it into the fallopian tubes, whereas
with sexual intercourse, the majority of sperm do not make it
up the female genital tract.
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Shoud I consider a surrogate mother?
Women who may be unable to carry a child may want to consider
surrogacy. Depending on
whether you are infertile, the 2 basic types of surrogacy
you should consider are
traditional surrogacy or
gestational
surrogacy.
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What is preimplantation genetic diagnosis?
Preimplantation Genetic
Diagnosis, or
PGD, is a process by which
parents may identify and even select genetic characteristics
in their child. This is used mostly to prevent susceptibility
to disease, birth defects, and handicaps.
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Does my insurance cover infertility treatment?
Fertility treatments can be expensive, come with no guarantee,
and are often not covered by insurance. Insurance carriers offer
different medical coverage for the same services depending upon the employer's contract
with the insurance company. You should contact your insurance
company.
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How do I choose an infertilty treatment specialist?
If you are seeking infertility treatment, you should try
to find a
board-certified
reproductive endocrinologist. This is an OB/GYN (obstetrician/gynecologist)
certified in both obstetrics and gynecology with the subspecialty
of reproductive endocrinology by the American Board of Obstetrics
and Gynecology. It should not be difficult to find one
of these doctors in your area.
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