A common myth is that women are the main cause of infertility. On the contrary, both sexes are equally responsible for not being able to conceive. In rare cases, physicians have discovered that both a husband and wife have conditions that limit their ability to conceive. Situations like this make conceiving twice as difficult. When a couple is eager to have a baby, the infertile person may feel guilty or experience feelings of worthlessness. Although common, it is important to stay positive. In this modern age of technology several reproductive assistant technologies are available to couples.
Treatment Options
Fortunately, infertile couples do have options. The past twenty-seven years has seen the birth of several fertility treatments that have proved effective. The first In Vitro Fertilization occurred in 1978. This procedure involves removing an egg from the mother and uniting it with sperm. After uniting, the egg is placed back into the mother and allowed to develop. For this particular procedure a couple could use their egg and sperm, or a donor egg or sperm may be used. This is ideal in situations where the male has a low sperm count or when the female is unable to use her own eggs. Donors could be a family member or complete strangers. In some cases, the donor remains anonymous. For nearly three decades In Vitro Fertilization has become widespread. In fact, over 100,000 babies are born annually from this procedure, and approximately one million babies have been born since the first procedure in 1978.
In addition, artificial insemination (AI) has become an accepted reproductive method. This procedure is preformed for women who have a healthy reproductive system and healthy eggs. Artificial insemination occurs when semen is inserted into the female’s genitalia area. Once the semen is inserted, the goal is for it to naturally fertilize an egg and develop into a baby. The disadvantage to these fertility treatments is the cost. In Vitro Fertilization costs thousands of dollars per cycle. Several cycles are the norm, and insurance does not cover this cost. Thus, couples must pay for their own procedure. There have been couples who paid over $100,000 prior to conceiving. Artificial insemination is considerably less. A procedure can cost between $300 and $700.