There are different types of assisted Reproductive Technology that you should know when you’re opting for fertility treatments to conceive. Understanding the various types of fertilization is crucial for couples seeking fertility treatments.
Modern lifestyle increases the complications of health, especially reproductive health. With the environment and food culture of today’s living, infertility increases tremendously, particularly in metropolitan cities, where couples work rotationally without much care about the health of their future generation. Thanks to science, as modern complications arise, modern solutions arise too! Couples who are hopeless of longing for a baby for years or those who fear transmitting the hereditary disease to their children can opt for ART treatments, which can help them achieve their dreams of parenthood. When exploring Assisted Reproductive Technology Types, it is important to consult with specialists who can guide you through the options available. Each type of treatment will be preferred by fertility specialists based on your and your partner’s health condition.
In this blog, you’ll learn what are the different types of assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatments available and how they’ll help you achieve your dream of having a baby.
Different Types of Assisted Reproductive Technology
- In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)
- Intrauterine Insemination (IUI)
- Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI)
- Preimplantation Genetic Screening (PGS)
- Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD)
- Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET)
- Surrogacy
It’s vital to know these types of ART treatments before considering undergoing fertility treatments to begin your parenthood journey.
In Vitro Fertilization (IVF):
IVF is one of the most important types among the different types of assisted reproductive technology. In the process of IVF, complex medical procedures are performed to help a woman conceive. The process involves the retrieval of eggs and fertilizing in the lab. If the egg and sperm don’t fertilize, Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) treatment will proceed. In the ICSI treatment, a single sperm is injected directly into an egg to assist fertilization. This method is beneficial, particularly in the cases of severe male infertility. The embryo transfer process is the final part of IVF.
Success Rate:
Success rates for IVF may vary depending on factors like fertility health, age, and the quality of eggs and sperm. Doctors do not recommend IVF for everyone opting for fertility treatments. They prefer it when other treatments fail or specific medical conditions require a more advanced approach. Sudha Fertility Centre holds the pride of delivering 60k+ IVF babies with a success rate of 80%.
When and why is it recommended?
IVF treatment will be recommended when a couple has major fertility issues. Fertility specialists recommend IVF to couples in the following circumstances.
- Women who are above 40, as they produce fewer quality eggs, or don’t produce eggs.
- Women who had removed their ovaries.
- Men with infertility issues like abnormal sperm shape, decreased sperm count, or motility.
- For couples who have undergone fertility treatments before and failed multiple times.
- Women with damaged or blocked fallopian tubes.
- Couple who is preparing for pregnancy after menopause.
- Doctors recommend IVF with preimplantation genetic testing for couples with severe genetic disorders to prevent transmitting the genetic disease.
Doctors use different fertilization methods during IVF based on the couple’s specific challenges. They sometimes recommend laser-assisted hatching to improve implantation success rates, particularly for patients with previous unsuccessful IVF attempts.
Intrauterine insemination (IUI):
Most known among the different types of assisted reproductive technology.
Intrauterine insemination (IUI) is one of the assisted reproductive technology types. In this process of IUI, the sperm is directly injected into the woman’s uterus to help conception at the time of Ovulation. This treatment is also known as artificial insemination. This is a short process, the fertility doctors collect a sperm sample, process it, and place the sperm directly into the uterus.
Success Rate:
IUI success rates are higher for couples with minor fertility challenges like mild male infertility, cervical issues, or unexplained infertility. The success rate may vary depending on factors like a woman’s age, sperm quality, and reproductive health. Sudha Fertility Centre holds the pride of delivering 35k+ IUI babies with a success rate of 78%.
When and why is it recommended?
The IUI treatment is preferred for couples with minor fertility issues. The IUI doctors recommend the treatment for couples in the following circumstances.
- Couples who are trying to get pregnant without protection but fail even with a healthy sexual life.
- Women with endometriosis. (a condition in which the lining of the uterus grows outside of the uterus.
- Men with sub-fertile semen parameters (slightly lower sperm count or motility).
- Couples who depend on donor sperm to get pregnant.
As one of the key assisted reproductive technology types, IUI offers a less invasive option compared to other fertility treatments. Doctors may suggest laser-assisted hatching alongside other treatments to enhance success rates. Combining certain assisted reproductive technologies can often lead to optimal results.
Preimplantation Genetic Screening (PGS) :
Preimplantation Genetic Screening (PGS) screens embryos created via IVF to ensure only healthy ones are transferred, increasing the chances of a successful pregnancy.
How PGS enhances IVF outcomes:
By choosing the chromosomally normal embryos. PGS increases the chance of healthy pregnancies and reduces the risk of miscarriages.
When and why is it recommended?
T his treatment is often recommended by IVF doctors to
- Women with advanced maternal age,
- Couples with recurrent miscarriages,
- Couples who have known genetic abnormalities.
Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis:
Preimplantation genetic diagnosis is also a screening process like PGS, but it peculiarly focuses on identifying specific genetic disorders in embryos. This gives the advantage of picking embryos free from genetic disorders the parents possess.
Applications of PGD in genetic disorders:
Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD) helps to prevent the inherited genetic disorders from parents to the baby like cystic fibrosis, muscular dystrophy, thalassemia, and sickle cell anemia. By screening embryos for specific genetic disorders during IVF, PGD helps parents pick healthy embryos, thus it reduces the risk of passing genetic conditions to their children.
Implications for prospective parents:
The PGD treatment process is a boon to parents who want to avoid passing genetic conditions to their children. This increases hope among the parents with genetic disorders who plan for a healthy pregnancy.
Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET):
Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET) is the process of thawing and transferring previously frozen embryos from an earlier IVF cycle into the uterus. It allows the couple to use their remaining embryos without going through another full IVF cycle.
Benefits of using frozen embryos:
FET allows for more flexibility and timing. Additionally, studies have shown that embryos surviving the freezing and thawing process can have a higher success rate.
Timing and considerations for FET:
FET is often recommended for couples who want to preserve embryos for future use, or when delaying pregnancy is a personal or medical decision.
Surrogacy
The surrogacy process is an ART method used when a woman cannot carry a pregnancy herself. In this process, another woman called a surrogate, holds the baby on behalf of the intended parents. There are two types of surrogacies, they are:
- Gestational Surrogacy
- Traditional Surrogacy
Emotional and psychological considerations: The surrogacy process involves unique emotional and psychological challenges for both the surrogate and the intended parents. It’s important for all parties to receive counseling and legal guidance throughout the process.
Conclusion:
All these different types of assisted reproductive technology offer a wide range of solutions and help the parents’ dream of parenthood into reality. Whether it’s IVF and ICSI, Frozen Embryo Transfer, or the surrogacy process, the different types of assisted reproductive technology provide hope and options tailored to each situation. Each method has its own benefits, and seeking professional advice is crucial to determining the best path for your fertility journey.
Sudha Fertility Centre provides you with the right support and personalized care, ART can help make your dream of parenthood a reality.