The available treatments for fertility essentially involve 4 categories: (which is appropriate for you?)

1) Nothing. Hands off, wait and see approach. Appropriate in some cases

2)Ovulation induction. This is the use of medications (pills or shots) to induce follicle growth and development with subsequent ovulation. Appropriate when there is an ovulation dysfunction, usually easily diagnosable condition. If already ovulatory patients, these medications (namely shots) can be used to induce multiple ovulations, increasing the chance that one egg makes it…of course inherent risk of multiple pregnancy and simple monitoring can minimize this risk when using these medications. Unfortunately, these medications are often used when not appropriate (tubal factor, severe male factor, etc) and therefore in such cases will have a dismal success potential. Also, unfortunately, sometimes these medicines are misused and the result is unacceptably high risk of high order multiple pregnancy (triplets or more) and the resultant costs (financial and medical) of problematic pregnancy. Overall, ovulation induction ahs a low reported success rate due to these issues and ultimately is not very cost effective versus IVF.
3) Intrauterine insemination. This can be useful in some cases of minor male factor infertility and cervical factor infertility (not common). However, it is often used/misused. Literature reports low success with this treatment also versus IVF. Investigation of male and female factors is key before embarking on IUIs. Ti is easy to do and make sure that you are not doing this treatment in a circumstance that is suboptimal. The evaluation is simple however most medical offices will not be complete enough in the testing—male factors(semen analysis and DNA fragmentation needed!). So be sure to ask!!

With a few notable exceptions, male factor-related causes of infertility are not readily amenable to correction by medical/hormonal or surgical treatment. Specifically, in all but mild cases of male infertility, the performance of IUI is of doubtful benefit. The relatively recent introduction of a form of IVF known as Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) has all but eliminated male factor from the list of refractory causes of infertility.

4) In Vitro Fertilization. Undoubtedly the most successful therapy we have, no matter what the medical problems. In the right circumstances also the most cost effective.ASK AND BE INFORMED. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF SIRM St louis can be of help in assessing fertility issues and/or be of help in providing therapy. Evaluation is key and can be done quickly, efficiently and thoroughly—usually all in one day so start there!