IVF is used to treat couples who cannot become pregnant on their own. It is used when other methods to treat it have not worked.
A couple is infertile if they have had unprotected sex for 1 year without a pregnancy. About 1 in 10 women in the US have problems getting or staying pregnant. Infertility affects both men and women. Most of the time, it can be treated with medicines or surgery. Surgery can fix organs that are not working the way they should.
A certain chain of events must happen to have a natural pregnancy:
Infertility happens when the chain of events does not happen as it should. Talk to your doctor if you:
A doctor will give both partners a physical exam. This will include questions about having sex to find out if everything is being done right to conceive. If a cause cannot be found, testing may be done. These may include:
Many factors can affect a man or woman's fertility. These may include:
Assisted reproductive techniques. Merck Manual Professional Version website. Available at: https://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/gynecology-and-obstetrics/infertility/assisted-reproductive-techniques. Updated January 2019. Accessed March 8, 2019.
In vitro fertilization: IVF. American Pregnancy Association website. Available at: https://americanpregnancy.org/infertility/in-vitro-fertilization. Updated January 10, 2019. Accessed March 8, 2019.
Infertility in men. EBSCO DynaMed Plus website. Available at:https://www.dynamed.com/topics/dmp~AN~T902812/Infertility-in-men. Updated October 5, 2018. Accessed March 8, 2019.
Infertility in women. EBSCO DynaMed Plus website. Available at:https://www.dynamed.com/topics/dmp~AN~T116334/Infertility-in-women. Updated November 6, 2018. Accessed March 8, 2019.
What is IVF? Resolve—National Infertility Association website. Available at: https://resolve.org/what-are-my-options/treatment-options/what-is-ivf. Accessed March 8, 2019.
Last reviewed March 2019 by EBSCO Medical Review Board Mary-Beth Seymour, RN Last Updated: 3/8/2019
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