I had an interesting conversation with a friend over brunch today where we touched upon pre-implantation genetic diagnosis.
I have written very briefly about PDG before, but I’d like to comment on it about it again here.
Why are physicians and hopeful parents practicing PGD? It can be used along with in-vitro fertilization to test embryos for certain medical conditions like cystic fibrosis, down syndrome, and I believe some certain cancers.
There are many different types of fertility treatments. Here are just a few:
Each fertility strategy has its own benefits and drawbacks, and each infertility case is different, so its probably best to speak with your physician about which treatment is right for you. It might even make sense to get a second opinion!
I know one couple who tried IVF several times before giving up and trying acupuncture successfully.
These were the original ideas for a fertility related research network:
Only viewable by founder
Nadya Suleman aka. Octomom has become somewhat of a punchline and rightly so. Apparently she’s off her rocker to say the least.
Prior to giving birth to the octuplets she already had 6 children who she was unable to support financially. It’s infuriating that although unemployed with 6 children, she still decided to go through with the in-vitro fertilization. The fact that this woman is responsible for 14 children is disturbing.
The government should be able to step in in situations like this. If she was unemployed I don’t know how she could afford the fertilization. I’m not even sure how much that costs, but I imagine its not cheap.
Some states require health insurance to pay for in vitro fertility treatments, which I think is appropriate for people who need it. Otherwise its around $20,000 per session.
In the case of Nadya, I wonder about the ethics involved on the part of the doctor who performed the fertilization. Should they be allowed to practice?
Medical ethics is one of the most complex and challenging topics.
Here’s an interesting story at the Washington Post about whether female mammals are born with all the oocytes they will ever produce:
Should publicly funded research be freely accessible by the public? Here’s an interesting blog post about this topic, relating specifically to the NIH:
A new procedure called ovary transplantation has proven successful with the birth of “Maja”:
Ovary transplant mother speaks of her “indescribable” joy after giving birth
Congratulations to their family!
A new study suggests Acupuncture can be used to augment the efficacy of IVF. See the this link for more details.
When western medicinal tactics fail to assist with fertility, it can be emotionally taxing for a couple trying to conceive. May people view this as their last resort, and when it doesn’t work, they may end up feeling helpless. Thankfully, there are additional measures which can be taken, including acupuncture. Acupuncture has been successful in helping fertility-challenged couples conceive.
Each patient presents with a different “pattern” or “disharmony” and the acupuncturist creates a treatment strategy specific for that individual. Couples may be treated side by side, or separately. Treatment strategies are not confined strictly to women, either. If a man is found to have a low sperm count or lowered sperm motility, acupuncture may help him too.Different practitioners will have different approaches. The best way to decide on who to see is to get a referral. That is not always possible though, so calling a practitioner and asking the right questions can lead you to someone who can help.
Good questions to ask:
Reasonably you can expect that you will need at least 3 months of weekly treatments depending on the condition.Feel out the person too. Do you get a good feeling from them? Are you comfortable around them? It’s important to find someone you sync up with not in a social capacity, but rapport and trust with your practitioner is vital.
Acupuncture can be expensive, not when compared to the cost of in-vitro fertilization (IVF), but nonetheless it usually runs about $75 a treatment, so be prepared this is a financial undertaking, just like anything else.
Successful acupuncture requires a commitment from the patient beyond just arriving for treatments. Your practitioner may suggest changes in diet, and without those changes your treatments may be rendered unsuccessful. For example, you may be asked to give up dairy for a little while.
Most importantly, emotional stress can have a negative impact on the body. From a Chinese perspective, deep frustration may actually cause a blockage and inhibit the ability to conceive. It is important not to get frustrated (I know - easier said than done), and listen to your doctor’s and practitioner’s advice when they tell you to take it easy.
I’ve asked someone (an OB/GYN, specializing in REI) about the different infertility treatments available. The first thing she said is that there are quite a lot of them! So we’ll just cover some common basic ones for now.
This drug enhances release of a hormone called FSH, resulting in minor hyper-stimulation of the ovaries. This typically can kick start ovaries into releasing eggs. However, occasionally this works too well and more than one egg is released. This is why the chances of conceiving twins in increased.
If Clomid doesn’t work, physicians commonly prescribe injections of FSH. Like Clomid, this causes increased stimulation of the ovaries in an attempt to increase egg release.
This is a technique that can be used with either Clomid or Gonadotropins. A small catheter is used to inject semen into the uterine cavity. I always call this the “turkey baster” method. This circumvents the need for the sperm to cross the formidable barrier of the cervical mucus. This often increases the concentration of sperm which comes into contact with the egg.There are many more techniques available, but these three are a couple of basics. Also, these methods are only used in patients with anatomically normal tubes (no tubal blockage).