6 Infertility Treatment Options to Grow Your Family

Seeing your friends get pregnant all around you while you struggle with infertility can be ROUGH. I was lucky enough to get pregnant with Toot with only the assistance of an ovulation kit. But a few of my friends and family members have needed more scientific intervention to conceive their babies. Here are 6 options to consider if you’re hoping to become a parent.

 

 { This post was sponsored by Growing Generations }

 

 

1. Artificial Insemination

Artificial Insemination is probably what you think of when you’re considering fertility treatments. You see it in romantic comedies and in shows like Jane the Virgin (great show, btw.) But what really happens, and how successful is it?

Intrauterine insemination or IUI is a process that involves your partner or a donor’s sperm being deposited into your uterus via a thin catheter.

Timeline: Pregnancy typically occurs in 6 cycles.

Success rate: 10-20% chance per cycle depending on age. With 6 cycles chances of conception increases to 60-70%.

Cost: Average is $865 per cycle.

 

 

2. Fertility Drugs

Fertility drugs are another option. Your doctor will prescribe pills or injections that release hormones and induce ovulation.

Timeline: 3-6 months until conception or another option is considered.

Success rate: About 40-50% of women who ovulate will get pregnant typically within 3 cycles.

Cost: $10-$100 per month for pills. Injections can cost up to $6,000 per month.

 

 

Five Things To Know Before Starting Fertility Treatment

 

 

3. Egg Donation

If your eggs are not viable, you may need to seek out an egg donor. The eggs are donated by women age 21-30. The egg can be fertilized by your partner or a donor. Then with IVF, the embryo will be implanted in your uterus.

Timeline: 4-6 weeks for one IVF cycle.

Success rate: Success decreases with age. The success rate for women under 35 is 41.5%. Unfortunately, for women age 43-44, the success rate is only 5%.

Cost: $12,000 – $30,000 per cycle.

 

 

 

 

4. Surrogacy

Surrogacy is another well-known fertility treatment option. Phoebe on Friends (my favorite show!) gave birth to her brother’s triplets via surrogacy. This is also a great option for gay couples.

Embryos from the parents can be implanted into the surrogate’s uterus or the father can artificially inseminate the surrogate.

Timeline: 1 and a half years including the surrogacy matching process, IVF, and the actual pregnancy.

Success rate: Extremely high with a healthy egg, sperm, and surrogate!

Cost: $130,000 to $200,000.

 

 

5. Surgery

When you think of infertility treatments, you probably don’t think surgery. Depending on the reason, surgery might be a necessary path. With surgery, doctors can clear fallopian tubes, remove endometriosis tissue, treat PCOS, and fix other anatomical anomalies that would prevent you from becoming pregnant.

Timeline: 8-12 months following surgery (depending on what type of surgery you have)

Success rate: Chances of pregnancy improve by 40% after laparoscopic surgery for endometriosis.

Cost: $2,000 – $10,000. Varies based on surgery.

 

 

 

 

6. Intrafallopian Transfers

You’ve probably never heard of Intrafallopian transfers. Well, basically it’s similar to IVF, but instead of inserting the egg and sperm into your uterus, they’re inserted into the fallopian tubes. There are two types: Gamete intrafallopian transfer (GIFT) and Zygote intrafallopian transfer (ZIFT).

During GIFT, the doctor will insert the egg and the sperm separately into your fallopian tubes to allow fertilization to happen more naturally. ZIFT is the same process but the egg and the sperm are combined as a zygote before insertion.

Timeline: 4-6 weeks for one cycle.

Success rate: 22% but varies with age.

Cost: $15,000 – $25,000 for each cycle.

 

 

 Creating your own family. Fertility treatment and other options to assist pregnancy for couples

 

 

Growing Generations can help you conceive

Growing Generations is based in Los Angeles, and they are dedicated to creating lives and supporting your family through egg donation, surrogacy, and education. They’re here to help your family grow regardless of marital status, sexual orientation, or HIV status.

For more info on Growing Generations and to find the best infertility treatment option for your family, here is a helpful infographic.

 

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