Types Of Assisted Reproductive Treatment

February 28, 2022Assisted Reproductive Technology1

Types Of Assisted Reproductive Treatment 

• Ovulation induction

Ovulation induction may be used by women who are not ovulating or are not ovulating regularly. Ovulation induction involves taking a hormone medication (tablet or injection), which stimulates the production of follicle-stimulating hormone. This encourages the development of one or more follicles. When the follicles are large enough, another hormone is administered which releases the egg from the follicle. If the couple has intercourse around this time, the chances of conception are greatly increased.

• Artificial Insemination

Artificial insemination (AI) also known as intrauterine insemination (IUI), is used to treat women who have normal and healthy fallopian tubes, but for unknown reasons cannot conceive. This may be due to mechanical difficulties with intercourse – for example, a man is not able to achieve an erection or has structural problems of the penis after trauma or surgery. Artificial insemination might also be used when semen has been frozen due to a male partner’s absence or prior to cancer treatment.

The process of AI involves the insertion of a male partner’s semen through the female’s cervix and into the uterus at or just before the time of ovulation. AI can be performed during a natural menstrual cycle, or in combination with ovulation induction if the woman has irregular menstrual cycles. Only doctors can perform AI under the Assisted Reproductive Treatment Act 2008, although a person is not prevented from performing self insemination. If a pregnancy is not achieved after a few AI attempts, the use of IVF or ICSI may be discussed.

• Donor Conception

There are several ways that donor sperm, eggs or embryos can be used in ART treatments. VARTA has a range of resources to assist you.

Donor sperm (donor insemination) 

Donor insemination (DI) may be used when: a male partner does not produce sperm, a male partner does not produce normal sperm, or there is a high risk of a man passing on a genetic disease or abnormality to a child.

Donor insemination may also be used by single women and women in same-sex relationships. The process of donor insemination is the same as artificial insemination.

Donor Eggs 

Treatment with donor eggs is possible if:

a woman cannot produce eggs or her eggs are of low quality. This may occur due to age or premature ovarian failure (where the woman no longer produces mature eggs for ovulation).

a woman has experienced several miscarriages, or there is a high risk of the woman passing on a genetic disease or abnormality to a child.

In these cases, the egg donor undergoes hormone stimulation to produce multiple eggs. When the eggs are mature they are retrieved and sperm from the recipient’s partner or a donor is added to the eggs. Two to five days later, when embryos are formed, an embryo is inserted into the recipient woman’s uterus. The recipient woman may take hormones in preparation for the embryo transfer, and for approximately 10 weeks after the embryos have been transferred.

Donor Embryos 

Donor embryos can be used if a person or couple requires donor sperm and donor eggs to achieve a pregnancy. Although rare, some people choose to donate frozen embryos that they no longer need (after IVF procedures, for example) for use by others undergoing IVF. When the recipient woman is ready, embryos are thawed and transferred to her uterus.

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