Fertility treatments
One in six Australian couples will experience infertility. Seeking help to conceive is more common than you may think.
That’s why I adopt an evidence-based approach for optimal results. For many patients, this may require pharmacological treatments, complementary therapy solutions, or a combination of both. To assist patients to remain well informed throughout their fertility journey, I’ve provided the latest information and fact sheets to help supplement their education.
Ovulation induction is a fertility treatment that uses medication to stimulate the development and release of healthy eggs. It is suitable as a first step for women with unexplained infertility, with long or infrequent cycles, or who are not spontaneously ovulating.
Intrauterine insemination or IUI is a method of artificial insemination that involves placing sperm into the uterus at a time close to ovulation, increasing the number of sperm that reach the fallopian tubes and raising the chances of fertilisation
A frozen embryo transfer (FET) is a procedure where a frozen embryo from a previous fresh IVF cycle is thawed before transferring it back into a woman's uterus. The benefit for patients is not having to undergo another cycle of hormone stimulation and an egg collection. Frozen embryo cycles can be performed on your natural cycle or using hormone preparation, or ovulation induction.
IVF involves the egg and sperm bring brought together in the lab, outside of the womb (in vitro comes from the latin ‘in glass’). The fertilised eggs (embryos) are carefully cultivated for up to five days then transferred to the uterus.
Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) is a form of fertility treatment suitable for couples where male fertility is a factor. In this treatment, a single sperm is injected into the centre of the egg, giving a greater chance of successful fertilisation. The fertilised eggs (embryos) are carefully cultivated in the lab for up to five days, as with IVF, and then transferred to the uterus.
IVF (In Vitro Fertilisation) is a medical procedure, performed to overcome a range of fertility issues. In simple terms, it's a method by which an egg and sperm are joined together outside the body, typically in a specialised laboratory. The fertilised egg (embryo) is then left to grow in a protected environment before being transferred into the woman's uterus. The IVF procedure aims to increase the chance that a pregnancy will occur.
Metformin is an orally administered medication extensively used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes as an insulin sensitising drug. First reported in 1994, metformin is also prescribed for treating infertility in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) by inducing ovulation (release of eggs).
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Complimentary
therapies
Complementary or adjuvant therapy is an additional treatment that can be considered when undergoing IVF treatment.
The role of adjuvant therapies is to increase pregnancy success, particularly in women who have had multiple unsuccessful IVF cycles. Complementary or adjuvant therapies are used by many people to improve their overall physical and emotional health and well-being and as such, may be included as part of an overall strategy to improve your chances for a baby.
While IVF is a highly successful treatment used to address infertility, it may require multiple attempts before success. Hence, by incorporating adjuvant therapies I aim to give you every chance for success.
Testosterone gel has been used as a priming agent prior to IVF cycles. Recent research suggests that testosterone gel may have a significant impact on the fertility rate of women with poor ovarian reserve and poor reponse to IVF cycles.