inducing fertility

• Ovulation can be stimulated by drugs that prevent the negative feedback effect of oestrogen on FSH secretion.
• Other ovulatory drugs mimic the action of FSH and LH.
• Artificial Insemination

  • Several semen samples are collected over a period of time and injected directly into the uterus.
  • This process is used if the male has a low sperm count, or if the male is sterile a donor may be used to provide semen.
• IVF

  Eggs are surgically removed from the ovaries after hormone stimulation. Eggs are mixed with sperm in a culture dish and the zygotes (fertilised eggs) are incubated until they have formed at least eight cells and are then transferred to the uterus for implantation.
• IVF can be used in conjunction with pre-implantation genetic diagnosis to identify single gene and chromosome abnormalities.
• Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI)

  • A process similar to IVF but if the sperm are defective or very low in number, ICSI can be used. The head of the sperm is drawn into a needle and injected directly into the egg to achieve fertilisation.
• PGD is offered to some women because it ensures that the baby does not have a genetic disorder/chromosome abnormality.