Advantages of Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART)Â can eliminate the burden of infertility in males and females, either in egg or sperm. As people chase materialistic changes in the world, they prefer to get married until their early 30s or beyond. This results in a decline in the fertility potential of both males and females.
For males, they suffer from sperm-related issues, whereas women suffer from fewer egg counts or poor egg quality. Fertility in both men and women is significantly affected by age. Modern treatments are introduced to support their reproductive process. Let us explain the types of ART and their advantages in detail.
Types of Assisted Reproductive Technology
As the modern world evolves, the fertility issues young couples face also rise. The major factors that cause infertility are lifestyle changes and delayed marriage. Concerning the problems faced by both men and women, various types of infertility treatments are created to solve those problems. Here we have explained them in detail as follows:
In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF)
Age is the primary factor in deciding the pregnancy rate for women in IVF treatment. Women who are at the age of 35 or below can have a great chance of an optimistic result on the first try of IVF.Â
IVF can be beneficial for people who have the following conditions:
- Dysfunctional  or blocked fallopian tubes.
- Endometriosis.
- Age-associated infertility.
- Risk of some hereditary diseases.
- Infertility without a known cause.
- When sperm is not healthy.
- Irregular periods curtail ovulation.
- Immunological infertility causes anti-sperm antibodies.
- Declined ovarian function due to ageing.
- Women with tubal ligations on both sides.
- Women with three failed treatments.
Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI)
Today, men have a very clear understanding of accepting their infertility problems and then working to find solutions to have children. Using this procedure, male infertility can be easily treated. However, with time, this procedure is quite vital. Within 60 minutes, when the sperm from a partner is retrieved, a fertility specialist through a minimal tube handles and injects the sperm directly into the female partner using a tiny needle. The success rate of this treatment is between 40% and 45% for any woman ages 30 up to 35.
Those with the following conditions may benefit from ICSI:
- Inability to ejaculate, or anejaculation.
- Male reproductive system blockage.
- Low sperm count.
- Poor sperm quality.
- Retrograde ejaculation (semen runs backwards into the bladder).
Egg Donation
It is a process in which a woman who is facing fertility issues related to her egg receives eggs from another woman who has agreed to donate them. By using these eggs, a woman can have a child without the concern of her previous IVF failures.
Who requires donor eggs?
- Menopause begins much sooner than usual in people with premature ovarian failure, usually before the age of 40.
- Age is often the reason for reduced ovarian reserve, which indicates that your eggs are of poor quality because fertility declines sharply after the age of forty.
- Potentially inherited diseases that could affect your child
- Previous history of IVF failure and the main cause identified is poor egg quality.
Surrogacy
Surrogacy can be accepted worldwide due to its true conditions for couples or single persons. However, the conditions must be strictly followed and legally approved to have this option. A woman who is unable to conceive naturally or who cannot bear her child can use this approach to have a surrogate mother bear the child on her behalf.Â
If you consider surrogacy as your choice, you might have the conditions below:
- Some women may suffer from hysterectomy or loss of their reproductive organs and may not be able to conceive or carry a pregnancy, can use this approach.
- A woman who is not able to carry her child due to severe health issues.
- A homosexual couple wants to use one partner’s sperm to have a child.
- A single man who wants to have his child using his sperm but without a female partner.
- If a man has his dead partner’s frozen embryos, then use the surrogacy method.
Intrauterine Insemination (IUI):
Numerous modern methods have been introduced in the medical field to support millions of couples to get their child. IUI is one of the rigorous procedures created especially for couples who can’t conceive naturally. Many couples benefit from this procedure by realising their dream of parenthood.
A selected healthy sperm is injected directly into the uterus of the woman, reducing the time taken by the sperm to reach the uterine lining. For those with sperm-related issues, the success rate of this artificial fertilisation process is high.
PGT - Preimplantation Genetic Testing
Nowadays many couples are aware of the inherited diseases that affect their unborn child. They wanted to break that cycle and started to approach a good way of resolving this issue. Only a few tests can be conducted to establish the risk of chromosomal abnormalities and recurrent miscarriages.
P.G.T.-A is an analysis test that can be utilised as a screening for chromosomal abnormality in the embryo, for instance, extra or missing chromosomes. These anomalies of chromosomes reveal reasons for failed implantations and miscarriages. The risk for such cases necessitates advice on taking such a test for women beyond 37 years old and those who have repeated loss after IVF.
Some members of the family are at risk of certain diseases that tend to be passed from one generation to another. PGT-M detects some genetic disorders, leading to diseases such as muscular dystrophy, cystic fibrosis, or thalassaemia, within the embryos. It avails the couples with better chances of having a healthy child since it selects viable embryos; hence, the risk of transferring severe or life-threatening illnesses is reduced.
Advantages of Assisted Reproductive Technology
Apart from the treatment of infertility, ART has the following advantages:
Reduced risk of miscarriage: PGT actually reduces the chances of miscarriage in couples who have known genetic abnormalities or recurrent losses due to screening embryos for such genetic problems.
More likelihood of giving a healthy child: PGT offers an opportunity to be gifted with a healthy child by screening the embryo not carrying ordinary genetic diseases such as cystic fibrosis or Down’s syndrome.
Family planning flexibility: ART makes it possible for people to time pregnancies according to their desire. They have a sense of control over the schedule because they can cryopreserve eggs or embryos, saving them for later use.
Conclusion
In conclusion, ART has transformed the process of becoming a parent by providing individuals and couples dealing with infertility issues with hope and resolutions. In addition to treating infertility, ART offers cutting-edge choices such as genetic testing to lower the risk of miscarriage, increase the likelihood of a healthy child, and give users more control over family planning. With ongoing improvements, ART enables individuals to make tailored and educated choices, opening the door to realising their aspirations of motherhood while putting their health and well-being first.
