Is IVF Right for Me?
Dr. Sonja Kristiansen is a parent and a doctor who understands the joys of motherhood and the commitment that a couple makes when they decide to become parents. To make that commitment and then have difficulty conceiving can be heartbreaking. It is Dr. Kristiansen’s passion to help all couples achieve their goal of becoming parents. At Dr. Kristiansen’s Houston fertility center, we explore all of the treatment options available to help our patients become parents. IVF, or in vitro fertilization, is the most common treatment requested by our patients. Dr. Kristiansen is happy to explain this treatment process and let her Houston patients know if they are good IVF candidates.
If you have had trouble conceiving, you have likely wondered if you are a candidate for IVF. For Dr. Kristiansen’s patients in Houston, in vitro fertilization is a six step treatment that helps women become pregnant by stimulating the ovaries, retrieving an egg, fertilizing that egg, and then implanting viable embryo(s) back into the uterus. Because of the way this treatment is conducted, IVF is a viable option for many women who have not responded to other forms of fertility treatment. Women who suffer from any of the following conditions are particularly good candidates for IVF treatment:
- Blocked or absent fallopian tubes: The fallopian tubes are bypassed during the IVF treatment.
- Endometriosis: Many women with endometriosis have had success becoming pregnant and maintaining a healthy pregnancy after IVF treatment.
- Polycystic ovary syndrome: Dr. Kristiansen can work with patients with PCOS to see if IVF can help with their infertility problems.
- Irregular ovulation cycles: The fertility medication used during the IVF process will stimulate ovulation and aid in the production of healthy eggs.
Women who do not produce healthy eggs may also be candidates for IVF treatment if they are willing to use an egg donor during the IVF process. If the male partner suffers from infertility problems, IVF is still a viable option. Because the IVF process only requires the injection of one healthy sperm to fertilize the egg, men with low sperm count can still benefit from IVF. A sperm donor can also be used during the IVF treatment.
Poor Candidates for IVF
In vitro fertilization is not the ideal treatment for all of our patients. Women who are unable to produce healthy eggs and do not wish to work with an egg donor are not good candidates for IVF treatment. Women in their late thirties have a reduced chance of getting pregnant through IVF without the use of an egg donor. It is also important to understand that, even if an egg donor is used, women in their forties will have just as much success getting pregnant through IVF treatment but have a lower success rate of maintaining a healthy pregnancy.
Schedule a Consultation
To have trouble achieving the dream of parenthood can be disheartening, but do not give up hope. With the continued advances in fertility treatment, Dr. Sonja Kristiansen has helped many patients experience the joys of parenthood. Schedule a consultation with Dr. Kristiansen at your earliest convenience to see if you can benefit from IVF treatment.
