New Year, Time For New Options Pt. II

In the previous article we looked at some non-invasive treatment options that you and your partner might want to try. In this article, we will explore some of the low-tech treatment options that you may or may not have considered trying. Please remember that I am not a medical professional. I am only presenting my opinion, formed from years of research, in these articles.

Low-Tech Treatment Options

After charting, which was discussed in the first article in this series, your next step should be to take your charts, at lease three months worth, to your OB/GYN for an initial preconception/infertility exam. From the exam, blood work, and charts, you may have several treatment options open to you.

Clomid is the most often prescribed medication for infertility. This is a doctor's first step in many cases, and if your charts are showing either a lack of ovulation, early ovulation, or late ovulation, Clomid might be the best and least expensive non-invasive option. There are some drawbacks to taking Clomid such as possible side effects, but if the result is a healthy pregnancy, it will be worth it in the long run.

Sometimes, before Clomid can be started, Provera needs to be taken to induce a period. This is another low-tech option that is available to women if they did not ovulate and their period has not started on it's own. It is also possible to take Provera to get your period, your body does the rest on it's own, and Clomid is not needed. Be sure to discuss this possibility with your doctor.

If the problem is a low sperm count due to a varicocele (a varicose vein in the testis), surgical removal does not have to be the only option. The first thing that a man with this condition should do is alter his wardrobe so that it only includes loose fitting underwear, and pants. Next, he should stop taking hot showers and/or baths, and never use a hot tub. Now, don't cringe, but an ice pack for 10 to 15 minutes a day, twice a day, can bring the temperature of the testicles down enough so that proper development of sperm can take place. It might a little uncomfortable, but it sure beats trying to recover from surgery, and it is a lot less expensive!

IUI, or Intra-Uterine Insemination is also a low-tech option that you and your partner might want to consider. This is a good option if the woman either ovulates on her own, or ovulates with the assistance of Clomid. The man provides a semen sample that is washed in many cases, or a donor sample is used. The washed sample is then placed inside the woman's uterus either the day before, or the day of ovulation. This is a good option if donor sperm must be used, or if the man has a sperm related problem.

If you or your partner has been diagnosed with "unexplained" infertility, it could be that your environment is playing a large roll in reducing your ability to conceive. If you or your partner work with or near any kind of chemicals, a career or job change might be just what the doctor ordered. The more advanced our society becomes, the more fertility rates decrease. A job change is not always possible, so be sure to know what chemicals you work with and near and do everything you can to protect yourself from being exposed to them.

The next article in this series will explore some high-tech treatment options that you may want to explore.

Author: Debbi Secaur
Published on: February 11, 2004 at Suite101.com

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