About 15 percent of all couples will experience some level of infertility when trying to conceive. Many of the couples who are experiencing infertility turn to procedures like in vitro fertilization (IVF) to conceive a child. If you are considering IVF you should educate yourself on the procedure before electing to have it. The following frequently asked questions about IVF and infertility will get you started.
What is infertility?
Infertility is a disorder of the reproductive system that prevents a couple from conceiving a child. Conceiving a child is far more complex than one might think, and the slightest malfunction of the reproductive system can lead to infertility. A couple is classified as infertile when they have tried to conceive unsuccessfully for one year’s time.
What is in vitro fertilization (IVF)?
In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a procedure in which an egg is fertilized by sperm in a laboratory. The process has many steps involved. Eggs must be retrieved from a female and sperm from a male. After the two specimens are joined in a petri dish they are incubated until cell division takes place. Once cell division takes place an embryo has been created, and that embryo can be transferred to the woman's uterus via a catheter through the cervix.
How much does in vitro fertilization (IVF) cost?
Many people feel overwhelmed at the prospect of getting treatment for infertility because of the cost. The average cost of a total IVF cycle in the United States is about $12,000. Naturally, the cost of IVF is based on a number of variables including geographic location, the skill of the physician, and a couple's individual medical problems. Some insurance companies cover treatments for infertility. In fact, states like Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Rhode Island, Texas, and West Virginia all require by law the insurance companies cover some infertility treatment or diagnosis.
For more information on in vitro fertilization as well as other fertility treatments such as
egg donation and donor eggs,
preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD), it is important to contact a
fertility and IVF center near Dallas, Texas.