Overcoming infertility and other challenges to start a family. If you are affected by infertility, are in a same-sex union or wish to raise a child on your own, you may often be faced with feelings of sadness because you have not yet been able to realize your dream of becoming a parent. We are happy to inform you that, thanks to advances in fertility treatments, there are options. If you want to learn more about the options that are available to you, it may be time to schedule an appointment to speak with one of our fertility specialists at PCRM fertility clinic in Metro Vancouver.
Here’s how we can help:
Options for those with fertility issues
At PCRM, you will find a team of fertility specialists who are highly trained and experienced in diagnosing and treating fertility problems. Many people hold the misconception that women are to blame for their infertility. However, malefactors like sperm count or mobility are the most common causes of infertility. That is why when a couple visits our clinic, we assess both partners to determine whether the issue is caused by male or female infertility.
For men, we recommend a semen analysis to check the shape and movement of the sperm as well as the sperm count. We may also check hormone levels and recommend other tests. For women, we can identify whether infertility is due to endometriosis, polycystic ovarian syndrome, ovulation issues or abnormalities of the uterus, fallopian tubes or ovaries. Once we’ve identified the cause of the problem, we will recommend the best treatment for optimal results.
The course of action we recommend will be dependent on your age and cause of infertility. In some cases, fertility medication may be enough to solve the problem while in other cases, we may have to recommend the use of assisted reproductive technology such as in vitro fertilization (IVF).
Options for two-mom families and single women
If you want to start a family with two moms or as a single parent, you can use donor sperm. You may choose to use sperm from a known donor or an anonymous donor from a sperm bank.
Patients wishing to use a known donor must go through The Toronto Institute for Reproductive Medicine (ReproMed). Once the specimen is approved, the specimen may be shipped to PCRM for use. For those using an anonymous donor, the sperm will be obtained directly from a sperm bank and shipped in frozen units to the clinic. Women using donor sperm have two options: Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) and IVF.
Intrauterine insemination is a procedure by which sperm is placed inside a woman’s uterus to facilitate fertilization. The aim of this procedure is to maximize the number of sperm that reach the fallopian tubes and in turn, increase the likelihood of pregnancy. If you and your partner both want to be involved in the pregnancy or there is an issue that will not allow the pregnancy to be facilitated naturally, you will need to use IVF.
With IVF, eggs may be harvested from one partner, fertilized in a lab and placed back in the uterus of the other partner. For women who wish to go through the process alone and have a healthy uterus, but there are other issues preventing pregnancy, their eggs may be harvested, fertilized and then placed directly into their uterus.
Options for two-dad families
Couples wishing to start a family with two dads can use either a surrogate or gestational carrier. A surrogate is a woman who donates both her eggs and uterus for the pregnancy, so IUI may be used to achieve this type of pregnancy. If the couple is using a gestational carrier, they would need to find one woman to donate her eggs and another to carry the child. Therefore, IVF would be required. If a couple decides to use a gestational carrier, both men may use their sperm to fertilize eggs.
Learn more about your options at PCRM fertility clinic in Metro Vancouver
If you want to learn more about your options for becoming a parent, contact us at PCRM fertility clinic in Metro Vancouver. At PCRM, we will support you with knowledge, experience, kindness and personalized fertility care.
