MODE OF OPERATION

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  • At the initial consultation for infertility, couples are assessed with a comprehensive history, routine and specialized laboratory and biophysical investigations.
  • Based on the findings, an appropriate diagnosis is made as the cause or causes of the infertility in either or both the man or woman as the basis of the conventional treatment method chosen for the couple.
  • This conventional treatment may result in pregnancy to the joy of all. However, in some couples, this conventional treatment may not result in pregnancy. In some couples also, the cause/or cases of the infertility will not ab-initio respond at all to the conventional treatment methods.
  • In all of such situation of either no, or poor responds, the treatment that will ensure pregnancy at all, is IVF and ICSI treatment methods.
  • IVF (in Vitro Fertilization) will solve all the female causal factors while ICSI will solve all the male factors for which pregnancy has not occurred with the conventional treatment method.
  • Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI): is an additional treatment when there is low sperm parameter. This procedure is used when the sperm is low either in quantity (oligospermia) or/ and abnormal in quality (terato-asthenospermia) which situation does not allow pregnancy to occur even with IVF treatment. With ICSI, a pre-selected single good quality motile sperm in injected using the special ICSI machine into the oocyte to bring about fertilization and consequently embryo. In routine IVF treatment, the sperm when exposed to oocyte (eggs) in the petriditches in the laboratory will usually on its own inject itself into the oocyte (egg) in the process called fertilization.
  • However, this requires several sperm of normal quality, motility and a critical concentration for this to occur or for this fertilization to occur. Such critical quantity and quality is what is lacking with low sperm count situation for which fertilization will not occur in routine IVF, with ICSI treatment, this problem is solved when with the aid of the, ICSI machine, a single spermatozoon is injected into the oocyte (egg) to bring about the fertilization and consequently an embryo will result. In lay language, the ICSI machine assist the low sperm to fertilize the oocyte (egg) just like a life-jacket assist that cannot swim ordinary to cross any river without drowning. Thus, ICSI is the relief for men which low sperm count to be able to father their own children biologically through IVF/ICSI treatment.
  • The cost of IVF is usually estimated for each couple and is based on the age of the woman primarily and the result for several test conducted on the woman and the man. The cost is lowest for the young woman 32 years old or less who is menstruating regularly, and whose husband has normal quality sperm. The cost is higher when the woman is 35 years and above. The cost estimate usually includes cost of all drugs and procedure until pregnancy test to confirm pregnancy is performed.
  • IVF is also successfully performed in women with grossly irregular menstruation and also in women who have stopped menstruation even for several years but the cost of the IVF treatment in such situation is slightly higher than in women who still have regular menstruation.
  • IVF in combination with ICSI treatment offer the highest, fastest and best chances of achieving pregnancy in several situations where the chance of pregnancy occurring by other infertility treatment methods is zero.
  • The cost of care for the pregnancy that will result from the IVF is separate and not included in the IVF cost estimate.
  • Augustine Medical Centre has a well-equipped maternity Unit for the care of the resulting pregnancy throughout and including expert delivery facilities.
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