Is pregnancy a challenge for you and your partner? You are not alone. According to the Mayo Clinic, up to 15 percent of American couples are infertile. Fortunately, there are safe and effective ways to increase the chance of pregnancy.
You and your partner have more options today than ever before. Modern technology and scientific advancements offer simple solutions for tracking fertility and increasing the chance of conception. Here are five ways science can help you fight infertility.
1. Fertility Monitors
Fertility monitors help you determine ovulation. They use your body fluctuations to determine your most fertile days of the month. Digital monitors work in a matter of seconds, and a monthly calendar helps you track your menstrual cycle. Fertility monitors are ideal for women with irregular cycles. They track and store data, so you don’t have to worry about record keeping.
2. Smartphone Apps
Some companies have developed smartphone applications that help you monitor your fertility and track related data. For instance, an iPhone app called “Glow” combines data technology and science to help you and your partner increase fertility through natural means. It tracks cervical mucus patterns during the menstrual cycle to determine your most fertile days. It also provides data that directs you to appropriate medical interventions and alternative solutions.
3. Saliva Testing
Predicting ovulation is easier than ever with saliva testing. A saliva ovulation microscope like those from http://www.microscope.com/ helps you record hormone changes by monitoring estrogen surges that are visible in your saliva. When combined with other tracking methods, digital microscopes can track your fertility to your most fertile day of the month.
4. Hormone Therapy
If you and your partner are having trouble conceiving, hormone injections can trigger ovulation. The success rate of hormone therapy is between 20 and 60 percent, and most women conceive within six months of treatment. This scientific method of treating infertility requires the use of other tracking methods, such as those listed above.
5. Assisted Reproductive Technology
In most cases, assisted reproductive technology (ART) offer the best chance of pregnancy for infertile couples. In vitro fertilization is the most common ART method. It involves retrieving eggs from the woman and fertilizing them with male sperm in a lab dish. The embryos are then implanted into the uterus after fertilization. Thousand of babies are born this way each year, but the success rate declines after age 35.
Coping with infertility can be hard for you and your partner because the issue is unknown and unpredictable. Fortunately, these modern scientific advancements can help you fight infertility and increase your chance of pregnancy. When these methods fail, there are other scientific considerations such as donor sperm, donor eggs and gestational carriers as well as adoption. Explore the options and find what works best for you.
Written by Eowyn A.; Guest Blogger for Mom at Last
