For many of us, waiting to miss our period each month while trying to conceive is an emotional roller coaster. It’s a game of hurry up and wait.
A lot of couples begin with questions of infertility after about 12 months of trying, or as little as six months for women over 35 years old. When you get to this point in time, it’s important to talk to your doctor about fertility, preferably your OB/GYN.
There are tests available to check infertility in you and your partner. Today, doctors are able to determine which factors are affecting your fertility and which treatment options will work for you and your partner. It’s important to keep in mind that you are not alone.
One of the biggest obstacles during the baby-making process is your emotions. It can be a lonely place filled with sadness and desperation. Couples all over the world are facing the same fertility problems you are and many of them go on to conceive, with or without treatment.
Here Are A Few Options When Facing Infertility.
Adoption. Adoption is the process of legally bringing a child into your family. Many couples who have exhausted all fertility treatments turn to adoption. This is a great opportunity to join the ranks of parenthood.
There are two basic forms of adoption: domestic and international. Additionally, the age of the child you are looking to adopt can dictate what program you choose.
If you are going the adoption route, there are several questions you need to answer before getting started. Ask yourself if race or ethnic background is important as well as age and openness with biological parents.
Sperm Donation. Sperm donation is an option that couples may choose if the infertility lies within the male partner. Sometimes men do not produce enough sperm to conceive or the man carries an inherited disease. In other cases, women may choose sperm donation if they are single or in a same-sex relationship.
If fertility and other medical treatments do not work, another option might be embryo donation. It’s a similar process to sperm donation.
Surrogacy. Surrogacy is another option that involves another woman carrying, and giving birth to, a baby for you. Advances in medicine now allow surrogate women to carry a child that is biologically the intended parents using IVF (In Vitro Fertilization). IVF takes a donor egg and donor sperm and transplants both inside the womb of the surrogate.
