Fertility Support
A fertility doula is someone who supports people in their journey to become pregnant, regardless of what that looks like. Whether going the fertility clinic route, at home monitoring and insemination, or a mixture of the two - a fertility doula provides you with support best suited to your needs and wants. Please contact us to be in touch with a fertility doula as you navigate your own unique journey.
There is more than one way to create a family..
In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)
The fertilization of the egg takes place outside of the body. There are currently two types of IVF, Stimulated Cycle IVF and Natural Cycle IVF. The objective of Stimulated Cycle IVF, is to stimulate the development of more than one ovum using medication to obtain multiple eggs and create multiple embryos to increase the chances of getting pregnant. Natural Cycle IVF uses no drugs to stimulate the growth of follicles and follows the natural selection of the leading follicle.
Ovulation Induction (OI)
In the ovulation induction process, medications are given to stimulate the ovaries to make eggs. Ovulation induction is suitable therapy for multiple types of infertility including: polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), hypothalamic amenorrhea (prevents ovulation due to abnormal hormonal secretion affecting ovarian function), diminished ovarian reserve, and unexplained infertility. This type of treatment typically induces ovulation of one or more eggs using either oral medications or injectable medications that are the same hormones the brain produces to cause ovulation (gonadotropins). Ovulation induction is also used routinely for women who already ovulate as there is benefit using these medications in this group. Your doctor will advise you if this treatment would be recommended as well as the risks and benefits of ovulation induction.
Intrauterine Insemination (IUI)
The male partner’s sperm is collected and then injected into the female partner’s uterus at the time of ovulation. An oral medication is often taken on days five to nine, increasing the success rate of this treatment. Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) is most appropriate for couples with mild male factor, minimal endometriosis, or unexplained infertility.
Therapeutic Donor Insemination (TDI)
This infertility treatment option involves injecting sperm from an anonymous or a known sperm donor into a woman’s cervix at the time that she is ovulating. The use of frozen semen (from a licensed sperm bank) to prevent sexually transmitted disease is recommended by the Food and Drug Administration and the Center for Disease Control. At sperm banks, donors are tested for sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, hepatitis, and others. Commercial sperm banks are the source of donor sperm in the majority of cases. The sperm banks provide information about the physical characteristics, medical history, education, and ethnic or racial background of the donors. This treatment is undertaken in couples in whom the male partner has a low sperm count, in women without partners, and in lesbian couples.
Tubal Ligation Reversal (TLR)
Women who have had their “tubes tied” can have the procedure reversed. The tubes are reanastamosed (untied) through a surgical procedure that is often a minimally invasive, same-day surgery. The likelihood of procedural success will depend upon the woman’s age, type of tubal ligation originally performed and the length of her remaining healthy tubes. We are lucky to have Boston hospitals so close, with some of the leading gynecological surgery teams, assuring you of comprehensive care and the best possible chance for a successful outcome.
Surrogacy
Surrogacy is an arrangement, often supported by a legal agreement, where a birthing person agrees to bear a child for another person or persons, who will become the child's parent after birth.
Fertility specialists: