As a specialist in providing reflexology designed to assist with TTC, fertility, and wellbeing for people in the Weymouth, Poundbury, and the wider Dorset area, I spend a lot of time discussing different fertility treatments with clients. These include IVF (In-Vitro Fertilisation), IUI (Intra-Uterine Insemination), and ICSI (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection).
Of course, most people know about IVF, but if you are seeking reflexology as part of your fertility treatment, or just want general advice regarding fertility support, you might be unsure about which specific fertility treatment is most suitable for you. It can feel a bit intimidating to decide. To help you choose the right course of action, this blog post walks you through the differences between IVF, IUI, and ICSI.
IVF
The most commonly employed fertility treatment, IVF involves using fertility drugs to produce mature eggs that are then fertilised in a laboratory with sperm from your partner/a donor. The sperm and eggs are placed in a special dish, with the highest-quality resultant embryo being placed into the uterus to grow for pregnancy.
IVF is used to assist with TTC processes of all kinds, but is particularly useful for women with certain fertility problems, such as damaged Fallopian tubes or low egg counts. It can also be used when working with a surrogate or after several unsuccessful rounds of IUI.
IUI
Couples who are trying to conceive may start with IUI before turning to IVF treatment. The process involves inserting a sperm sample into the uterus at peak ovulation. Fertilisation naturally occurs once ovulation occurs, and this reduced travel time for sperm can increase the chances of successful pregnancy.
IUI is essentially designed to give the sperm a better chance of reaching the egg compared to sexual intercourse. The treatment is usually recommended to couples who have had difficulty conceiving but aren’t experiencing any structural fertility problems, or for those who require donor sperm.
ICSI
ICSI serves as part of the IVF procedure and entails extracting the best single healthy sperm from a sample and injecting it directly into the egg for fertilisation. In this sense, it is a more precise form of treatment - aimed primarily at helping men with fertility issues such as low sperm count or substandard sperm mobility.
If you are considering holistic support alongside IVF, IUI, or ICSI as part of your fertility treatment, I would be happy to help you. I offer professional guidance for those needing help with TTC and fertility issues in Weymouth, Poundbury, and Dorset, as well as in other areas using virtual consulting. Feel free to reach out at any time, I'd love to hear from you.