Infertility is a common condition that affects about one in eight couples. It occurs when a couple has trouble getting pregnant or carrying a pregnancy to term.
There are many different causes of infertility, including hormonal imbalances, blocked fallopian tubes, and genetic conditions such as male-factor infertility.
In some cases, the cause of infertility cannot be identified. However, treatments available can help improve your chances of becoming pregnant by increasing the number and quality of your partner’s sperm. Read on to learn more.
Infertility is a major problem that affects millions of people. However, there are things you can do to help fix it. Your doctor should be able to help you choose which treatment is right for you.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the options, talk with your doctor about what’s best for you based on the circumstances of your situation.
We’ll discuss four fertility treatments today. They are; PESA, TESA, ICSI, and Vasectomy Reversal. As we do, look through to find out which one would best suit your condition and your needs.
Percutaneous Epididymal Sperm Aspiration (PESA)
Percutaneous Epididymal Sperm Aspiration (PESA) is a procedure in which sperm are collected from the epididymis, the coiled tube that extends from each testicle to its respective vas deferens in front of the prostate gland.
The doctor uses local anesthesia and inserts a fine needle into the scrotum through which he can aspirate or suck out sperm directly from the epididymis. The sperm is then used to fertilize an egg with IVF or ICSI.
PESA is usually done under local anesthesia at your doctor’s office or lab on an outpatient basis, meaning you can go home right afterward without any overnight stay required.
This procedure is done for various reasons. For example, PESA may be recommended if you have a low sperm count, poor sperm quality, or motility.
It can also be done for men who have blocked vas deference or no sperm in their ejaculate but do have viable sperms in their epididymis.
There are also some men who can’t produce viable sperm as a result of having varicocele or other abnormalities in their testicles. In either of these situations, PESA is recommended for treatment.
Testicular Sperm Aspiration (TESA)
TESA is another male fertility treatment procedure. Testicular sperm aspiration (TESA) is a surgical procedure in which a doctor uses a needle to remove a small amount of tissue from the testicle. The tissue is then analyzed by an embryologist, who can find sperm cells and help determine if they are mature enough to fertilize an egg.
Testicular sperm aspiration (TESA) is used to help men with non-obstructive azoospermia or oligospermia.
It’s also used when there is no sperm in the ejaculate because of cancer treatment, testicular injury or infection, radiation therapy for prostate cancer, or other causes of infertility.
Like PESA, TESA can be performed in an outpatient setting under local anesthesia by your urologist or reproductive endocrinologist (REI).
Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI)
ICSI is a fertility treatment used to help couples conceive. It involves directly injecting a single sperm into an egg.
ICSI is typically used in cases of male infertility. Men with low sperm counts or poor sperm quality are often unable to conceive naturally. In most cases, the sperm is unable to penetrate the egg on its own.
This procedure allows doctors to select the best-quality sperm for fertilization, increasing the chances of pregnancy.
We would consider using ICSI for cases of severe male infertility. This would include men with azoospermia (no sperm in their semen) or severe oligoasthenoteratozoospermia (few, poorly-motile sperm).
Vasectomy Reversal
Vasectomy reversal is a surgical procedure to reconnect the vas deferens. This is the tube that carries sperm from your testicles to your urethra and out of your body.
If you have had a vasectomy, it means that this tube was cut or tied off so you could not make any more sperm.
The ends of the vas deferens are taken out through small cuts in your scrotum, which are then sewn back together inside your scrotum or abdomen.
The success rate for vasectomy reversal depends on several factors such as age at the time of surgery and length between surgeries.
A man who has his vasectomy reversed within two years after having one done has about an 80 percent chance of getting his wife pregnant using their eggs and their partner’s sperm after they do an IVF cycle.
Concluding thoughts
If you or your partner have trouble getting pregnant, there are several treatments to improve your chances
The most common fertility treatments for couples who have been unable to conceive are In vitro fertilization (IVF), intrauterine insemination (IUI), and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).
However, these options may not be right for everyone.
If you or your partner has a low sperm count or is having trouble with any other aspect of male infertility, several treatments can help improve your chances of getting pregnant. They include:
- PESA; It is ideal for men who have sperm in their ejaculate, but the sperm is not moving properly.
- TESE: This procedure can help increase the chances of having a child by collecting sperm directly from a testicle or epididymis and injecting it into your partner’s uterus.
- TESA; With TESA, a sample of cells is removed from the testicle and examined under a microscope to determine if it contains sperm. If sperm are present, they can be used in an IVF procedure
- ICSI; It is done when there are few sperm in a man’s ejaculate. In this case, the doctor selects the most viable sperm and uses a needle to inject it directly into an egg that has been removed from the partner’s ovary.
- Vasectomy Reversal; A vasectomy reversal is a procedure to reconnect the tubes that carry sperm from the testicles to the penis for ejaculation and fertilization.
We hope this article has helped you understand more about the options available to you. Remember that these are all infertility treatments, so you must talk with your doctor about which one is right for you. If none of these options work, there may be another solution out there waiting to be discovered.
