Some couples who want their own children find it difficult to conceive and may need assistance from an IVF clinic. IVF stands for in-vitro-fertilization, which means that the eggs of a woman will be sourced from her ovaries and then fertilized by sperm from a man within a clinical environment. Help from an IVF clinic is usually sought when the couple are unable to conceive and bear children in a natural way.
Not everyone who seeks assistance from an IVF clinic will automatically be able to conceive though. Here is some information you should analyze first before you contact an IVF clinic to set up an appointment with an IVF doctor in Melbourne.
Question #1: Why Am I Unable To Conceive With My Partner?
A heterosexual couple, meaning a man and a woman, may find it hard to conceive for various reasons. Before IVF can be initiated, you and your partner may have to submit to medical exams and give your medical history so that the doctor in charge of your case will be able to assess the possible reasons that make conceiving a child so difficult.
Question #2: Which One Of Us Is Healthy Enough To Supply Either Eggs Or Sperm For IVF?
Since it takes a man’s sperm and a woman’s egg to conceive a child, the doctor may have to check both of you first, to see which one of you is unable to provide healthy eggs or healthy sperm that are necessary for conception to occur.
Question #3: I’m A Woman And The Doctor Said I Have A Healthy Uterus And Can Supply Eggs. But My Partner Is Unable to Supply Healthy Sperm. Who Will We Get Sperm From?
One service that an IVF clinic can provide is sourcing healthy sperm from healthy male donors. The donors can be someone you know, who is willing to be named as the donor, or it can be an anonymous donor from the donor bank of the IVF clinic itself.
Question #4: I’m a Man And The Doctor Said I Have Healthy Sperm. But My Partner Is Unable To Supply Healthy Eggs Or Be Able To Accept A Fertilized Egg In Her Uterus. Where Will We Get An Egg Donor And Will She Accept A Fertilized Egg In Her Uterus?
This is another service that an IVF clinic can offer. Basically, your female partner can donate her own eggs. However, if that is unacceptable, then the clinic will source a female egg donor from its donor bank. Your sperm will be used to fertilize the donated egg. Incidentally, if your female partner cannot carry a fertilized egg in her own uterus for medical reasons, then the clinic will also look for a surrogate mother who can carry a baby to term for you and your partner. The donor of the egg may also become the surrogate mother, but that needs to be clarified in advance.
Question #5: My Partner And I Are Willing To Become Parents. But How Can We Be Sure That Our Privacy Will Be Protected If We Pursue IVF And Then Surrogate Pregnancy?
You and your partner may request for a written document from the IVF clinic guaranteeing that information about your IVF treatment and subsequent use of a surrogate parent will be confidential. If that is not sufficient for you and your partner, you may consult a lawyer about the legal steps necessary to safeguard leakage of such information to third parties.
Question #6: My Partner And I Are Gay. Can The IVF Clinic Find An Egg Donor / Surrogate Mother To Carry A Child To Term For Us? Either Of Us Can Supply The Sperm.
You can probably find an IVF clinic that can do this for you, preferably one with a good reputation. However, you will possibly need a lawyer to guide you in navigating the legal steps required to ensure that your child will be handed over to you and your partner following childbirth.
Incidentally, this may also apply to lesbian couples who want to have a child. A healthy lesbian in that relationship might be able to get her egg fertilized, and can carry the child to term in her own uterus. However, the lesbian couple will have to agree to the use of a sperm donor to fertilize the egg. The IVF clinic might be able to provide the name of the sperm donor or use an anonymous sperm donor instead.
Final Thoughts
IVF is a possible choice for couples who are experiencing difficulty in conceiving a child. However, you need to be prepared for all the necessary steps before you can get IVF done. One reason you have to be careful is that IVF may cost a lot to initiate. It is even more expensive if you need a surrogate mother to carry the child to term for you. But if you really want to raise your own child, IVF could be the answer to your fertility and child-bearing problems.
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