Sperm Treatment in IVF
The most popular treatment for couples who cannot have a baby is in vitro fertilization . Whether it is a problem caused by the mother or the father, you have the chance to become a mother and father through this treatment. Today, infertility and infertility treatment are not a taboo as they used to be, on the contrary, thanks to advanced medicine and still developing information, it is a new hope and a normal situation.
First of all, if your natural attempts to have a baby fail from the moment you want to have a baby, instead of despairing, start seeing a doctor you trust and are sure of their success. Let's not forget that whether the problem is with the mother or the father, the respect and understanding between the spouses is the first factor that clearly and explicitly affects the treatment. Expecting 100% success on the first try means that you are approaching IVF treatment incorrectly from the beginning. The best sperm and embryos can be selected in this treatment, but this is not a valid reason for us to talk about a definite pregnancy. Even if pregnancy occurs, there may be sperm with damaged DNA that creates a low probability. For this reason, choosing a specialist doctor and meticulous work are essential in IVF treatment. If there is a problem with choosing the wrong embryo or reaching really healthy sperm, the treatment itself can be disappointing. Please do not resort to treatments that are not done meticulously and at low prices today just because they are more comfortable financially. Problems arising from the father are usually related to sperm count and sperm quality. In IVF treatment, the important issue is not sperm count but whether you have any sperm at all. Nowadays, just one sperm is enough for IVF treatment, provided that the sperm is healthy. Almost all types of infertility problems are treated in IVF treatment. IVF means ensuring that the reproductive cells taken from the mother and father are fertilized outside the body in a suitable environment. The fertilized eggs are then transferred back to the mother-to-be. The fertilized eggs are called embryos. In fact, this whole process is no different from the standard pregnancy process.
Causes of Male Infertility
The most common of these, as we mentioned earlier, are sperm problems. This is a disorder that is 75% common compared to other causes of infertility. Sometimes father candidates may have almost no sperm production and sometimes very low sperm count. Another reason is the problem of sperm stability, or lack of movement. When the sperm does not move, it becomes impossible to fertilize the egg. There may also be structural disorders in the sperm. In such a situation, fertilization of the egg will again be impossible. If a structural disorder is detected, the cause can be understood with some tests, but this is not always possible. In addition, sometimes the body produces sperm and there is no problem with this, but the sperm may not reach the semen at all. If you have suffered any blows or contracted an infection, this may have caused your ducts to become blocked. Male sperm is produced in the testicles, so a damaged testicle can reduce your sperm count and quality, making you infertile.
Causes of Sperm Disorder
The sperm cells in men travel at least 5 meters to reach the egg after they are formed. Important factors affecting the reproductive cells may also be external factors, such as smoking, drinking alcohol or using stimulants, in short, external harmful factors may prevent you from becoming a father. Most of the time, the defect in the sperm structure is caused by DNA. If the situation is a problem caused by DNA, IVF treatment may not be a treatment that will be very beneficial. Sperms with this structural problem can cause pregnancies with a very high risk of miscarriage. The most important part of IVF application in men is to choose the healthiest, most properly moving, structurally sound sperm. Even if there is no defect in the sperm structure, that is, even if the sperm is healthy, there is a 15% chance of DNA defect. Such DNA-impaired sperm reduces the quality of healthy embryos. However, research shows that if the rate is below 17%, IVF treatment works at high rates.
IVF Methods Used in Men
In infertility cases caused by the absence of sperm in men, it is possible to look at the channels through which sperm is transported after examination and research because there is a possibility of sperm being found inside. If sperm cannot be obtained even in this way, it is possible to obtain sperm from the testicles, and this is a method in in vitro fertilization treatment.
Obtaining Sperm from Testicles
If there is no sperm in the semen and there is no blockage in the ducts, sperm can be obtained from the testicles. Of course, this is possible with surgical procedures and after the tests. Or, if the existing sperm are immobile and fertilization cannot be achieved, a healthier and more mobile sperm can be found in the testicles. The process of obtaining sperm from the testicles can be done at the time the woman's eggs are collected or the day before. Depending on the patient's condition, this procedure is performed under local or general anesthesia. The tissues taken are examined to see if there is sperm. The procedure is currently performed under a microscope. If the father candidate has the desired amount of sperm, the mother's eggs are collected and microinjection is performed. If no sperm is found, the mother's eggs are not collected and the treatment is completed. However, in some cases, even if there is no sperm, egg collection is performed against the risk of overstimulation in the ovaries. If there is only a blockage in the sperm duct, sperm can be reached with the help of special needles.
What is microinjection?
Microinjection is a way to force the fertilization of the healthiest and most mobile sperm found in the body by directly injecting it into the egg. This method is an ideal method for father candidates who have severe infertility and whose sperm is completely immobile. It is a definitive solution to the fertilization problem experienced due to immobile sperm. The eggs are again stimulated with some medications and needles. The cells on the upper layer of the stimulated eggs are peeled off. Then, support is provided to the eggs with holding pipettes and this technique is applied to each egg. Then, the sperm obtained is injected into the egg under special conditions. Eggs that are not fertilized naturally are checked after a period of 24-48 hours. The checked eggs are then placed in the uterus and hormonal support treatment is started.
Sperm Freezing and Thawing
Sperm freezing is a treatment performed for cases where the patient cannot obtain sperm when requested. Since using the same procedure continuously for patients using microinjection treatment would be both costly and physically tiring, as much sperm as possible is obtained and the freezing process is applied. As is known, the success rate in the in vitro fertilization method is at most 40% in the first attempt. If your partner is experiencing some infertility problems, more sperm may be needed for more attempts. At the same time, radiotherapy or chemotherapy applied to cancer disease has a very negative effect on reproductive cells, so sperm freezing is of great importance in order to store healthy sperm in patients who are certain to receive treatment. Sperms obtained by masturbation or microinjection or other sperm retrieval methods are placed in cryoprotectant liquid nitrogen and at -196 degrees. Frozen sperm can be thawed and used whenever desired.
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