Infertility The Second Time Around
Infertility is a nuanced condition and can happen at different points in life. For instance, an individual or couple could have no trouble conceiving naturally. That couple could then try again, only to find that there are fertility troubles. Secondary infertility occurs when someone becomes infertile after having at least 1 child without issue. Reproductive conditions, health challenges, and hormonal changes happen over time, suddenly causing infertility. Treatment options, such as assisted reproductive technology (ART), are available to anyone with secondary infertility. However, some cases may require additional help in the form of traditional or gestational surrogacy.
What are your options?
Couples struggling with secondary infertility should seek help immediately. Couples often delay seeking help, as conceiving was not an issue before. A fertility clinic can perform tests to determine the root cause of infertility and recommend treatment. Some patients may benefit from fertility medication, while others can attempt intrauterine insemination (IUI) or in vitro fertilization (IVF), which may improve success rates. There are also additional techniques, like genetic testing, blastocyst transfer, or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), that can shift the scales. Using donor sperm or donor eggs can also help achieve pregnancy. A fertility team can create a plan that combines these techniques for the best possible results.
When is the right time to talk about surrogacy?
There are cases when fertility treatments fail to achieve pregnancy or when natural pregnancy is no longer possible. Repeated implantation failure (RIF), endometriosis, or issues with the uterine lining are common examples. Some women are no longer able to bear children due to a previous surgery or hysterectomy. In these cases, and other extenuating circumstances, surrogacy is a viable option. Surrogacy is an arrangement where another woman carries and delivers the baby on behalf of an intended parent. The surrogate must be willing, healthy, and capable of carrying the baby. Surrogates are thoroughly vetted by fertility clinics or agencies that can help support all medical, legal, and financial requirements.
Traditional vs. gestational surrogacy
Surrogates are divided into traditional or gestational surrogates. Traditional surrogacy occurs when the surrogate’s egg is fertilized with the intended parent’s sperm or a donor’s sperm. The medical team will use intrauterine insemination (IUI) along with hormone medication to help prepare the surrogate. Gestational surrogacy occurs when the surrogate receives an embryo created via IVF. The surrogate receives the embryo via an implantation procedure. The embryo comes from the eggs and sperm of the intended parents or from a donor. Put simply, the traditional surrogate has a genetic link to the child, while the gestational surrogate does not.
Which one should you consider?
There are benefits, risks, and challenges to both traditional and gestational surrogacy. With traditional surrogacy, there is a genetic link, as the surrogate only receives a sperm sample via IUI. This fact opens the door to more complicated legal and financial requirements. Finding a traditional surrogate is also more challenging as laws around surrogacy can vary. However, the fertilization method is easier and cheaper. Gestational surrogacy is an excellent option for couples who already have frozen embryos from past IVF cycles. There are also fewer legal concerns about a genetic link to the child. While gestational surrogates are easier to source, the costs are usually higher when including IVF and medication support for the surrogate.
Three cheers for surrogacy
A secondary infertility diagnosis should not mean all family planning efforts should stop. There are still proven ways to add another bundle of joy. Should any of the effective options like IVF fail, consider exploring surrogacy. Traditional and gestational surrogacy are both effective but come with risks and considerations. Gestational surrogacy maintains the genetic link but can be costly. Traditional surrogacy may be more complex but can be performed in fewer steps. Choose the right surrogacy and look forward to adding a new, lively baby.
