For choosing the correct treatment option, careful consideration must be given to the totality of test results, information obtained from a detailed history and female age.
Ovulation induction:
For cases in which an egg is not being release, ovulation induction is appropriate, provided the tubes are open and the sperm is normal. For more information, see my section on Anovulation and Ovulation Induction.
Artificial insemination:
For mild sperm problems when tubes are patent, artificial insemination may be pursued. It is often combined with ovarian stimulation to produce more than one egg. For more information, see my section on Artificial Insemination.
IVF and ICSI:
In cases of tubal damage resulting in blocked tubes, IVF can be used to bypass the tubes. In fact, the first successful IVF treatment that led to the birth of Louise Brown was performed because of tubal damage.
IVF in combination with ICSI is ideal for cases of severe sperm problems or when sperm has to be surgically removed from the testes.
IVF is also the last line of treatment when other treatments such as artificial insemination have been successful.
For more information, see my section on IVF/ICSI Treatment.
Donor eggs:
In cases of very poor egg quality, or if a woman has no eggs (e.g. because of premature menopause), eggs donated from another woman can be used. Obtaining these eggs will require an IVF-type treatment cycle for stimulating the ovaries and retrieving eggs from the donor. For more information, see my section on Donor Treatment.
Donor sperm:
Donor sperm may be used when the male partner has either no or very poor sperm, for treating single women and female same-sex couples. The two treatment options with donor sperm are Artificial Insemination or IVF/ICSI. For more information, see my sections on Donor Treatment, Artificial Insemination and IVF/ICSI Treatment.