There are specific treatments for most of the faults and, depending on what the problem is, the success rate varies.
In general, the hormonal problems are treated with hormone therapy, for example if a woman is not ovulating it may be possible to induce ovulation with certain hormones. Some of the physical problems can be dealt with by surgery, for example microsurgery on the fallopian tubes may help to open them up again. Other treatment may be recommended, depending on the cause identified.
Artificial insemination. This technique involve, fertile semen (either fresh or frozen) being deposited through a woman’s cervix. The semen can be from the woman s partner (AIH-artificial insemination using ‘husband’ semen) or, more commonly, from a .perm donor (this used to be called AID, now known as Dl-donor insemination). There are techniques available to make the sperm more potent, if low sperm count, are the problem. The sperm is placed inside the uterus therefore bypassing the cervix, making it a suitable treatment for people with hostile mucus, etc. Donor semen is a treatment for couples m wh.ch the male partner’s semen is unsuitable, the most common problem in male factor infertility.
Ethical problems caused by donor insemination initially caused a big stir. Could the donor be identified? Did the donor have any legal right to the child produced by the technique? The answers at the moment are both no. There are guidelines laid down to protect donors and recipients of donor sperm. (The legislation regarding this protection, like all legislation, may be subject to review at some stage.) It is a very useful treatment for many couples who otherwise would be unable to have children.
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