Infertility and In Vitro Fertilization

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The thought of having a child or children usually begins either before marriage or shortly thereafter for most couples. Many couples begin to ask each other how many children they would like to have together; whether they will be boys or girls; where will they go to school; will they become active in sports; and many other questions. For some couples these dreams begin to diminish over time when they do not conceive a child. They try for many years – following the ovulation cycle of the wife, but conception is never achieved from their efforts. Some of these couples turn to specialists in infertility to help them realize their dreams of a family. Infertility doctors often use various forms of Assisted Reproductive Techniques “ART” to bring hope back to many infertile couples. In vitro fertilization “IVF” is one form of ART that can aid those in need and fulfill the dream of parenthood for many couples (IVF).

When people begin to think of IVF, they conjure images of a mad scientist performing outrageous experiments upon his test-subjects. They also begin to think of Hollywood movies of cloned people creating societies that completely lack human emotion and compassion (“IVF.net”). Unfortunately, these images and fictitious movies have tarnished this medical practice severely. If someone were to step back and leave their cultural norms and preconceived perceptions aside – they would understand that IVF is merely medical procedure utilized to help a couple conceive a child.

The process of IVF begins with many tests to determine the quality of the reproductive organs of the woman (IVF - the risks). Next, the woman is given a prescription of four different type’s medicines to be administered via varying sizes of needles. This medic...

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