Reproductive medicine is constantly evolving every day to improve its success rates. With a number of couples adopting fertility enhancing surgeries to increase their chances of conception, there is a lack of public awareness on fertility enhancing endoscopic surgeries in India.
The surgeries which are done through keyhole techniques like Laparoscopy and Hysteroscopy can help to treat infertility. These techniques can reduce the hospital stay, provide faster recovery, cause least discomfort and less contamination which in turn enhances the success rate infertility concerns, hence it has become popular. Let’s take a look at these procedures in detail.
Hysteroscopic Treatment Options to Optimize IVF rates:
Hysteroscopy is a procedure that allows a doctor to understand, diagnose and treat causes of abnormal bleeding. This procedure can be either diagnostic or operative, here are some of the conditions that it can treat:
- Removal of scar tissue from the inside of the uterus
- Removal of a uterine septum
- Removal of polyps, scar tissue and fibroids distorting the womb cavity may interfere with implantation and nurturing the developing embryo (baby)
Diagnostic Laparoscopy
This procedure is useful to evaluate young woman for patent tubes. Apart from this it picks up if there is infection (PID) endometriosis, fibroids, adhesions, and cysts.
Endometriosis (Chocolate Cyst)
It is characterized by endometrial tissue from the inner lining of the womb growing outside the womb cavity. Surgery is done to remove or less on the abnormal tissues in the pelvis which interferes with conception
Fibroids
In patients with recurrent miscarriage, before contemplating IVF surgery removal of fibroids is recommended. It is called myomectomy either through laparoscopy or hysteroscopy to improve the success rates.
Tubal Fertility Surgeries
The fallopian tube is the path for egg and sperm to travel and meet, for fertilization to happen. If tubes are blocked due to prior surgery or infections, it can be reversed by recanalization through Hysteroscope or Laparoscope. The success of this method depends on the patient’s past factors.
Hydrosalpinx (Water Trapped in Tubes)
A hydrosalpinx is a specific type of fallopian tube blockage. This must be removed before contemplating TVF/ICSI as toxin environment prevents implantation of an embryo
Ovarian Cyst
This may resolve on its own. If cyst is diseased, large and persistent, then it requires surgery. In case of PCOD where medical therapy has failed, drilling (of the enlarged ovaries) greatly increase the chances of the pregnancy
Congenital Abnormalities
This condition may occur in the uterus and vagina. Septate uterus double uterus (bicornuate uterus) can be tackled through Hysteroscopy /Laparoscopy.
New advent in the rejuvenation of ovaries with a concentrated mixture of platelet-rich plasma being injected to ovaries as the opened door for women with poor responders to conventional IVF therapy to optimize the outcome
Fertility Preservation
It is a process of preserving the eggs or sperms or reproductive tissue that will help a man, woman or a couple to have their own biological children when they are ready. Fertility preservation in young women may be a method in conserving the womb and ovaries by modifying the primary treatment. Ovarian transposition can be offered before they undergo Gondotoxic Pelvic or Craniospinal Radiation. It is not a beneficial option for a patient undergoing chemotherapy.
I hope this article was informative to raise awareness about Fertility Enhancing Surgeries. If you are planning to start a family or have any questions I would be more than happy to answer them. You can mail me your questions at [email protected]
