Infertility is the condition where a couple cannot achieve pregnancy within 1 year despite a healthy sexual life (having sexual intercourse at least twice a week). This problem is observed in one out of every 10-15 couples. The causes are 40% female-related, 40% male-related, and the remaining 10-20% are described as unexplained infertility, where no specific problem can be identified.

While investigating female-related causes, the woman’s gynecological examination, hormonal tests, and uterine film (HSG) are evaluated. As a result of this analysis, ovulation problems, uterine abnormalities, tubal problems, or certain hormonal issues (abnormalities in thyroid or the milk hormone called prolactin) can be revealed. Furthermore, endometriosis, also known as chocolate cyst disease, which is common in infertile women, can be detected during the gynecological examination and further evaluation. When problems related to the woman’s uterus or tubes are suspected, endoscopic surgeries called hysteroscopy and laparoscopy can be used to identify and simultaneously treat the problem. Female age is of great importance in reproduction. For women who marry at an advanced age, it is appropriate to consult an infertility specialist if pregnancy is not achieved within 6 months if they are 35 or older, or after waiting for 3 months if they are over 40. Additionally, obesity in women can create problems both in achieving pregnancy and during pregnancy.

When investigating male-related causes, a semen analysis is requested after 3-4 days of sexual abstinence, and evaluated in terms of sperm count, motility, and structure. If a problem is detected in the sperm analysis, the man is referred to a urologist who deals with infertility.

When both partners are evaluated as normal as a result of the tests, a diagnosis of unexplained infertility is made, and it is appropriate to inform the couple about treatment alternatives and start the most suitable treatment method for them.

Sometimes couples may experience recurrent miscarriages or may not be able to have healthy children as a result of certain genetic problems. In such cases, advanced tests, primarily genetic tests, are requested, and the couple is informed about treatment options as a result of these examinations. At this point, an opinion is also obtained from a geneticist, and the couple is interviewed by the genetic specialist.

Methods applied within the scope of assisted reproductive treatments are expressed as ovulation induction and recommending intercourse at the appropriate time (determination of ovulation time), vaccination treatment (IUI), and in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment. Which of these methods is the most appropriate treatment will be reported to the couples as a result of the evaluations made by the doctor.

Ovulation induction and vaccination treatment are methods started with menstruation and completed within 10-15 days in total, using pills or low-dose injections. During this process, the patient is called to the clinic at most 3 times. The chance of pregnancy in these treatments is around 20%. The principle in vaccination is based on providing the sperm into the uterus in its best quality by washing it in the laboratory during the exact ovulation period after following the egg development.

In IVF and microinjection methods, a sophisticated laboratory is needed. IVF treatment includes the stages of stimulating and monitoring multiple egg development in the woman (with some insulin-like injections), washing and preparing the man’s sperm, fertilizing the eggs and sperm in the laboratory after collecting the woman’s eggs, storing and monitoring the resulting embryos in special cabinets called incubators, and finally selecting the best one or two embryos and transferring them to the woman’s uterus with very thin cannulas. IVF treatment starts on the 2nd-3rd or 19th-21st days of the woman’s menstruation and lasts for 15-30 days in total, depending on the woman’s age and ovarian capacity. The result of the treatment is known within 1 month at the latest after starting the treatment. Occasionally, in cases where there is no sperm in the semen, the presence of sperm is investigated with a surgery called TESE under a microscope to find sperm from the men’s testes. IVF procedures are painless. A light anesthesia is given to the woman during the egg collection phase of the treatment, and the embryo transfer process is essentially a completely painless procedure. Also, as one of the most frequently asked questions, the injection application is performed with insulin-like needles and patients can easily apply it to themselves.

Three factors are important on the road to success in IVF treatments: a competent and experienced infertility physician, a competent and experienced embryologist, and an equipped, technically advanced laboratory. When these three factors come together, the chance of couples getting pregnant with a maximum of three IVF attempts is around 90%. Although there is no upper limit to the number of IVF treatment attempts, most couples become pregnant within at most 3-4 attempts.

APPLICATIONS PERFORMED IN OUR CLINIC ARE AS FOLLOWS

  • Ovulation tracking
  • Vaccination (intrauterine insemination, IUI)
  • In vitro fertilization (IVF)
  • Microinjection (intracytoplasmic sperm injection, ICSI)
  • Surgical sperm retrieval methods (micro-TESE, PESA, MESA, TESA)
  • Blastocyst transfer
  • Embryo freezing (vitrification)
  • Embryo/sperm/egg/testis tissue freezing in cancer cases
  • Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD)
  • Laparoscopy/histeroscopy
  • Advanced investigation and evaluation in couples with recurrent miscarriages

Our IVF Center aims to offer accurate and successful treatment methods to couples who want to have babies with its world-class technical equipment and experienced team, and to complete the treatment process with a healthy live birth.