Treatments

Ovulation Induction (Superovulation)

Ovulation induction increases the chance of conception through the use of oral or injectable fertility medications to stimulate the ovaries to produce one or more mature eggs in a female who normally does not ovulate.

Ovulation induction may be right for you if you:

• Have ovulation problems that have not responded to simpler medications (such as clomiphene citrate).

• Have unexplained infertility and wish to try ovulation induction to increase the number of eggs produced in each cycle.
  

Intrauterine Insemination (IUI)

IUI, or artificial insemination, is a less invasive, common fertility treatment that involves inserting washed sperm into the uterus at the time of ovulation to improve the chances of pregnancy.

Donor sperm comes from accredited sperm banks that meet strict Health Canada standards.  If this is a treatment option for you, the Heartland team will provide you with the necessary information and instruction to move forward.

A session with a trained counselor who specializes in fertility issues is mandatory when using a donor for the artificial insemination process. This session will provide you with the opportunity to discuss common issues concerning this type of insemination, and to help you work through any concerns you may have prior to undergoing the procedure. Learn more about donor options here:

In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)

In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) is a fertility procedure where an egg and sperm are brought together outside the female’s body, and grown in the lab for several days (usually 2-5), then placed into the uterus, or frozen for later implantation. Your Heartland physician, an IVF specialist, will help you determine if IVF is the best treatment option for your specific situation.

What to Expect During IVF

The duration of IVF treatment, from when you start preparation until you may learn you are pregnant, is 6-8 weeks. A typical IVF cycle is divided into three parts: preparation, stimulation, and retrieval and transfer.

Equipped with extensive IVF expertise, our team at Heartland Fertility will be there to guide and support you every step of the way.

What’s Next?

Two weeks after the embryo transfer, you will learn if you are pregnant. Once your pregnancy has been confirmed, the Heartland team will closely monitor the pregnancy with blood tests for your beta HCG levels. An ultrasound will also be performed to ensure pregnancy is in the correct location in the uterus and is developing normally.

Accompanying Procedures to IVF

Microsurgical Epididymal Sperm Aspiration (MESA)

Fluid containing sperm is collected from within the testicle to use and freeze for IVF.

Percutaneous Epididymal Sperm Aspiration (PESA)

Sperm is collected using a small needle through the skin of the scrotum to use for IVF. This technique is easier and faster than MESA.

Testicular Sperm Aspiration (TESA)

With TESA, a needle is used to take a small amount of tissue (called a biopsy) from the testicle. Sperm retrieved using this technique must be injected into the egg by ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection) techniques.

Microsurgical Testicular Sperm Extraction (mTESE)

The testicle is opened in the operating room under general anesthesia to look for sperm.