Reviewing Your Options to Have a Child (When Natural Pregnancy is Not an Option)

Being able to conceive a child naturally is something most people hope for. For a number of reasons, unfortunately, this isn’t always possible. When couples are hit with the news that one or both of them is infertile, it can be a hard pill to swallow. Though it can take some time to get past the grief of your infertility, there is comfort in knowing that there are other ways to have the family you’ve always wanted. 

Below is a brief description of the various options to have a child. 

Artificial Insemination

For women who have healthy eggs but perhaps have other reproductive issues (i.e. scarring, cysts, or fibroids, in or on the fallopian tubes) or their partner is infertile, artificial insemination may be the answer. Intrauterine insemination is a medical procedure in which donated sperm (either from your partner or another donor source) is washed and concentrated then injected directly into the uterus during the woman’s ovulation cycle to increase the chances of conception. 

In-Vitro Fertilization

Another option for starting a family is in-vitro fertilization (IVF). Similar to intrauterine insemination, IVF is a medical procedure that essentially helps to increase a couple’s chances of becoming pregnant. With this procedure, however, both the sperm and the ovaries are collected from the couple or their respective donors. They are then fertilized outside of the uterus to form embryos. Healthy embryos are then planted back into the uterus with the hopes of implantation and successful pregnancy. 

Surrogacy

For women who are unable to conceive naturally or have trouble carrying a pregnancy to term, surrogacy provides you with another potential route to having a child. After choosing the appropriate woman to be your surrogate you’d go through either artificial insemination or IVF using either your eggs and your partner’s sperm, your eggs, and a donor’s sperm, or the surrogates eggs and your partner’s sperm. 

If the procedure is successful, the surrogate will carry the baby to term, deliver the child, and then you’d have your baby. You can learn more about how surrogacy works by talking with your doctor or a fertility specialist. 

Adoption

Though many couples have found success in getting pregnant using the methods above, the reality is these aren’t a guarantee you’ll conceive. They can also be expensive and emotionally and physically taxing. 

For these reasons, some couples decide to open their homes and hearts to children who don’t have families by adopting. They can do so domestically or internationally, choose the sex and ideal age-range, and even set guidelines with biological parents to make the process smoother. 

Though not your flesh and blood many couples have found adoption to be a very rewarding way to fill a void in their own lives and the lives of innocent children. 

Which is Right for You? 

Now that you’re aware of the various ways you can conceive even if you’re struggling with infertility, what option is best for you? There are a number of factors you want to consider as you weigh your options, however, convenience, safety, and affordability should be at the top of the list. Talk with your doctor, a fertility specialist, or do some online research to learn the pros and cons of surrogacy, adoption, IVF, and artificial insemination. Based on this information and your personal preference, you can make the best decision. 

Work With a Reputable Service Provider

Once you’ve gon over your options to start a family the next step would be to locate the best service provider to help your dreams come true. Whether it’s a fertility specialist to try IVF and IUI treatments or an adoption agency, you want to do your due diligence. Believe it or not, there are a lot of fraudulent agencies and individuals out there who will try whatever they can to capitalize on your grief and desperation to start a family. So, look at more than once service providers, check their credentials, research reviews, and go for in-person interviews to ask more in-depth questions before making your final decision. 

It is emotionally challenging to deal with the fact that you’re not able to conceive a child the way nature intended it. However, you can find resolve in knowing that modern technology, science, and medicine have come so far that more and more couples are overcoming these hurdles. Before you erase all plans of starting a family, review your options and determine which path is best for you.