Medical Technology and Assisted Fertility Methods for the Elderly
With the development of society and the improvement of women's status, more and more women choose to conceive and give birth at an advanced age. However, due to the growth of physiological age, the elderly childbearing has brought some difficulties and risks. In order to help the elderly women realize their reproductive aspirations, medical technology and assisted reproductive methods have been widely used. The medical technology and assisted reproductive methods of elder childbearing will be described in detail from the aspects of age management, assisted reproductive technology, embryo testing and surrogacy.
Age management
Women's fertility gradually decreases with age. Therefore, age management is a key link in the elderly childbearing. Doctors will carry out a comprehensive physical examination of elderly women to assess their physical condition and fertility. According to the examination results, the doctor will give suggestions, including improving living habits, adjusting diet, increasing exercise, taking fertility drugs, etc. Age management aims to improve women's fertility and reduce the risk of pregnancy and childbirth.
In addition to lifestyle adjustment, medicine also provides some treatment methods to increase the fertility opportunities of elderly women. For example, for patients with ovulation disorders, medication or surgical techniques can be used to promote ovulation. For endometriosis and other diseases, surgery or drug treatment can be used to improve the endometrial environment.
In addition, doctors will evaluate whether it is suitable for elderly women to have children through assisted reproductive technology according to their physical condition and fertility desire. Several common assisted reproductive technologies will be introduced below.
Assisted reproductive technology
Assisted reproductive technology refers to a series of methods to help women conceive and give birth through medical means. Assisted reproductive technology has played an important role in the elderly childbearing. Common assisted reproductive technologies include in vitro fertilization embryo transfer (IVF-ET), egg donation, sperm donation and embryo transfer.
In vitro fertilization embryo transfer is one of the most commonly used assisted reproductive technologies. The ovaries are made to produce multiple mature follicles by ovulation promoting drugs, and then the eggs are taken from the female body, and fertilized with the sperm donated by the male in the laboratory. After being cultured into embryos, they are transferred back to the female uterine cavity. This method can eliminate the influence of age on the quality and quantity of eggs and improve the success rate.
Egg donation refers to the use of donated eggs from other young women for in vitro fertilization embryo transfer. This method is applicable to elderly women with poor quality or insufficient number of their own eggs. Sperm donation refers to the use of donor sperm for in vitro fertilization embryo transfer. This method is applicable to fertility disorders caused by male factors.
Embryo transfer refers to the transfer of a cultured embryo into the uterine cavity of a woman so that it can be implanted and developed. This method is not only applicable to elderly women with poor quality or insufficient number of their own eggs, but also applicable to fertility disorders caused by other reasons.
Embryo testing
Embryo detection is an important part of assisted reproductive technology, which can be used to screen embryo chromosome abnormalities, genetic diseases and other problems. For older women, the risk of embryo chromosome abnormalities and genetic diseases is higher due to age factors. Through embryo testing, we can screen out problematic embryos in advance and avoid transferring abnormal embryos back to the uterus, thus improving the success rate of fertility and reducing the risk of miscarriage and birth defects.
Surrogacy
For some elderly women who cannot conceive due to physical reasons, surrogacy is a feasible option. Surrogate means that a woman (surrogate mother) helps another woman (entrusted mother) to conceive and give birth, and entrusts the baby to the entrusted mother. Surrogation requires the assistance of professional medical teams, including doctors, lawyers and psychological consultants.
In the process of surrogacy, the doctor will fertilize the eggs and sperm of the entrusted mother and transplant them into the surrogate mother's body for pregnancy and delivery. The surrogacy process needs to be strictly controlled and monitored to ensure the health and safety of the fetus. Surrogate helps the elderly women realize their desire to have children, but also needs to pay attention to the norms of ethics and laws and regulations.
Summary
With the continuous development of medical technology, the medical technology and assisted reproductive methods for the elderly are becoming more and more diversified. Age management, assisted reproductive technology, embryo testing and surrogacy provide older women with more reproductive options. However, there are still some risks and challenges in the elderly childbearing. Women should be careful when considering the elderly childbearing and conduct it under the guidance of doctors.
