In most cases, the reason for unwanted childlessness is not a complete infertility of the couple, but a fertility disorder. This can be treated by a variety of medical care strategies.

All treatments at Hirslanden are tailored to your individual needs. They range from hormonal treatments, through conservation measures such as Social Egg Freezing and sperm preservation, to IVF treatment with ICSI and pre-implantation diagnostics.

Causes of unwanted childlessness 

The causes of unwanted childlessness are manifold and are often due to a combination of several factors:

  • Male caused infertility  (reduced sperm quality)
  • Female caused infertility
    • Anatomically conditioned (due to various typical underlying diseases e.g. blocked fallopian tubes after infections, endometriosis, adenomyosis, myomas, polyps, Asherman syndrome etc.)
    • Hormonally conditioned (problems with the pituitary gland, PCOS, diabetes mellitus, levels of male hormones too high, prolactin elevation, thyroid diseases etc.)
    • Age-related (decreasing female fertility from the age of 35)

Initial consultation and examination 

A first consultation provides information about the initial situation and treatment options. Based on the initial discussion, our doctors will estimate realistic chances of success and define the first steps of treatment.

Compulsory basic checks decide on the chances of success of an artificial insemination. Based on the results of the examination and the interviews, a personalized care strategy will be developed for you.

In-Vitro and ICSI 

The most common method of infertility treatment is In-vitro fertilization (IVF treatment). In this method, fertilisation of the egg cell does not take place in the woman's body, but "artificially" in the laboratory.

In case of affected sperm quality of the man, the related ICSI method is used, which differs in introducing the sperm into the egg rather than fertilize the egg in a laboratory.

In addition to the best-known fertility methods, alternative methods can also be recommended. Our specialists will be happy to advise you.

Requirements for artificial insemination 

In order to be able to carry out IVF or ICSI treatment, the following requirements must be fulfilled:

  • Basic data exists (hormone examination of the woman, ultrasound, spermiogram)
  • Age of the woman maximum between 43-44 years, age of the man maximum 63-65 years
  • Negative HIV, hepatitis B/C, syphilis status of both partners
  • Proven immunity to rubella and chickenpox
  • Stable partnership (the couple does not have to be married)

The selection of embryos by sex or external characteristics is prohibited by law in Switzerland.

Risks

Artificial insemination does not automatically lead to pregnancy, and an unfulfilled pregnancy can be a psychological burden for the couples concerned. Before any treatment, your doctor will therefore always discuss your fears, worries and expectations and inform you and your partner about the further procedure.

In order to retrieve the egg, a small ambulant procedure under short anesthesia must be performed. With the procedure, the rare risks associated with this must be taken into account.

Detailed information on the most common methods of artificial insemination can be found directly under IVF treatment and ICSI.