Treatment Options in Infertility

Dr. Sudharani Bairraju 05 August 2026

Treatment is based on the identified cause of infertility and individualised based on their clinical diagnosis.

1. Follicular Study with Timed Intercourse

In this treatment, the egg growth is monitored until the time of ovulation. This can be a natural menstrual cycle. It is the first line of management in unexplained infertility, where no obvious cause for infertility is identified.

2. Ovulation Induction and Timed Intercourse

Here the ovaries are stimulated with oral medication and sometimes with injections to develop more than 1 egg. A follicular study is done and a timely intercourse is advised. It increases the chances of pregnancy.

3. Intra Vaginal Insemination (IVI)

It is a procedure where the husband's semen is instilled into the vagina at the time of ovulation. It is advised in women with pain during intercourse, performance anxiety or erectile dysfunction in men.

4. Intra Uterine Insemination (IUI)

It is a procedure where the semen is washed and the healthy actively moving sperms are injected into the uterus around the time of ovulation. It is indicated for men with borderline semen parameters like low count, motility and morphology. Erectile dysfunction, unexplained infertility, mild endometriosis and when it's a donor sperm in cases of azoospermia.

IUI can be done with cryopreserved semen sample of husband when he is away. Donor sperm also is a cryopreserved.

Follicular study is done to check the growth of eggs. At the right size of follicle 18-22mm, trigger injection is given for ovulation, which is expected to happen about 36hrs later. IUI is scheduled in such a way that it is done around the time of ovulation.

Success rate of IUI: 10-15% per cycle | Cumulative success rate: ~50% after 3 IUIs

5. In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF)

It's defined as simply as, "mixing of eggs and sperms artificially in the laboratory to make an embryo and the formed embryo is transferred directly into the uterus."

Indications:

Prolonged period of infertility
Previous multiple failed treatments
Tubal pathology
Severe endometriosis
Advanced woman's age with poor ovarian reserve
Severe male factor infertility
Family history of genetic disorders which require Prenatal Genetic Testing (PGT)

Treatment involves taking injections for approximately 9-10 days to develop the eggs. Egg growth is monitored by ultrasound. These developed eggs are aspirated under general anaesthesia. The aspirated eggs are mixed with the sperm in embryology lab and their further development is monitored. The embryos are transferred into the uterus either on day 3 or day 5 of egg retrieval, based on the quality and the number of developing embryos. The woman is given hormonal support. 14 days after the embryo transfer, the pregnancy test is done to check if the IVF was successful.

The total duration of treatment: approximately 14-18 days until the embryo transfer. It is a well tolerated procedure with minimal risks.

Global average success rate of IVF: ~40% in all age groups | Success rate is higher when the woman is younger and less than 35 years

To book a consultation with Dr. Sudharani Bairraju at Birthright Fertility by Rainbow Hospitals, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad, call 07337390606 / 080 69237022.

Written by Dr. Sudharani Bairraju, MBBS (Sri Venkateswara Medical College, Tirupathi, 1997), DNB Obstetrics and Gynaecology (St Theresa's General Hospital, Hyderabad, 2007), Postgraduate Certification in Clinical Embryology, Fellowship in Minimally Invasive Surgeries, Fellowship in Advanced Gynaecological Endoscopy, Senior Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, Infertility (IVF) Specialist and Laparoscopic Surgeon, Birthright Fertility by Rainbow Hospitals, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad. Phone: 07337390606 / 080 69237022.