Normal fertility

A normally fertile couple will have about a 20% chance of conceiving per menstrual cycle. 90% of couples would be expected to concieve in one year if fertility is normal. It is generally considered to be appropriate to start doing some fertility investigations at this time. Unfortunately fertility falls with female age. Fertility starts to fall in the female after 30 years, and falls even more rapidly after the age of 35

Infertility

Approximately one third of fertility problems are related to female factors. One third are due to male factors and in another third there are both male and female factors. Your General Practitioner can carry out some basic fertility investigaiions such as tests of ovulation and a sperm count. You will need to see a gynaecologist if there is a problem, or if you have been trying to concieve for a prolonged period of time. Most gynaecologists can investigate and treat simple fertility problems. For more complex problems you will need to be referred to a fertillity clinic that carries out "tertiary" fertility treatment.

Tertiary fertility treatment

The provider of both public and private tertiary fertility treatment in the Manawatu area is Fertility Associates Wellington . The main clinic is in Wellington, but we also have a satellite clinic in Palmerston North. Contact details are to the left.

Tertiary fertility treatment includes:

• Donor Insemination
• Induction of Ovulation and Ovarian hyperstimulation
• Intrauterine insemination of sperm
• In vitro fertilisation (IVF)
• Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI)

Public funding

A limited amount of public funding is available for publically funded tertiary fertility treatment. Strict criteria apply and include the following.

• Assessment of the causes of the fertility problem
• Assessment of the length of infertility
• Social factors (any other children, previous sterilisation)
• Non smoker
• Age less than 40 years
• Body mass index of less than 32

A points system is used and a score is calculated based on the above factors. A score of 65points is required to qualify for goverment funding. Your GP or specialist can refer you to Fertility Associates Palmerston North if you wish to be scored for access to public funding.