Around 2 million women all around the world undergo hysterectomies every year. The reasons are several ranging from cancers, fibroids, heavy uterine bleeding and endometriosis.
For women who have completed their families, this does not pose a serious problem. Some unfortunate women have to however undergo hysterectomies in their childbearing years. This can affect their chances to have a baby.
A full hysterectomy can completely rule out the possibility of having one’s own baby. A partial hysterectomy still offers a ray of hope especially if the ovaries are left intact, there is minimal scarring in the surrounding organs and the woman is ovulating and menstruating normally.
Here are some of the ways in which conception can be achieved and women can go on to have full term babies even with a partial hysterectomy.
Ways To Get Pregnant After A Partial Hysterectomy
IVF Or In Vitro Fertilization
This is a procedure in which the woman is given egg-stimulating drugs to produce several eggs from the ovaries. Once the ovaries have produced several eggs, these eggs are extracted from the woman’s uterus. Several eggs may be taken out at one time to maximize the chances of conception.
These eggs are then harvested and fertilized with the partner’s sperms in a lab setting. Several embryos are formed. These embryos are then replanted back into the woman’s body provided her uterine lining has minimal scarring and there are possible chances of conception.
Surrogacy
Surrogacy is a concept in which the couple hire or request a healthy woman to carry the fertilized egg to term. The woman caries the baby for 9 months and then hands over the baby to the couple after delivery. It has gained a lot of popularity in recent years and is a good option for women who have had a complete hysterectomy or those who have been rendered infertile.
Egg Donation
Egg donation has also gained popularity over the years. Women who have had hysterectomies with damaged ovaries can go in for donated eggs. Here another woman’s eggs are used and are fertilized with the partner’s sperms. This is a good option for women who have undergone partial or complete hysterectomies.
Also Read
How To Get Pregnant After A Gastric Bypass Surgery
How To Get Pregnant While Nursing
How To Get Pregnant After An Abortion
Natural Ways To Get Pregnant After 40
Egg Freezing
Older women who have not had babies can opt for egg freezing. In this, their ovaries are stimulated to produce eggs and the eggs are frozen to be used at a later date. If the woman receives a clean bill of health, the fertilized eggs are transferred to her uterus. Otherwise, the eggs remain frozen until a surrogate mother can be located.
IUI
Intra uterine insemination can also be used to achieve a pregnancy provided there is minimal damage to the reproductive organs after a partial hysterectomy and the doctor is certain about the woman’s ability to carry a baby to term. In this, healthy sperm are collected from the woman’s partner and processed.
The woman’s vagina is dilated and the healthy sperm are placed into the cervix or the upper uterus in order to facilitate a pregnancy. This procedure is effective when the husband has a high sperm count and the woman has healthy eggs.
