Intrauterine Insemination or IUI is a method of injecting sperm into the female artificially. It is a method or procedure that treats infertility. Naturally, a woman receives sperm through her vagina which then travels to her oviducts. Moreover, only a certain amount of sperm can enter and get through the cervix. If the woman is at her ovulation phase, then one of these sperm might meet the egg and fertilizes it.
In this procedure, the sperm is directly transferred ahead of the cervix during the ovulation phase by the doctors. Thus, the sperm can now easily swim to reach one of the fallopian tubes to find the egg.
About the Intra Uterine Insemination
In IUI, the sperms are collected artificially and then washed and thawed. The sperms are also concentrated to retain good-quality sperms and remove the low-quality ones. Now, a catheter is used to place this collected sperm into the uterus of the female. As it decreases the distance for the sperm for reaching the oviducts, therefore, the chances of fertilization increase.
Before the transfer of sperm, the menstrual cycle of the woman is well-evaluated. The procedure needs to be done only at the time of ovulation. The doctors might prescribe drugs for the release of eggs during the ovulation period. Moreover, donor sperm can also be used for this procedure.
Your doctors might recommend this procedure as an option before going for other critical and expensive fertility treatments.
Who qualifies for the Procedure?
A person with a low sperm count or poor sperm motility can opt for intrauterine insemination. Moreover, a couple who requires a sperm donor to get pregnant can opt for this procedure.
Why the Intra Uterine Insemination procedure is conducted
The procedure is conducted to help in achieving successful pregnancy even with sperms with low motility. It is also conducted to attain pregnancy for same-sex couples. Moreover, if a single woman wishes to get pregnant with a sperm donor, the also procedure is conducted.
How the IUI procedure is conducted
The procedure takes place during the ovulation phase of the female. Usually, doctors prescribe fertility drugs for the stimulation of ovulation. They will look closely via ultrasound to detect the best options for the patients. After the successful determination of the ovulation period of the patient, the doctors will take the sperm sample. Andrologists will prepare the sample of the sperm (either from a partner or a donor sperm). He/she will then wash these sperm samples to separate the best quality from the poor quality sperm.
After separation, the doctors will prepare for the procedure. To look at the cervix, the doctors will initially place a speculum. This resembles a pap smear. Then, with the help of a catheter, the doctors shall introduce the semen into the uterus of the patient. The woman might relax for some time after the procedure.
However, some women might feel little cramps or spotting after it. After the procedure, she can go back to her normal lifestyle and wait a few weeks for the pregnancy test. If the test comes positive, then she shall visit her doctors for a proper examination. However, if the result comes negative, then the doctors might suggest other options.
Benefits of Intra Uterine Insemination
The main benefits or advantages of intra-uterine insemination are as follows:
- A same-sex couple can get pregnant using donor sperm.
- A single woman if wishes can start her new journey of life through this procedure using donor sperm.
- A low-quality sperm or low-motile sperm can also successfully fertilize the egg.
Risks or Complications of Intra Uterine Insemination
There might not be any serious risks or complications after IUI. However, some of these risks that might happen to the patient are as follows:
- The woman might get an infection due to the procedure.
- Sometimes, it might cause spotting or light bleeding from the vaginal opening.
Conclusion
Intrauterine insemination or IUI is a simple procedure that involves the introduction of washed sperm into the female cervix artificially. This is usually performed for patients will low motile sperms or with low-quality sperms. A same-sex couple or a single woman who wishes to start her own family can opt for it. The procedure takes only about a few minutes and the woman shall wait 2-3 weeks for testing the pregnancy.
The procedure is quite simple and only takes a few minutes to be completed without causing any pain.
A woman undergoing her first IUI has approximately a 10-20% chance of getting pregnant.
Approximately 5-6 million.
Of course, IUI is a much cheaper and easy procedure than IVF.
Yes, it is possible to not get pregnant after the IUI. In such cases, the doctors will check the egg quality and will suggest other treatments.
