The issue of infertility has caused many problems to a number of couples today and this has resulted in an increase in the need for artificial insemination technology. Methods like intrauterine insemination (IUI) increase the chances of child-bearing in couples who have had trouble conceiving.
IUI is a laboratory procedure performed to separate the fast-moving sperms from the sluggish moving or dormant sperms. The fast-moving sperms are then implanted in the woman’s womb when she’s close to her ovulation period to allow and increase the chances of fertilization.
History of IUI:
Artificial insemination began a long time ago in animals, especially in dairy cows that had to be improved genetically. This paved the way for artificial insemination in human beings and built a strong foundation for science to clone and harvest embryos. In human beings, it is recommended if:
They are faced with unexplained infertility issues. The woman has ovulation problems.
The man experiences premature ejaculation, impotence, motility problems with your sperms, or low sperm count.
In some cases, you may not have fertility problems but wish to have a baby using donated sperms.
The Significance:
Every year, thousands of couples visit the doctor after realizing that one of them may be infertile. This bold step helps the couple a lot because it increases their chances of having their own child as they desired. The doctor performs a patency health test to ensure that the woman is healthy enough to carry the pregnancy in case she conceives. A tubal patency health test is carried out as part of your assessment to ensure that the fallopian tubes are healthy and open before the intrauterine insemination process commences.
The dye and laparoscopy tests are used to determine the patency of your fallopian tubes and the health of your pelvis. During laparoscopy, the pelvis is viewed directly by inserting a laparoscope into the abdomen. If the tubes and pelvis are healthy, the dye passes freely through both tubes.
No obstruction should be present as it can prevent the egg from passing through the fallopian tubes from the ovaries. This short anesthetic procedure could show that only one tube is open, therefore, the IUI treatment can only be carried out when it is evident that ovulation is about to take place from the ovary on the open side. Alternatively, you can go through a HyCoSy (hysterosalpingo-contrast sonography), X-ray, or hysterosalpingogram, which involves the use of a vaginal ultrasound probe to check for blockages in the fallopian tubes.
The second test is performed on the sperm sample taken from the man to determine the number and quality of sperms.
Highlights:
For women: If the woman is not using fertility drugs, the treatment is performed between day twelve and day sixteen of their monthly cycle, with day one being the first day of your menses. A blood or urine test will be used to identify when you are likely to ovulate.
Alternatively, if you have been using fertility drugs to stimulate the ovulation process, vaginal ultrasound scans will be used to track the development of your ova and as soon as it matures, a hormone injection is administered to stimulate its release from the ovary.
The best-quality sperm is then implanted thirty-six to forty hours later. First, the doctor inserts a speculum in the vagina to keep its walls open then he threads a catheter (flexible and soft tube) into the womb through the cervix. Finally, he inserts the sperm through the catheter into the uterus. The whole process takes a few minutes and is painless but you may experience some temporary pain like menstrual cramping.
For men: Men are asked to produce a sperm sample on the day of the treatment. The sperms are cleaned to remove the fluid surrounding them then the fast-moving sperms are separated from the dormant and sluggish-moving sperms. The fast-moving ones are then placed in a catheter ready to be inserted in the woman’s womb.
What Are the Benefits?
Helps maximize the number of sperms that eventually reach the fallopian tube for fertilization.
By using this process, the couple has an increased chance that the ova will be fertilized leading to a successful pregnancy.
This procedure gives a couple an excellent opportunity to have their own child, even when chances are slim due to infertility issues.
What to Think About:
This ideal procedure benefits women who have healthy and fertile ova and those who are still within their reproductive age. This is also a success if the man has a decent amount of healthy sperms. IUI is highly successful in women who are less than forty years and those who do not suffer a complete fallopian tube blockage.
In conclusion, it is important to take care when going through ovulation medication because it can cause multiple pregnancies, leading to miscarriages and health issues in the children. Studies have shown that, if only malefactors are considered, fertility medication has marginal effects on the pregnancy rates; therefore, you may opt to avoid them in such and similar cases.
Author Bio:
Millie Behera is the Founder & Medical Director at Bloom Reproductive Institute, Scottsdale, Arizona. She is board certified in Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Endocrinology. Dr.Behera has published a number of research papers and international presentations in the field of in-vitro fertilization, non-invasive treatment of fibroids, fertility preservation therapies, and advanced robotic surgery.
