Artificial insemination is a technique which is a blessing for infertile couples. Many childless couples who have trouble in conceiving can avail this technique to realize their dream. It has a few side effects with a comparatively high success rate. It’s a process in which the semen is inducted into the woman’s body artificially. Following are the beneficiaries of the process:-
1. Couples with male infertility
Couples who have problems due to poor sperm quality or motility can highly benefit from this technique. If the male partner is suffering from such conditions, a donor’s sperm can also be used.
2. Couples with female infertility
A woman can attain pregnancy by undergoing artificial insemination if she has cervical scarring, cervical congestion, or thick cervical mucus. A woman who fails to conceive because her autoimmune system rejects the sperm can also benefit from this procedure. A woman can also benefit is she is not able to conceive due to the fact that she is suffering from endometriosis (a condition in which the lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus).
3. A woman who wishes to have a child even her partner has deceased. She can use the sperm of her partner if got it frozen while he was still alive. An alternative of an identified or a confidential donor could also be chosen, if the deceased partner’s sperm is not available.
The Prerequisites
The doctor will recommend the procedure after checking all the fertility parameters of the male as well as the female through a battery of tests. Male parameters include quantity, motility, and viability of the sperm.
During the procedure
The doctor will ensure that the woman is ovulating properly using ovulation kits. He also might use ultrasound or blood tests for the same. The male partner is also required to provide his semen sample. The doctor might also advise that the couple abstain from sex at least five days prior to the procedure to ensure a high sperm count. As the semen needs to be washed in a lab within a time span of sixty minutes of collection, its better that the sample is collected in a private room in the clinic itself.
The technical know-how of Artificial Insemination
1. The much needed expertise
We all are well aware of the natural process of conceiving a child. Artificial Insemination is nothing but a simulation of the natural process, to counter the problems faced by the infertile couple. In this process, semen is inducted into a woman’s uterus or cervix, solely for the purpose of conception. It is termed as intrauterine or intracervical insemination respectively.
2. The semen collection affair
Semen collection can be carried out through techniques which may involve only the male, while some techniques may require the presence of both the man and the woman. Male-only techniques involve semen collection after masturbation, nocturnal discharge, rectal massage, or testicle puncturing (epididymis).An affected intercourse (an intercourse with a collection condom) is used to collect semen in which the male and female partners are present. Aspiration of semen from the vagina (post-coital) can also be considered.
3. Timing-the crucial factor
The chances of fertilization are high within a window period of 12 hours from the discharge of ovum; therefore the woman’s menstrual cycle is monitored carefully using ultrasounds, ovulation kits. Her basal body temperature, consistency, and color of the vaginal mucus, suppleness of the cervix area are also checked. Medicines could also be administered to stimulate the menstrual cycle. Freshly furnished or washed sperm, both could be used. Washed sperm increases the probability of success of the procedure. Care is taken to collect infection free sperm from the sperm bank by freezing the sample and quarantining the donor and the phase before and after the sample generation.
4. Get the knack of it
Whenever the process of ovum discharge takes place, sperm is placed in the woman’s vagina or cervix, depending on the technique chosen. Within a single treatment cycle, sperm is placed twice in the concerned part.
There are various types of artificial insemination:-
ICI (Intracervical insemination) – In this technique, raw or unwashed semen is injected into the woman’s vagina with a needleless syringe. The woman is advised to lie still for half an hour to increase the chances of success. ICI is one of the most famous insemination procedures. It nearly simulates the sperm ejaculation process of a natural sexual intercourse. It propels the semen into the neck of the cervix. Any form of semen, whether raw, unwashed or frozen could be utilized in this process. It may be carried out by specialists, or at home, or be used for confidential sperm donor option.
IVI (intravaginal Insemination) is nothing but artificial
insemination carried out at home without the presence of an expert.
IUI (Intrauterine insemination) is the technique used to inject sperm into the uterus with a catheter. Unwashed sperm should not be used as it could incite uterine cramps, which could further expel the semen. This will lead to the procedure’s failure. After the IUI, the woman is advised to rest in the similar position for 15 minutes for increasing the chances of success of the procedure.
As far as financial facet is concerned, IUI is less expensive. One more advantage is that it can be combined with the process of controlled ovarian hyper stimulation (COH).But there is a catch. The success rate for women of age 35 or under have better chances of success in the initial two rounds. But the same can’t be said about females above 40.There seems to be no point in undertaking a second round after an unsuccessful first round. Experts recommend the patients opt for IVF if the first round of COH/IVF fails for patients aged over 40.
ITI is another insemination technique in which washed sperm is injected directly to the fallopian tubes.
Gamete intrafallopian Transfer is another fertilization technique in which the eggs and the sperms are combined in the lab and immediately placed inside the fallopian tube of the woman so that the fertilization takes place.
The success rate of Artificial Insemination
The success rate for AI is 10 to 15 percent for a single menstrual cycle if combined with ICI. The rate elevates to 15 to 20 per cent if IUI technique is employed. Around 60 per cent people were successful in conceiving after trying for six menstrual cycles. Chances of success are dependent on the patient’s health and age too.