How does a sperm make its way to the egg?
In a natural insemination process, Sperm will travel from the vagina through the cervix and make its way into the uterus to the fallopian tube. But here in intrauterine insemination, the sperm is directly injected into the uterus closer to the matured egg.
What are the causes of infertility where intrauterine insemination works?
- If the sperm count of the male partner is insufficient or low to be fertile
- If the female partner is suffering from some hormonal imbalance or ovulation problem.
- Mild Endometriosis
- Problems with fallopian tube blockage
- Antibodies produced by the host body can kill sperm
- Sperm that is not being able to penetrate the cervical mucosa
- Any genetic disease
- Unexplained infertility
- Issues with ejaculation or erection
What is unexplained infertility?
If you are having a good amount of egg count, proper thickness of endometrium lining with a healthy uterus and fallopian tube without any blockage, even after that you are unable to conceive, your doc might diagnose this condition as unexplained infertility.
Who can get help from this intrauterine insemination?
Apart from the mentioned fertility issues, sometimes
- Same-sex couples or LGBT couples
- single woman who wants to conceive
- Couples who are aware of some paternal diseases and do not want to transmit the same to their children can opt for intrauterine insemination as an effective treatment option.
Is Intrauterine insemination the only solution for infertility?
If you have already undergone fertility drugs, other available treatment options suggested by your gynecologists, and other nonsurgical procedures, and all these have not worked, then only you should consider this as your treatment option.
In which conditions intrauterine insemination is not recommended?
- In the case of women with severe endometriosis
- If the woman is having a history of pelvic fracture or any trauma to that area.
- Fallopian tube disease
- Infection in the pelvic region
- Blocked or removed the fallopian tube
In the above-mentioned cases, intrauterine insemination is not recommended and you can always opt for other surgical or nonsurgical options along with your doctor and explore the possibilities. In this scenario where intrauterine insemination is not possible, you can go for in-vitro fertilization. To know more about the same you can go through our previous blog by clicking on the link below:
FAQs you should ask your fertility specialist before undergoing such procedures?
- What will be your pregnancy chances if you go through this procedure?
- What is the live birth rate for the couple who has undergone this procedure under your doctor’s supervision?
- What are the chances of having twins or multiple births?
- How much does it cost to undergo hormonal therapy that will be a part of this intrauterine insemination process?
- What is the successful pregnancy rate in the couple’s age group?
What is the procedure of getting intrauterine insemination done?
Intrauterine insemination is a painless, non-invasive inexpensive procedure in comparison to other infertility treatment solutions.
- In this procedure, the natural cycle of ovulation in women plays an important role i.e no medication is prescribed during the starting phase of the procedure. During the time of natural ovulation, your fertility specialist will place the sperm inside the uterus.
- Sometimes ovarian stimulation (HCG, FSH) is necessary for some cases and in some practices, doctors prescribed taking these hormonal supplements to make the ovaries mature over time. Eventually, the release of a mature egg or multiple eggs can be induced in this way which increases the chances of pregnancy.
- Here the patient doesn’t need anesthesia and the whole procedure is being performed on the examination table and your doctor will use a speculum( surgical instrument) for the gentle opening of your vagina and visualize the cervix through it.
- Male partner or the donor will provide semen on the same day of the procedure and sperm will be collected from that.
- Your doc will insert a thin catheter-like flexible tube through your vagina or cervix and place those freshly collected sperms into the uterus.
- But before the insemination all the collected sperms are immediately washed and seminal fluid, debris all are removed to make sperm content more concentrated and to avoid any kind of irritation in the uterine wall.
What are some instructions you need to follow after the insemination?
- Some women can experience uterine cramping or vaginal bleeding right after the procedure. To avoid those cramps you can take some over-the-counter pain medications after consultation with your doctor.
- You have to be ready for several visits to your doctor’s office during your ovulation period.
- Your doctor will evaluate blood investigations, USG reports and prescribes you some medications.
- After a week of continuous medication, you have to undergo the same tests again, your doc will evaluate whether you are ovulating or not.
- After almost 2 weeks you can go for a pregnancy test to confirm that the treatment is working or not.
How much time will it take to undergo such a procedure?
The surgical procedure of embryo implantation will take 30 mins to 1 hour
How much time should a patient stay in the hospital after the procedure?
After the in vitro fertilization surgery, the patient can go home on the very same day.
What are the risks you can have after going through the procedure?
There are chances of infection during the insertion of the catheter through the vagina or cervix.
Your medical personnel will take proper care of the fact that all the surgical instruments should be sterilized before undergoing the procedure.
Why should you not skip those medications during the procedure prescribed by your doc?
Those medications are given to you during the procedure to increase the chances of pregnancy as too many eggs can be released at the same time. But every time even after prescribing those medications your doc will evaluate the progress of ovulation as sometimes due to those medications ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome can happen. Your test results are important to balance out the medications.
Will there be any side effects due to fertility medications?
- Ovarian hypersensitivity syndrome
- Fluid build up in the abdomen
- Enlarged ovary
- Abdominal cramp
- In rare cases, kidney problems, twisting of ovaries
What are the side effects of intrauterine insemination?
You can feel some discomfort in your body after going through the procedure.
- Bloating
- Headaches
- Nausea
- Mood swing
- Breast tenderness
- Abdominal cramp
- Bleeding
- Allergic reactions to medications
- Chances of getting an infection
- Shortness of breath
What are the FAQs you should ask your surgeon about after an intrauterine insemination procedure?
- What are all the medications you have to take?
- Will there be any follow-up visits?
- When can you resume your work and regular lifestyle?
- When can you start doing exercises?
- How to do the postoperative wound management and when the stitches will be removed if they are there?
What are some FAQs you should ask your surgeon about the Intrauterine insemination procedure during the first-time consultation?
- What is the success rate of in vitro fertilization transplant surgeries done by your surgeon?
- When should I opt for IUI?
- Is male infertility can cause miscarriage?
- What are the reasons for female infertility?
- I have PCOS. Should I be worried about it and it can lead to female infertility?
What are the chances of successful implantation after undergoing intrauterine insemination?
If you are around 35 years of age, you can expect ⅕ cases of successful implantation and if you are above 35 years, chances will narrow down to less than that. For women aged above 40 years, the success rate of the procedure is almost nil. Sometimes it depends on the position of blockage in the fallopian tube or uterus also, if there is any.
What is the difference between IUI and IVF procedures?
In the case of IUI, sperm is not directly injected into an egg to achieve fertilization as the patient can conceive the baby naturally.
How to choose doctors if you want to go for an intrauterine insemination procedure?
- You can go through the reviews of those who have already been through intrauterine insemination procedures in multiple medical forums and if you are worried about some negative review, you can always consult with your doctor about the matter.
- Look for the experience of gynecologists and fertility specialists and positive patient stories.
- You can also look for the success rate of intrauterine insemination procedures done by your surgeon.
Who are the best doctors for performing intrauterine insemination procedures?
An experienced and board-certified gynecologist and fertility specialist can perform the procedure. And make sure to check the accreditation of the hospital from where you are getting your in vitro fertilization surgery done.
Why should you go for the intrauterine insemination procedure in India?
Along with the high-quality lifestyle here in India, you will get well-experienced and skilled surgeons who are comfortable with the best and latest available technology. You will get personalized care from trained medical personnel. Hence it ensures shorter hospital stays and quicker recovery.
Any botched-up case of the intrauterine insemination procedure in India?
To date no such cases have been reported as here in India, surgeons are way more skilled and experienced. But to avoid these kinds of cases, you should choose your doctors carefully.
Do you feel that the cost is way out of your budget? Are you looking for insurance?
Though the cost may vary according to the place you live in, medication, procedure cost, follow-up, or monitoring costs, your insurance company might not provide the procedure cost and can only provide the follow-up costs.
You can consult with your financial advisor related to the matter and explore the possibilities along with your surgeon. Though nowadays EMI facilities are available in some financial agencies. Even after that, you are feeling it’s difficult for you to avail yourself of the insurance, you can always ask your doctor to write one letter to your insurer describing the importance of this procedure. If your insurance company provides coverage also, it will bear a partial amount of its budget. So make sure you read the details and go for it. Even if your insurance company bears it now, you might have to pay a higher premium for later.
