What Insemination Can Do For Infertility

Insemination can improve chances of pregnancy for some infertile couples, using a catheter through which the sperm is inserted into the woman's reproductive tract.

If in a couple, the man has fertility problems such as sterility, low sperm count or high risk of genetic disease, a sperm donor may be used. Also, in the single women cases, it is used a donor's sperm.

Putting sperm directly into the uterus can cause severe cramps, so, before insemination, the sperm are washed and concentrated. Concentration is achieved through a rigorous selection of the most active and healthy sperm.

IUI (Intrauterine insemination)

IUI is the technique that puts the sperm into a woman's uterus using a catheter when ovulating. The sperm can be used either from the partner or from a donor. In most cases, this procedure is done with the help of hormones based medicine that create superovulation.

AI (artificial insemination)

AI is still the intrauterine insemination, but in many cases, the sperm is put into the vagina or cervix instead of the uterus. After the insertion, the sperm travel into the fallopian tubes and fertilize the egg. As in the case of IUI, the sperm can be used from the partner of from a donor and it superovulation may be induced.

What are the expectations after the treatment

The good side is that this procedure is done on an outpatient basis and need a short recovery time. Yet, depending on the doctor's recommendation, the patient may need on bed rest for a few days or meet some restrains and encounter cramps.

Reasons for insemination

Both artificial and intrauterine inseminations are done because of the following: