Friday, January 31, 2014

General Information About On Artificial Insemination

By Julie Cook


Infertility is a problem that can potentially break a family if not handled in a timely manner. For the causes of infertility known, 20% are usually attributable to the male partner, about 30% are attributable to the female and a majority of the remaining proportion are due to problems in both the man and the women. In a few cases, the cause of the problem remains elusive even with the most advanced diagnostic tools. Regardless of what the cause of the problem is, there are many options that one may turn to if struggling to conceive. Artificial insemination or AI is one of them. So what exactly is artificial insemination?

AI makes pregnancy possible where it has failed through sexual intercourse as a result of the immune system of the female rejecting sperms as foreign. Donor sperm may be used in the case of an infertile male.This technique is applied not only in cases where a male is physically unable to impregnate a woman but also where a female wants to remain single but still have a child.

Women facing issues like scarring or blockage of the cervix can greatly benefit from AI since the sperm has to penetrate the cervix to cause fertilisation. Homosexual couples also opt for this technique any time they decide to have children of their own. Additionally, two women may agree to share parenthood of a child by one donating the egg and the other becomes the birth mother.

Sperm is obtained through a collection condom which is one worn before sexual intercourse. Alternatively, production can be stimulated through masturbation or an electrical stimulator. For a period of six months, the sperm is kept under refrigeration in container extended with chemicals so as to produce several vials for insemination. After the recommended period elapses, the donor is re tested before the sperm is used for the procedure.

Precise monitoring of the reproductive cycle of the women must be done so as to increase the chances of success. The process should take place just before the time of ovulation so that at least one sperm meets the ovum. This is achieved through serial measurements of some hormones, use of ovulation kits and monitoring of the basal body temperature. One the ovulation is suspected to have taken place, a syringe is used to introduce the semen into the vaginal canal. The woman is required to stay still for a couple of minutes to ensure that the sperms move into the required path.

In the case of IUI, the sperm is first washed before it is introduced into the uterus using a catheter. Normally, fertility clinics and sperm banks keep the sperms washed and thus ready for direct use. However, medical practitioners should remember this step before inserting donor sperm into the uterus to avoid cramping.

There are a number of risks that one should anticipate. For instance there is a higher risk for multiple pregnancies, premature births and miscarriages. The ovarian hyperstimualtion syndrome, OHSS is also quite common.

Success rates of artificial insemination are determined by factors such as sperm and egg quality and the female age. Generally, using IUI, it is about 15-20% per cycle. Unstimulated IUI may not be successful for couples with mysterious infertility.




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