Intrauterine insemination
Intrauterine insemination (IUI) is the process of injection of the purified sperm into the uterine cavity. IUI is the infertility treatment mode which is the closest to natural insemination, wherein the interference into the female organism is minimal. The intrauterine insemination treatment mode doesn’t require a lot of medical products, is relatively easy and affordable.
In the process of IUI, specially treated sperm is injected in the uterine cavity in the period most close to ovulation. Then, the conception in the female organism occurs in a natural way. The carrying out of IUI is possible both during the natural menstrual cycle and during the follicle growth stimulation cycle.
When is IUI used and what are the advantages of this treatment mode?
This treatment mode is effective in the case of the so-called cervical infertility factor, wherein spermatozoa, when moving through the cervical canal, lose their properties and the ability to fertilize an oocyte. The intrauterine insemination method allows to increase the quality of sperm. The sperm is made more concentrated in laboratory conditions, protein fractions are removed from it, and the most active and viable spermatozoa are chosen. Then it is injected in the organism of a woman. And so the spermatozoa overcome the barrier of cervix.
In those cases when masculine infertility is insusceptible of medical treatment or there is a great risk of transmitting genetic diseases to a child, it is recommended to carry out the insemination with the donor sperm.
IUI efficiency
The likelihood of getting pregnant after IUI depends on many factors: woman’s age, the duration of infertility, the quality of sperm, the results of the tests, as well as on the number of previous inseminations. The chances of getting pregnant are 10-15% for each attempt. The patients usually get pregnant after the 1st, the 2nd or the 3rd insemination attempt. The likelihood of getting pregnant after the further IUI cycles is much less and does not exceed 8%. Those patients who failed to get pregnant after 3 or 4 attempts are recommended to use the in vitro fertilization treatment mode.
The IUI program includes:
- consultations of an obstetrician-gynecologist;
- high-technology treatment and concentration of sperm;
- insemination procedure with the sperm of the husband or a donor*.
* in case of insemination with donor sperm the donor sperm sample is to be paid for with an extra sum of money.
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