What is artificial insemination?

Artificial insemination is a fertility treatment where sperms (male reproductive cells) are directly introduced into a woman’s cervix (lower end of the womb or uterus that connects it to the vagina) or the uterine cavity (inside portion of the uterus) to induce pregnancy. A fertility treatment refers to any medical procedure that improves the likelihood of conceiving a child. 

This procedure helps those couples who are unable to get pregnant naturally. Fertilization occurs when a sperm fuses with a female egg (egg cells or ova that is released from the ovaries every month). 

Artificial insemination is useful in cases involving male infertility, such as in cases where the sperm count is low or when sperms aren't strong enough to swim through the cervix to the fallopian tubes  (a tubular structure that carries the egg from the ovaries to the uterus).

It is useful for women who suffer from endometriosis (abnormal growth of the tissues that line your uterus) and is also beneficial for those who have a condition called "unreceptive cervical mucus". This means that the mucus surrounding your cervix prevents sperms from getting into your uterus and fallopian tubes. 

Artificial insemination allows the sperms to skip the cervical mucus entirely.

What are the techniques used in artificial insemination?

There are two popular techniques of artificial insemination which include intracervical insemination (ICI) and intrauterine insemination (IUI). These are elaborated upon consequently.

Intracervical Insemination (ICI)

In ICI (Intracervical insemination) the sperm sample is placed near the cervix and  from here the sperms travel up towards the uterus and eventually reach the fallopian tubes.

The procedure is timed around the period of ovulation (the period when an egg is released from the ovary) to increase the chances of conception. You will be placed on fertility drugs to increase the number of eggs produced. 

The sperm sample will be collected and a procedure called sperm washing is performed to filter out the less viable sperm from the potentially good ones.

The procedure takes only about a few minutes. The doctor inserts a thin, flexible catheter through the woman’s vagina until it reaches the cervix. A syringe filled with the sperm sample is then attached to the end of the catheter to deposit the sperms around the cervix. A sponge cap is usually placed over the cervix to prevent the sperms from leaking out. 

Intrauterine Insemination (IUI)

During intrauterine insemination, the sperm sample is placed directly in your uterine cavity.

The sperm sample is collected from the partner or a frozen sperm sample from a donor is thawed and prepared. The sperms are washed to segregate the less viable sperms from the highly active ones. 

The procedure is timed approximately around the ovulation period and the doctor might put you on fertility drugs to ensure multiple eggs are produced at a time. This improves the chances of conception. 

The procedure takes just a few minutes and does not require anaesthesia or pain relievers. During the procedure, your doctor attaches a vial containing a sample of healthy sperms to the end of a long thin flexible tube (catheter). 

The catheter is then inserted into your vagina through your cervix. The sperms are then deployed through the tube into your uterus.

What happens after the procedure?

After the insemination, you will be asked to lie on your back for a brief period of time. You will be able to leave the hospital within a short while after the completion of the procedure and may resume your regular daily chores. You might experience mild spotting (light vaginal bleeding) for a day or two after the procedure. 

After 10 to 14 days you can take a home pregnancy test to confirm the pregnancy, using a pregnancy test kit. This device works by detecting a hormone called the HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) hormone in your urine. 

This hormone is produced during pregnancy and it takes about 2 weeks for the HCG hormone to reach a detectable level in your urine. Therefore testing before this period may give false results.

What are the benefits of artificial insemination?

Benefits of artificial insemination include the following:

  • It allows couples to conceive naturally.

  • The treatment is short, safe and cost-effective.

  • It also allows single women or couples of the same sex to conceive through donor sperms.

  • As this method allows the use of donor sperm, it is useful in cases where the male suffers from a genetic condition that can be passed on to the baby.

  • It is an effective method for men with low sperm count and decreased sperm motility and for women who suffer from endometriosis. 

If you are experiencing any difficulty in conceiving, then you should consult a gynaecologist. He/she will be able to recommend the type of fertility treatment that is best suited for you.


References:

1. W. Ombelet, J., 2021. Artificial insemination history: hurdles and milestones. [online] PubMed Central (PMC). Available at: <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4498171/> [Accessed 30 July 2021].

2. Creating a Family. 2021. Intrauterine Insemination (IUI)/Artificial Insemination. [online] Available at: <https://creatingafamily.org/infertility/resources/intrauterine-insemination-iui/> [Accessed 30 July 2021].


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