Advantages, Disadvantages of Artificial Insemination

by Dr Praful Doshi Infertility Specialist

Artificial insemination is a form of assisted reproductive technology technique. Artificial insemination is a technique that can help treat certain kinds of infertility in both men and women. In this procedure, sperm are inserted directly into a woman's cervix, fallopian tubes, or uterus. This makes the trip shorter for the sperm and bypasses any possible obstructions. Ideally, it makes pregnancy possible where it wasn't before. Intrauterine insemination (IUI), in which the sperm is placed in the uterus, is the most common form of artificial insemination.

Though the pregnancy rates for women undergoing artificial insemination may not be as high as they are for some more advanced techniques, this technique has some key advantages: It's a simple procedure with few side effects and it is not expensive.
For these reasons, doctor may recommend it as an initial form of treatment for infertility.

Why is Artificial Insemination used?

Artificial insemination can be used for many kinds of fertility problems. For example a couple may be producing healthy sperm and eggs but not necessarily be able to have a child due to a medical condition. Some other scenarios where artificial insemination could be beneficial are listed below.

1. IUI is often performed as a first treatment for unexplained infertility along with ovulation-inducing medications.

2. It is often used to impregnate women whose partners have very low sperm counts or sperm that aren't strong enough to swim through the cervix and up into the fallopian tubes.

3. Fertility issues caused by endometriosis.

4. When the male partner is impotent or suffers from infertility those results from medical issues.

5. In rare cases, some women suffer from a semen allergy that prohibits having direct contact with the sperm.

6. Women that want a child without a partner may consider artificial insemination.

Donor Sperm and Artificial Insemination

Women can use their husband’s sperm for insemination if it is viable, or they can choose to use donor sperm. In this case they will be using Artificial Insemination by Donor (AID) to get pregnant. This process may be needed if the husband’s sperm is not viable or if the female is single and wishes to have a baby on her own. This type of fertility treatment can also be utilized by couples where the male partner has a genetic disorder, or when more advanced treatments like intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is too expensive.

Intrauterine insemination is a relatively simple and safe procedure, and the risk of serious complications is low. Risks include Infection, spotting and Multiple pregnancy.

However, when coordinated with ovulation-inducing medications, the risk of multiple pregnancy increases significantly. A multiple pregnancy has higher risks than a single pregnancy does, including early labour and low birth weight.

What to Expect After Treatment?

These techniques are done on an outpatient basis and require only a short recovery time. You may experience cramping during the procedure, especially if sperm are inserted into your uterus. You may be advised to avoid strenuous activities for the remainder of the day. The treatment is pretty simple and painless with maybe a little cramping. It is performed in the fertility specialist clinic and the procedure can be done by a qualified nurse or a doctor.

While artificial insemination does not guarantee pregnancy, it does have success rates of around 30 percent. The success rates do depend on a variety of factors that include the insemination method used, the age of the female, egg and sperm quality, male factor infertility and the endometriosis factor. Anyone interested in artificial insemination should seek a consultation with the fertility specialist.

Dr.Praful Doshi a consultant Gynaecologist and IVF Specialist has over 15 years of experience in fertility and assisted reproduction techniques and specialises infertility, IVF and in Assisted Reproductive Techniques. Dr.Praful Doshi performs in vitro fertilization (IVF), Donor Egg IVF, ovulation induction, artificial insemination, intrauterine insemination (IUI) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Dr.Praful doshi has been playing major role in providing specialised treatments to overcome infertility problems and making your dream of family complete.

Know all about artificial insemination and IVF treatment, intrauterine insemination, donor sperm intrauterine insemination, in vitro fertilization (IVF), intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), Donor Egg IVF, ovulation induction, surrogacy at http://www.meandmummyindia.com