Effective treatment for infertility: IUI Success on 1st try

by Sneha Bhatt IVF Center

One of the effective methods of treating infertility is artificial intrauterine insemination (IUI). This method of treating infertility should be used in very specific groups of couples and should not be used in several cases. If IUI is used in the right cases and applied correctly, it can be very effective. Millions of children are born through this procedure.

IUI Success on 1^st try: When is IUI recommended and effective?

First IUI Procedure-

The IUI is most often used for the following causes of infertility:

- Unexplained infertility,

- Infertility due to a cervical factor,

- Female infertility due to slight endometriosis;

- Slight male factor infertility;

- Female infertility with ovulation problems.

IUI Success on 1^st try: When is IUI neither recommended nor effective?

First IUI Procedure-

In general, the IUI process can be effective in women under the age of 40. At the same time, the IUI should not be recommended for infertile couples in the following cases:

- Tubes blocked or severely damaged.

- Ovarian failure (early ovarian failure or premature menopause).

- Severe male factor infertility

- Endometriosis at an advanced stage.

It is well known that IUI should not be used in women with blocked fallopian tubes. The best method for blocked tubes is in vitro fertilization.

The age of the woman is an important factor for IUI. It is unlikely to work in women over the age of 40. IUI has been shown to have reduced chances of success in younger women who have high FSH levels on the 3rd day of their cycle or other indications of reduced ovarian reserve.

The health of the male partner and the quality of his sperm are crucial for IUI. If the concentration, mobility, and morphology of the sperm are low, intrauterine insemination is unlikely to succeed. In the case of important malefactors, IVF with ICSI is recommended.

In general, the rate of pregnancies with IUI is low when insemination is used:

- In women over 38 years of age;

- In women with low ovarian reserve;

- With poor quality sperm;

- In women who have moderate to severe endometriosis;

- In women who have any degree of tubal damage or pelvic scarification;

- In couples who have been infertile for more than three years.

IUI Success on 1^st try: How does IUI work?

The answer to the question of how does IUI work- is simple. Artificial intrauterine insemination usually involves these important steps.

Step 1-
keeping a journal or a menstrual chart is a crucial step in the IUI. It can be done in women whose ovulation is normal and also in those who have ovulation problems but after drug stimulation. Some clinics prefer to stimulate multiple ovulation to increase the chances of success. The woman often receives medication to stimulate the production of multiple eggs and insemination is scheduled to coincide with ovulation. This combination therapy is frequently used in couples whose infertility is unexplained or when it is due to a male factor or when more conventional treatments have failed. Ultrasound scans are performed every 1 to 4 days to monitor the effects of the medication and to correctly program the IUI, intercourse or other procedures.

Step 2-
Good quality sperm need to be prepared. A semen sample is produced either at home or in the doctor's office by masturbation after 2 to 5 days of abstinence.

Step 3-
The sperm is "washed" in the laboratory. Processing the sperm sample involves separating the sperm from the proteins in the sperm. The sperm are separated from the other constituents of the semen and concentrated in a small volume. Several kinds of media and techniques can be used for this washing and separation. Processing the sperm takes about 30 to 60 minutes.

Step 4-
Preparation of the vagina and the cervix. A speculum is placed in the vagina and the cervix is gently cleaned.

Step 5
A sterile catheter is used to inject sperm into the uterine cavity through the cervix. The washed sample of well mobile spermatozoa is placed either in the cervix or much higher in the uterus using a flexible sterile catheter.
Intrauterine insemination, performed correctly, is painless for the woman and the sensation is similar to that of a smear. The IUI is generally painless, although some women experience mild cramps. But the IUI can be stressful for a woman, so she needs to be properly prepared. There should be a little discomfort. Some clinics offer the woman to lie down for a few minutes or hours after the operation, but it has not been established that this improves the success rate.

IUI Success on 1^st try: How successful is IUI

IUI success rates are case dependent and vary widely depending on several factors, including:

- The age of the woman;

- Ovulatory status and/or the type of medication used to stimulate ovulation (possibly);

- The age of infertility;

- The cause (s) of infertility;

- The quality of sperm: number and mobility.

The answer to the query how successful is IUI and its success rate considerably depend on the above-mentioned factors.