Most of the couples who are struggling to attain their parenthood may undergo various types of ART treatment. Among those IUI is the most common treatment recommended for couples to enhance their fertility in their life.
In this article, you will be exploring a detailed explanation of Intrauterine Insemination.
What is Intrauterine Insemination (IUI)?
IUI, also known as artificial insemination, is the process of fertilization where the prepared sperm is placed directly into the uterus with the help of a catheter which aids in boosting the chances for pregnancy. In this process, the sperms collected from the semen are washed and then it is inserted into the vagina through the uterus to reach the matured eggs.
In this treatment, the doctor examines and focuses on the motility of the sperm because, without the moving ability, the eggs will not get fertile. A minimum 6.7 million of motile sperm is required for the process of insemination.
How does IUI work?
IUI is suitable for couples who have a mild fertility issue. There are various steps involved in this treatment which you can see in detail below. Here is a brief explanation of how the IUI works with couples facing infertility issues.
At first, the semen liquid is collected from the male in which the sperms are presented. The semen liquid is collected in a sterile container where it is wider to collect the liquid. Then it is given for washing and it is tested where only the motile sperm are selected for the fertilization process.
The motile sperm are collected into a silicon-like tube called a catheter. Then it is connected directly to the uterus during the time of ovulation. Once the tube reaches the uterus through the vagina, the sperm are released and these sperms reach the uterus within 35 to 40 minutes as it connects directly to the uterus compared to the natural conception.
Who Can Benefit from IUI?
- The couples who are trying to get pregnant even after many failed natural conceptions. And for those who don’t get pregnant because of an unknown infertility issue.
- If the woman has blocks in the uterus, known as the cervical block, it is harder for the sperm to reach eggs when it travels to reach an egg.
- Homosex females who try to get pregnant can use donor sperm for fertility.
- A single and independent woman who needs to start their life with their child can use donor sperm for fertilization.
- Males who are facing issues in fertility such as low quality, low quantity, speed of motility, and shape of the sperm.
Here are the various people who benefit from this IUI treatment as it is budget-friendly and has a higher chance of getting pregnant.
What are the steps of IUI treatment?
Here are the various steps that are involved in IUI;
Ovulation
The most crucial step for fertilization is ovulation. In this process, the doctors will keep tracking the ovulation period with various methods to calculate the correct time or period to release the sperm in the uterus. It can be detected by following methods,
Ovulation Predictor Kit – It is an at-home test that predicts the ovulation period with the help of LH in the urine.
Ultrasound Monitoring – An equipment used by doctors to track the ovulation cycle.
Blood test – A small amount of blood is tested whether women are ready for fertilization.
With these methods, the doctors are able to predict the date for the process of insemination and this procedure is applicable for women who are meeting their regular periods. If there is any issue in the menstrual cycle, doctors provide medications to stimulate the ovaries presented in the pelvis.
Semen sample preparation
The quality and volume of the sperm are the most important features for fertilization. To prepare a sample for the semen, sperms presented in the testicle that are collected either through masturbation or through electroejaculation. In one millimetre of semen fluid, normally 15 to 25 million sperm are presented.
Sperms come out with the structure of seminal fluid which is collected in a sterile container. It needs at least 15 to 30 minutes for the liquid stage. The collected liquid is poured into a glass tube for centrifugation. It is the process of separating the sperm and semen liquid based on the weight and size of the sperm.
Still, if there are any impurities present in the sperm, then it is washed with some chemical components. Now, the purified sperm is collected and investigated under a microscopic catheter or through microfluidic devices.
Insemination
Once the sperm is collected, washed, and tested for the process of fertilization then the final process in IUI is Insemination. It is the process of fusing the male sperm and the female egg to form the fetus. However, this artificial insemination of IUI is involved in releasing the tested sperm collected in the catheter that is directly connected to the uterus.
This process increases the chances of getting fertile as the motile sperm is directly connected to the uterus to reach eggs without any blockage. This is how the process of insemination is done in IUI.
What can you expect after IUI treatment?
Here are three phases where you can expect various symptoms after the treatment of IUI. They are
First 3 days: The IUI-treated women may experience minor cramping or spotting in their lower abdomen. It happens because the catheter is inserted into the uterus and hormonal medication given at the time of IUI results in bloating.
After 6 days: They may experience a mild pain in their breasts, feel fatigued or mild nausea, cramping, and light spotting as periods and some hormonal changes take place if the treatment remains positive.
After 14 days: Frequent urination, missed periods, and changes in vaginal discharge are a few symptoms of positive pregnancy. At this stage, it is necessary to meet your doctor in your near by fertility hospital and consult about the confirmation of pregnancy.
What medications are used during IUI?
Mostly, IUI is tracked with the regular menstrual cycle. In case of any infertility issue in women, various medications are used to stimulate the ovaries to release more eggs. The common medications are
Clomiphene Citrate: Both Clomid and Serophene are combined to inject for women facing irregular periods. It helps to stimulate more eggs in which ovulation is absent for fertilization. The chemical substances help to release the FSH hormone which produces eggs from the follicle.
Letrozole: It is an oral medication that blocks aromatase that helps to control the production of testosterone into estrogen. It applies to those who have failed with Clomiphene Citrate.
What are the risks of IUI?
The IUI-treated women may face various risks such as
Multiple Pregnancy: There is a chance of getting either twins or triplets because of ovarian stimulation. This helps the ovaries to release more than one egg to fuse with the sperm. If more than one egg is fertilized then there is a higher chance of multiple pregnancies.
Mild Symptom of OHSS: Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome is released when the dosage of ovarian stimulation is higher than the normal level. There is a lower chance of getting this syndrome but it also pushes women’s life risk.
Infection: Has a lower chance of getting affected. However, the bacteria present in the cervix is a common one. Sometimes, it travels upwards to the uterus which causes infection during the insertion of the catheter.
What are the most common side effects of IUI?
The most common side effects after the treatment of IUI are
Cramping
In the process of IUI, a flexible catheter tube is placed into the uterus to release the sperm. At that time, irritation occurs in the cervix and uterus resulting in mild cramping like menstrual cramps.
Bloating
Medications like Clomiphene citrate or Letrozole are used to stimulate the ovaries which can lead to bloating. The chemical components present stimulate the high level of estrogen which results in bloating.
Headache
Medications used for ovarian stimulation result in high levels of estrogen resulting in headaches. Sometimes, even stress for the fertility result also causes headaches in IUI-treated women.
Spotting
One of the most common side effects after the ART treatment is spotting. It is either pink or brown as it happens because of inserting the catheter.
Breast tenderness
This happens because hormonal changes take place after the consumption of medications for ovary stimulation. Changes in the tissues result in breast tenderness.
Mood swings
Normally, every woman will have mood swings during their pregnancy. Because certain hormonal changes and emotional changes take place in their body.
Remember, everyone will not be affected by IUI treatment. There are various factors to avoid during IUI. It depends on the age and nature of an individual’s body. Even if you face any side effects, it does not last forever.
Factors Affecting IUI Success
Various factors affecting the success rate of IUI are
Age factor
The most important factor determines the success rate of IUI. Younger women have a higher chance of getting pregnant than elders.
| AGE ( years) | SUCCESS RATE PER CYCLE |
|---|---|
|
Under 35 |
13% |
|
35 – 37 |
10% |
|
38 – 40 |
4 -7 % |
|
Over 40 |
Below 5% |
Fertility Issue
There are various fertility issues faced by the couple when they try to get pregnant. Issues can be blockage in the fallopian tubes, ovulation disorder faced by women, and low sperm quality faced by men. These factors affect the fertility process.
Health Condition
A common factor that can affect everyone’s life is health. Avoid eating junk and fatty-rich foods which may lead to heavy weight gain, obesity, and changes in hormones. Invest to improve your health. Concentrate on proper health that does not affect the IUI process.
Sperm quality
The quality of sperm depends on the health of men. For successful IUI, the factors such as quality, quantity, motility, and shape are required.
Number of IUI cycles
The success rate of IUI depends on how many times you have undergone an IUI cycle. It is recommended to go with more than 3 to 6 times to reach a successful IUI.
Selecting the best doctor
By selecting the best and experienced doctor for your IUI treatment may give you the best result. Various equipment are used for the treatment which should be high quality and budget-friendly.
How much does IUI cost?
It depends on your customization. Here are the various factors that can affect the cost of IUI,
Age – it is the most important factor because the success rate depends upon the age factor. If you are younger, you will be reaching positive results within a short period.
Clinic you choose – Choosing an experienced doctor results in high cost according to tier experience.
Number of cycles – If you need to undergo more than one cycle, the price may vary.
Conclusion
In conclusion, couples facing infertility issues can undergo any type of ART treatment. IUI is also one of the treatments which results positively. But there are some mild risks and side effects which are not permanent. However, happiness becomes the key factor for all these treatments.
Generally, it takes 5 to 10 days after the treatment of IUI. The released sperm reaches the eggs within 24 – 48 hours. However, various processes such as releasing hCG hormone, cell division and embryo development take place.
Under the age of 35 is the best age to do IUI treatment. You can also do IUI after the age of 40. However, there is a chance of 10% failure in your process because of the age factor. But, several cycles help to increase the success rate of pregnancy.
Bleeding is the most common symptom of a successful pregnancy. However various symptoms such as cramping, bloating, breast tenderness, nausea and fatigue also say that you are almost pregnant. Consult once with your doctor for 100% confirmation.
YES, it is possible to conceive naturally after a failed IUI. It is not important to follow the same process of IUI. If you improve in various factors such as ovaries and motile sperm being stimulated naturally, then you can get pregnant after a failed IUI.
IUI does not directly affect the periods. Medication like ovarian stimulation is taken to stimulate the ovary to produce eggs. This affects your natural menstrual cycle and sometimes it gets delayed.
