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Intrauterine insemination has a higher success rate than intravaginal
insemination or intra-cervical insemination as it places the good motile sperm
near the Fallopian tubes where there will be one or more eggs available for
insemination.
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IUIs can be performed either with the partner's sperm or with
donor sperm. It is recommended that the patient abstain from sexual intercourse
for two to three days before the procedure. The male partner is asked to
produce a semen sample by masturbation, one to two hours before the procedure
is to be performed or a prior collected frozen semen sample
is thawed. Only
washed and prepared sperm are used for intrauterine
insemination because untreated semen may cause severe uterine contractions,
pain, cramps and may even faint or collapse.
This insemination procedure is simple and takes about 5-10 minutes, usually
being painless. It involves insertion of a speculum into the vagina to
visualize the cervix. The cervix is then cleaned with a little culture medium.
The prepared sperm is then injected into the cavity of the womb using a fine
plastic catheter. After insemination, the patient may be asked to rest for a
short period of time, approx 10 mins. There are no restrictions thereafter.
Indications for IUI -
1. Cervical hostility: when the mucus in the mouth of the uterus is not
permeable to the sperm confirmed by the
post coital test. IUI can be performed in a spontaneous ovulatory
cycle.
2. In a cycle where drugs are being used for
ovarian stimulation for
unexplained infertility and
male subfertility. Every clinic has different cut off values for sperm
count after preparation, which they will use to perform an IUI.
3. Inability for vaginal ejaculation as in men with retrograde ejaculation or
spinal cord injury
4. Donor Sperm insemination
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