Content
Artificial insemination is a fertility treatment that consists of the insertion of sperm in the woman's uterus or cervix, facilitating fertilization, being a treatment indicated for cases of male or female infertility.
This procedure is simple, with few side effects and the result of which depends on some factors, such as sperm quality, characteristics of the fallopian tubes, the health of the uterus and the woman's age. Usually, this method is not the first choice of the couple who are unable to conceive spontaneously during 1 year of attempts, being an option for when other more economical methods have not achieved results.
Artificial insemination can be homologous, when it is made from the partner's semen, or heterologous, when a donor's semen is used, which can happen when the partner's sperm are not viable.
Who can do it
Artificial insemination is indicated for certain cases of infertility, such as the following:
- Reduced sperm volume;
- Sperm with mobility difficulties;
- Cervical mucus hostile and unfavorable to the passage and permanence of sperm;
- Endometriosis;
- Male sexual impotence;
- Genetic defects in man's sperm, it may be necessary to use a donor;
- Retrograde ejaculation;
- Vaginismus, which makes vaginal penetration difficult.
There are still some criteria that must be respected, such as the woman's age. Many human reproduction centers do not accept women over 40 years of age, because there is a greater risk of spontaneous abortion, a low response to the ovarian stimulation process and a decrease in the quality of the collected oocytes, which are crucial for pregnancy.
How artificial insemination is done
Artificial insemination begins with the stimulation of the woman's ovary, which is a phase that lasts about 10 to 12 days. During this phase, examinations are carried out to check that the growth and follicles are occurring normally and, when they reach the appropriate quantity and size, artificial insemination is scheduled for approximately 36 hours after the administration of an hCG injection that induces ovulation.
It is also necessary to collect the man's semen through masturbation, after 3 to 5 days of sexual abstinence, which is evaluated with respect to the quality and quantity of sperm.
Insemination must take place exactly on the day scheduled by the doctor. During the process of artificial insemination, the doctor inserts into the vagina a vaginal speculum similar to that used in the pap smear, and removes the excess cervical mucus present in the woman's uterus, then depositing the sperm. After that, the patient must rest for 30 minutes, and up to 2 inseminations can be made to increase the chances of pregnancy.
Usually, pregnancy occurs after 4 cycles of artificial insemination and success is greater in cases of infertility due to an unknown cause. In couples where 6 cycles of insemination were not enough, it is recommended to look for another assisted reproduction technique.
See what IVF consists of.
What precautions to take
After artificial insemination, the woman can normally return to her routine, however, depending on some factors such as age and conditions of the tubes and uterus, for example, some care may be recommended by the doctor after insemination, such as avoiding staying too long sitting or standing, avoid sexual intercourse for 2 weeks after the procedure and maintain a balanced diet.
Possible complications
Some women report bleeding after insemination, which should be reported to the doctor. Other possible complications of artificial fertilization include ectopic pregnancy, spontaneous abortion and twin pregnancy. And although these complications are not very frequent, the woman must be accompanied by the insemination clinic and the obstetrician to prevent / treat their occurrence.