Artificial Insemination: Why & How?

The artificial insemination is a common method that is used by the doctors to ensure that a woman gets pregnant. This process was first successfully used on animals and then it was started on humans. It was first used on humans in 1884 in Philadelphia. The process is very effective and it has helped many childless couple to have babies.

What Is Artificial Insemination?

The artificial insemination is a process by which a woman can get pregnant even without involving in a sexual intercourse. The semen is taken from a male body and is injected into the vagina or the fallopian tube of the woman so that she can conceive. We will now explain some scenarios when the artificial insemination is used by doctors and these are:

Artificial Insemination

1. If the male partner is impotent then semen from a third person can be used for artificial insemination.
2. In some cases the body of the woman rejects the sperms as a result artificial insemination is used.
3. Some women have mucus or tumour in the cervix as a result with artificial insemination can be used to make the woman conceive.
4. Sometimes the male partner may have a low sperm count or the quality of the sperms is poor as a result the woman may not be able to conceive naturally in such cases to the artificial insemination is used.
5. When two woman or male partners want to have a biological child then too they can opt for artificial insemination.
6. Some single women also opt for artificial insemination so that they can have a biological child.

Prerequisites for Artificial Insemination

The woman who wants an artificial insemination must first find a partner who can donate the sperms. They can also contact a sperm bank for this purpose if they do not have a male partner. The person whose sperm is taken must be medically fit and might have to go through a medical examination before the artificial insemination is done. The test is to see if the donor is suffering from some serious disease or not.

The sperms can be preserved for six months. They are kept in a liquid called cryoprotectant. They are frozen and kept. The ovulation calendar of the woman is closely monitored for the artificial insemination. The sperms are injected just before the ovulation occurs. Ovulation kits, basal temperature and sometimes even blood tests can indicate the actual time of ovulation. Before the artificial insemination the sperms are washed as a result if there is any mucus it will be removed.

It also removes the non motile sperms and ensures that the fertilization happens for sure. The semen will be injected twice during the cycle of artificial insemination. This increases the chances of conceiving. Some doctors can also go with only one injection. Sometimes due to artificial insemination two eggs can fertilize and the chances of twins also increase. Some women who have difficulty in conceiving are also given hormonal treatments as a result the chances of having twins become higher.

Insertion of Semen

The semen collected is injected into the vagina of the woman using a needleless syringe. The semen used should be liquefied. Nowadays apart from injection a cervical cap is also used. This cap is placed at the vagina and the woman can go on with her regular activities when this cap is in place. Fresh semen can be used for this purpose. It holds the sperms in place and ensures that the sperms stay for a longer period in the body leading to pregnancy. The child conceived by artificial insemination is no different from any other baby. The pregnancy will be for nine months.

Biological Agent

The baby will be the biological child of the woman who carries it and of the man who donated the sperms. This is a very common fertility treatment that is given to women across the world. More and more women who are opting for a late pregnancy and find it difficult to conceive can take the help of artificial insemination. Many hospitals offer these services to the clients. The artificial insemination is not very painful for the woman and she can get back to her normal life easily. However, men need some counselling as they may find it an insult to their manhood. Sometimes that may get less attached to the woman and the child also.

The Term IUI

IUI is the word that is commonly used for artificial insemination. Each cycle of a simple IUI may cost between three thousand to eight thousand rupees. However, if it is not successful then more complicated IUI options can be used that involve gonadotropin injections which may take the cost up to twenty thousand rupees. The processes are not expensive but try to find the best clinics for this treatment. Do read the reviews well before you decide.

We must tell that the success rate of the process may vary from a woman to another. Some women may conceive easily and some may need numerous such sessions of artificial insemination. The results vary as per the age and the medical history of the couple. It is a huge relief for those couples who cannot have a child naturally.

Some people also oppose to the idea of artificial insemination they consider it as unethical. It is god’s whish if a couple should have a child going by a method like this we are altering God’s will is what many religious communities say. However, in spite of all these oppositions the artificial insemination is done all across the world.