WHAT IS IUI:
IUI treatment (Intra Uterine Insemination) may sound unfamiliar to many of us. We have seen or heard a lot about IVF, but what is IUI? The fundamental question arises is what is the difference between IVF and IUI? Indeed you may also wonder if infertility is a real concern now. Both IVF and IUI are medical treatments done in their way for infertile couples. IUI is the placement of washed and processed semen samples of the male partner which contains highly motile sperms inside the womb of the female partner using a fine catheter around the time of ovulation. Let’s get deep into the IUI world for its better understanding.
WHO NEEDS IUI:
IUI is a type of artificial insemination that is done during women’s ovulation cycle, where healthy sperm is placed inside the womb which swims and meets the egg. It is a more natural kind of fertility treatment. Common indications for IUI are
*Mild to moderate male infertility
*Ovulatory dysfunction(like PCOS)
*Minimal to mild Endometriosis
*Sexual dysfunction
*Unexplained infertility
*HIV serodiscordant couples
*Cervical and immunological factors of infertility
*Male partner staying abroad
WHEN CAN YOU DO IUI:
If you have any one of the above indications, perfectly you can get a good IUI treatment, perhaps based on the following restrictions:
*The fallopian tubes for the woman should be patent and not blocked.
*The couples should be at a young age
*The male should have good sperm count and morphology or mild male factor problem.
SUCCESS RATE:
The success rate of IUI can be correlated with many factors. It acts as a deciding factor for many couples to pick it. Most probably every couple will seek a good result as an end customer. There is a 10% to 20% chance of getting pregnant with each IUI cycle but it varies depending on the cause of infertility. Furthermore, you can get an increased success rate of about 15% to 25% when you take IUI treatment with fertility medications.
WHY ONE NEEDS OVULATION TO ENSURE WITH IUI:
- The process when a mature egg is discharged from the ovary is called ovulation. Ovulation ensured along with IUI is needed to follow the best results
- The chance of success increases since there is a way to improve the number and quality of eggs
- We can time the IUI treatment
- The follicular phase will get improved which in turn can improve the luteal phase
WHY IUI IS NOT VERY SUCCESSFUL:
Not all patterns or methods would be successful. There may be some common reasons for its failure. Let’s see one by one
- Decreased ovarian reserve
The ovarian reserve means the capacity of the ovary to give egg cells which is capable of fertilization. Decreased ovarian reserve results in less chance of women getting pregnant.
- Poor egg quality
The quality of eggs determines the success of pregnancy. Poor-quality eggs may not help to conceive a baby.
- Poor sperm quality
The egg cannot be fertilized by poor-quality sperm.
- Severe Endometriosis
Incorrect endometrial lining and poor endometrial receptivity stop the fertilized egg to get implanted in the uterine cavity.
WHY IUI IS A GOOD OPTION ?
IUI treatment may be a good option for many couples. It consumes a short duration of time. The pain and discomfort in IUI is very less compared to IVF treatment. It is less invasive and cost-effective. It is more natural and it can be repeated based on the type of result. Though the success rate of IUI is low, based on the above-considered factors couples opt for IUI for their comfort.
HOW MANY IUIS CAN BE DONE:
As IUI can be repeated, the common doubt would be how many IUI’s can be done at the maximum. In a woman, under 35 years 3 to 6 cycles of IUI may be tried but the success rate decline with advancing age.
In case of severe male infertility, IUI may not be an option. As age increases the success rate of IUI decreases. If you are suffering from unexplained fertility problems then IUI may be the right choice for your happy journey. After a prolonged failure of IUI treatment, the fertility specialist may assist you to opt for IVF for better results. A constructive mind and practical approach to the treatment will hopefully give you happy outcomes.
