It is quite common to find a couple of unacquainted terms while exploring infertility treatments. The term ‘sperm washing’ is one such weird term. This world will surely make people clear their Google search history. Sperm washing is an essential part of the journey to part of parenthood journey.
So, what precisely is the intrauterine insemination (IUI)?
It is the gathering of a donor’s or partner’s sperm. Then collected semen is passed through the
process of ‘sperm washing’ Through it, sperms are separated from inactive cells, seminal
fluid, and other nutrients. Then the healthy sperms are inserted into a woman’s uterus when
she is at peak of her ovulation. This process is quite tolerable and less painful.
From some of the oldest types of fertility treatments – IUI holds an important place. Though,
IUI the way we presently contemplate it was established as a treatment somewhere around
the 1960s as per experts. Today, fertility treatments in India are not new. Nowadays many
IVF clinics in India are available for such top IVF, IUI.
Who all are ideal Candidates for IUI?
Ideal candidates for the process include couples with ‘sperm issues’ such as low sperm count,
motility complications, or when there is a problem with early ejaculation or impotence. Other
patients that might be candidates are same-sex partners or single women who wish to have a
baby. Even the couples who are facing mysterious infertility and women who have cervical
mucus problem, or a sperm allergy might also be candidates for IUI treatment. But to be a
candidate, one must have healthy fallopian tubes and uterus.
Importance of Timing in IUI
Experts strongly point out that when it comes to IUI, timing is the whole thing which matters
the most. For IUI procedure both partners require to be present at the time of ovulation.
Furthermore, depending based on the specimen, a man undergoing treatment might have to
masturbate and ejaculate into a cup at the time.
Major question – IUI vs. IVF?
IUI might call to mind another well-recognised fertility treatment abbreviation— IVF, which
stances for In Vitro Fertilization (IVF). In the process of IVF, an ultrasound-guided needle is
used to separate (or let’s say collect) the eggs from the ovaries. The separated eggs then are
fertilized in a dish. This fertilization results in multiple embryos, and the healthiest one is
placed into a thin catheter. After which then embryos are moved into the uterus similarly to
the sperms in IUI.
As treatments IUI and IVF are different, with IVF, one gets the sperm and egg together
whereas, with IUI, one only enables the sperm to find the egg on its own.
Usually, IUI is the primary and first choice of parents-to-be. IVF treatment is tried by fertility
doctors when the IUI treatment fails. This means that the option of IVF is only explored
when the IUI treatment doesn’t work even after the six cycles.
Cost matters
Apart from the actual procedures, there are other differences between IVF and IUI. Both IVF
and IUI vary significantly cost-wise and success-wise. Generally one round of IVF, costs
similar to the cost of seven to eight IUI cycles. As per some researches, when it comes to
success rates, younger women (below 35) who have undergone one round of IVF, have about
50% chance of getting pregnant to help with ovulation compared to 32% of patient who
undergone four cycles of IUI with injectable medication for a woman of the same age.
As per some experts, IUI can be fruitful even though women have improved chances with
IVF. But there is no indication that IUI improved pregnancy rates in couples with mysterious
infertility – that is, where there is no directly apparent issue.
Femicure 