Parents who cannot conceive on their own may consider a fertility treatment, but most of them are overwhelmed by the number of fertility treatment options available. Of course the Internet helps you research; nevertheless, the more you research the more you are confused about deciding the right treatment for you. When it comes to seeking assistance for fertility, there are two procedures the doctor would suggest the intended parents to go for, and they are intrauterine insemination (IUI) and in vitro fertilization (IVF).
What is Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) Treatment?
An artificial insemination, intrauterine insemination or IUI treatment is a process used to treat infertility. The procedure helps stimulate the eggs’ growth in a woman through medication, and then, use a speculum to directly place the concentrated sperm inside the uterine cavity. The time the sperm is placed is when the ovary releases an egg or eggs to fertilize. The IUI process helps the sperm to fertilize the egg by swimming through the reproductive tract into the fallopian tube.
Why Should You Decide to Go for the IUI Treatment?
IUI may be the right treatment for the patients with:
- the ability to ovulate, maybe with fertility medication
- an unblocked fallopian tube, at least one
- a healthy eggs or ovarian reserve
- a normal uterine cavity
The circumstances explained show that the IUI treatment is right for you. However, it is essential to seek your doctor’s advice for a successful pregnancy though IUI requires confirmation of all the above circumstances. The other reasons that make you the right candidate for IUI are:
- Cervical Problems: For those who have hostile or scarring cervical mucus, IUI can be the best solution for it can help the sperm move beyond the obstacles and enter the uterus to join the egg.
- Using Donor Sperm: IUI helps use donor sperm by a couple to conceive.
- Mild Ovulation Problems: Women who have irregular cycles are helped to conceive on schedule through the fertility medications and IUI treatment
- Low Sperm Count: IUI offers a solution to male factor infertility through the sperm-washing process. This enhances the chances of conception for men having a poor sperm movement or low sperm count.
- Male Fertility Preservation: The men who undergo a surgery or a treatment for cancer may choose to preserve the sperm by freezing them as they fear the treatment would affect their fertility. In such a case, IUI helps the male have his female partner achieve pregnancy after the treatment.
- Same-Sex Couples: IUI helps the male couples have their own family by having a gestational surrogate carry their own sperm, while the female couples use a donor sperm.
When it comes to an effective infertility treatment, IUI is mostly considered for the IUI treatment cost is lower than that of other options. Moreover, it also offers fewer health risks and side-effects. The doctor generally recommends 3-6 IUI cycles before suggesting any other treatment like in vitro fertilization (IVF). This may be because your chances of conceiving decreases after 3 or 6 cycles of IUI.
Using the IUI Procedure for Becoming Pregnant
Generally, a medical evaluation is conducted for both the man and woman partner before the IUI procedure. As for the man partner, a semen analysis is done, while the woman partner undergoes a set of medical tests to check the levels of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) levels to know the ovarian function and egg supply. A vaginal ultrasound and a physical evaluation are also performed. The steps explained show the general IUI procedure.
- Oral medication to stimulate the growth of eggs
- Monitoring the ovaries and maturation of eggs
- Inducing ovulation via a ‘trigger shot’
- Providing a male sperm sample and processing the sperm sample at the andrology lab to allow the healthiest sperm fertilize the egg
- Injecting the sperm sample through insemination procedure using a catheter
- Following up after a week of ovulation to ensure pregnancy
The IUI procedure is generally painless, except for some women who experience cramping during the IUI pregnancy treatment. In such a case, you are advised to take rest as much as possible.
Also, Read: What is the Best Time for IUI?
What is the Cost of IUI in India?
IUI is of course the first choice of any parents for treating infertility, and the chances of becoming pregnant for women who are below 35 years old are very high. Nonetheless, the chances are 10-20 percent in a single IUI cycle and 80 percent in 3-6 IUI cycles. As for the IUI treatment cost in India, it is between 6,000 – 12,000 rupees. This IUI cost is for a single cycle, and it includes other expenses such as IUI tests and ultrasounds.
However, the IUI cost in Bangalore ranges from 7000 – 12000 rupees depending on the success percentage and other aspects such as the number of IUI cycles required, monitoring of ovulation and follicle and medications and injections for ovarian stimulation.
If you are one of those couples who want to conceive using the IUI treatment, meet and discuss with your doctor today.
