Insemination: who got it right the first time? Artificial insemination is an assisted reproductive technology. What is insemination and how does the procedure occur?

What is insemination and how the procedure is carried out can be read in this article. This term refers to one of the methods of artificial insemination, during which sexual contact is not necessary. In this case, a man and a woman may not even touch each other. Insemination (you can find out how the procedure works in this article) is a kind of manipulation during which the ejaculate is injected directly into the cavity reproductive organ. This way, the cervical canal and vagina remain intact. Moreover, this procedure can be carried out using either fresh or frozen sperm.

If the material is used frozen, then before this it is processed in a special way. In this case, you can take biological material not only from your own husband, but also from an outside donor who donated his sperm.

In what cases is the procedure prescribed?

Insemination with husband's sperm has different indications, associated with sexual pathologies in a man or a woman, and maybe in both at once. Most often, the procedure is prescribed in the following cases:

IN female vagina is being produced large number antisperm bodies. Most often, this phenomenon is observed during prolonged life together. However, not all gynecologists can confirm the correctness of this phenomenon. To determine the full picture, you need to undergo post-coital testing.
Lack of ovulation in women, and, as a result, long-term infertility. In this case, the second partner can be absolutely healthy, and his spermogram is in ideal condition.
Male sperm are not motile enough. In this case, before the procedure, it is recommended to carry out specially selected drug treatment.

Main contraindications

Please note that not every woman can afford a procedure such as insemination. Every woman who wants to get pregnant should know how the procedure goes. But before that, it’s worth considering cases in which such pregnancy would be contraindicated:

Lack of ovulation.
The fallopian tubes are obstructed.
The procedure cannot be performed during menstruation.
Cervix and cervical canal have pathologies.
Inflammatory processes were detected in the vagina.

In any case, before the procedure, undergo an examination and consult with your doctor. If contraindications are found, undergo medication adjustment.

Where is this procedure performed?

Before insemination, be sure to consult your doctor so as not to cause harm to you and your unborn baby. It is also recommended that men undergo examination. This procedure can be carried out in both public and private clinics. In some cases, you will be asked to collect a set of special documents.

Get ready for the fact that you will have to spend several days in the hospital. And, of course, such a procedure is not free. The clinic you contacted will tell you how much insemination costs. Usually the price ranges from five to forty thousand rubles. In this case, the pricing policy depends on the health status of both women and men, as well as on the preparation of appropriate materials.

Insemination: how the procedure works (preparation)

A prerequisite for the procedure is preparation for it. To do this, the couple must undergo a set of special preparatory measures. First of all, every man should take a spermogram, which will determine the activity of sperm. This test is taken by a man after abstaining from sexual intercourse for five days.

The woman must go through all other stages of preparation. A blood test is required, and the patency of the fallopian tubes is also checked. The uterine cavity must be examined using hysterosalpingography. A gynecologist must determine whether ovulation occurs in a woman’s body. Such testing is done by determining certain hormones in the female body or by performing an ultrasound examination.

If after testing it is discovered that the spermogram has deviations, then before the process of artificial insemination it is carried out special processing sperm. It is also worth taking care of the microflora of the female vagina.

Before insemination, all points must be completed, otherwise the procedure may not only be useless, but also cause irreparable harm female body.

How does the procedure work?

Immediately before the procedure, the woman’s body is examined using ultrasonic sensor. This is done in order to determine the presence of follicles and determine their size.

Now the man's sperm is collected. If necessary, it is cleaned and processed. Sometimes they fill useful substances so that sperm remain active longer.

A woman sits in a gynecological chair. At this time, the gynecologist draws the prepared material into a syringe. Instead of a needle, a thin hose is attached to its end, which is inserted into uterine cervix. After these manipulations, the doctor injects sperm into the uterine cavity.

Onset of pregnancy

The main sign that pregnancy has occurred is a woman’s delayed menstruation. If the embryo has begun to develop, then the gynecologist may recommend special supportive therapy for the expectant mother.

After the first cycle, conception can occur only in 15% of cases. If this does not happen, then you can carry out this treatment up to four cycles. Under no circumstances should the ovaries be stimulated more than four times. If even after this pregnancy does not occur, doctors recommend trying other methods.

The younger the patient and the better the quality of the sperm, the chances of getting pregnant increase significantly.

Advantages and disadvantages of the procedure

This procedure has both advantages and disadvantages, which every woman who wants to become pregnant in this way should definitely become familiar with.

Pregnancy after insemination has the following advantages:

All manipulations performed are considered natural;

Parents and child will have a genetic connection;

The procedure is relatively safe;

Insemination is considered an inexpensive reproductive surgery.

Disadvantages of the procedure:

1. The use of additional hormone therapy may adversely affect women's health. This should include the possibility of hyperstimulation of the ovaries, which will secrete in abdominal cavity a large amount of liquid. This will lead to an overall increase in body weight, as well as bloating.

2. If the catheter and tube are inserted incorrectly, there is a huge risk of infection.

Expert opinion on the effectiveness of the procedure

Insemination, the effectiveness of the procedure depends on many factors, is considered not the most effective manipulation, since the possibility of conception is only about twenty percent. According to fertility doctors, natural pregnancy is the safest.

But if you conceive a child in a normal way it doesn’t work, insemination will turn out to be great solution. Moreover, the more times the procedure is performed, the greater the chances of conception.

If before the procedure you additionally process the sperm and stimulate the ovaries, then the probability of conception is already about forty percent.

Artificial insemination: reviews

According to patients, this manipulation is quite painful. Most discomfort observed during insertion of a catheter into the cervix. After this, many women experienced spotting from the vagina. There have been cases of inflammation developing as a result of infection during the procedure. This is very dangerous if conception does occur.

Artificial insemination, reviews of which can be read in this article, will be considered a safe procedure only if it is performed in a hospital under sterile conditions. Under no circumstances should you do this at home, even if you think you are following all safety measures.

Do not despair if there is a small number of sperm in the sperm of your sexual partner or they are not motile enough. By contacting a fertility doctor, you can solve this problem, and the chances of success during insemination will increase significantly.

It is best to use unfrozen material for this procedure, as the freezing process can significantly reduce the likelihood of conception.

Please note that the woman must have healthy fallopian tubes and no major contraindications to the procedure.

Conclusions

Insemination in Moscow or other cities should be carried out only under the supervision of experienced doctors. The effectiveness of the procedure can be found out only after ten days. Before carrying out this manipulation, think about your health. Perhaps a visit to a doctor by you and your partner can solve the problem and conception will occur naturally.

The need to have a child is natural for any woman. However, there are many difficulties that can arise even during the period of conception. To increase the likelihood of successful fertilization, you can use artificial insemination. This procedure can even be performed.

Benefits of the procedure

In general, artificial insemination at home is a procedure in which artificial insemination using a syringe or similar device. Unlike other options for artificial insemination, the fusion of sperm and egg occurs inside the female body. When applied, fertilization occurs in laboratory conditions, in which case the eggs are first collected.

Artificial insemination can confidently be called more in a natural way. Because of this, the likelihood of successful fertilization is much higher. In addition, this procedure is much safer and cheaper than other artificial insemination options, and is accessible to absolutely everyone.

The described procedure has a significant advantage even over the natural process, that is, over insemination through sexual contact. During normal sexual intercourse, only a small amount of semen enters the uterine cavity, and therefore the likelihood that the sperm will reach the egg is very small. During insemination with a syringe, all the seminal fluid, which means female sex cell can be fertilized even after the first time.

The presented method can be used by absolutely everyone, since it has virtually no contraindications. Due to its effectiveness, artificial insemination can be prescribed to people who have certain diseases, preventing natural conception. The procedure can also be used by those who want to increase the likelihood of successful fertilization, even in the absence of any pathologies.

Overall, the benefits artificial insemination cannot be underestimated, and therefore it is not surprising that this method is often used as an alternative to natural or artificial insemination.

Preparation for the procedure

Although insemination is not complex procedure, its preparation should be treated extremely responsibly and competently. Otherwise, the likelihood of a positive outcome is significantly reduced.

First of all, preparation for artificial insemination involves medical examination. It is necessary to undergo it not only for the woman, but also for her partner, since he will act as a sperm donor. The examination is recommended to be carried out no more than 1 year before the proposed procedure. Comprehensive diagnostics the body can take up to 6 months and involves a huge number of tests and procedures.

The main ones are:

Ultrasound of the pelvic organs
tests for the presence of sexually transmitted infections
spermogram
hepatitis test
general urine and blood tests

In addition, during the diagnostic period, the most suitable expected date of conception is determined. For this purpose, we study in detail menstrual cycle women need to find out the most optimal moment for fertilization. If a woman has certain menstrual problems, she is prescribed hormone therapy aimed at restoration normal function reproductive organs.

After diagnosing and prescribing a specific time period for fertilization, it is important to ensure that necessary tools for surgery. Can be purchased necessary items separately, but at the moment there are special kits created specifically for insemination at home.

They include the following tools:

FSH test
syringe
catheter
gynecological speculum
pipette
hygiene products

It is also recommended to purchase additional cotton swabs, clean towels and disinfectants. Immediately before the operation, you should visit the bath or shower and thoroughly wash your genitals. This will eliminate the possibility of infection.

In general, preparation for the procedure should be as thorough as possible, since the likelihood of pregnancy depends on this.

Use of ovulation tests

As already noted, it is extremely important to choose the appropriate period of time for insemination. Highest probability success occurs at the moment of ovulation - the process during which the egg is released from the ovaries and moves towards the uterus.

Insemination kits usually include tests for hormones that stimulate follicle function, as well as tests to determine the optimal date for the procedure. To get pregnant, you need to perform insemination a few days before the expected date of ovulation. Repeat procedure needs to be done in 2 days. The operation can be repeated every 48 hours.

You need to do an ovulation test 2 times, with 1 week between tests. On what day of the menstrual cycle the analysis is performed is not a fundamentally important indicator.

To perform the analysis, you need to collect urine in a special container. Determining ovulation is best done using urinary fluid, collected in morning time days, since it contains the most hormones. Place the test strip in the container and wait 10 minutes. If the line that appears is lighter or matches the registration line, the test can be considered positive.

Undoubtedly, determining ovulation using a special test is very important procedure, which has a significant impact on the success of the operation.

Stages of fertilization

After completing the preparatory measures described above, you can proceed directly to the procedure. Artificial insemination is carried out in several stages, at each of which it is necessary to exercise maximum care and attention.

The main stages of insemination:

Collection of material. First of all, you need to prepare the seminal fluid. Ejaculation must be performed in a special container. It is important to remember that the lifespan of sperm is short, and therefore, when stored in the refrigerator, seminal fluid can be used for fertilization no more than 2 hours after receipt. It is not recommended to transport sperm, even in a special container, as this affects its properties.
. To simplify the collection of seminal fluid with a syringe and its further injection into the genital organ, it is recommended to keep it warm for some time. Also, during this period of time, you should cover the container to darken the seed, since direct contact sun rays provides negative impact on the condition of spermatozoa. It is very important not to shake the resulting material. It takes 10-20 minutes to liquefy.
Insemination. Next, you need to draw seminal fluid into a pre-prepared syringe and inject its contents into the vaginal cavity. It is recommended to relax as much as possible. To increase the likelihood of fertilization, the instrument should be placed deeper, but you should not try to reach directly to the uterus, as this is extremely difficult, especially since this can injure the genital organ. The plunger should be pressed in one smooth, slow motion.
The final stage. After injection of the seed, you need to remove the gynecological speculum, if it was used during insemination. You should remain lying on your back for approximately 30-40 minutes. This is necessary for the sperm to reach the uterine cavity, which increases the possibility of pregnancy. For convenience, you can put a pillow under you, after placing a towel on top.

The statistics are disappointing - every year the number of infertile couples only increases, and how many of them want children! Thanks to the latest technologies and progressive treatment methods, babies are born, even though it would seem that this is impossible. Artificial insemination is a procedure that allows a woman diagnosed with infertility to become a mother using donor sperm. What is the essence of the technology, to whom it is contraindicated and how great are the chances of having a child - more on this later.

What is artificial insemination

As one of the methods of artificial insemination, insemination helps parents find their long-awaited child. The procedure significantly increases the likelihood of conception, since it is preceded by a careful selection of material for the operation. Among the sperm, the most active ones are selected, and the weak ones are removed. The protein components of the ejaculate are removed because they can be perceived by the female body as foreign.

Intrauterine insemination is not a panacea for infertility, but only one way to get pregnant artificially. According to research, the positive effect is estimated at a maximum of 30–40 percent. A single session does not guarantee the development of pregnancy, so the operation is performed up to 3 times per monthly cycle. If conception does not occur after several procedures, it is recommended to turn to other methods of artificial insemination. Pregnancy itself with intrauterine insemination is no different from normal.

Why is artificial insemination possible?

It would seem why women cannot get pregnant, but when artificial introduction fertilization occurs from the ejaculate. One of the features lies in the female body. The fact is that cervical mucus produces antibodies to male sperm. It turns out that it simply kills sperm, and does not facilitate their penetration into the egg. The procedure helps deliver the treated material directly to the uterus, bypassing the cervical canal. In this way, even with low sperm motility, the chance of getting pregnant increases.

Indications

As can be seen from the above, the main indication for artificial intrauterine insemination is the immunological incompatibility of partners. In fact, there are many more individual reasons for resorting to the procedure, so it is worth considering them in more detail. The main problems in women are considered to be inflammatory processes in the cervical canal. The disease prevents sperm from passing into the uterus, preventing a woman from becoming pregnant.

Artificial insemination is used for vaginismus, a problem where sexual intercourse is not possible due to spasms and pain. Injuries and pathologies of the reproductive organ that interfere with getting pregnant, abnormalities in the position of the uterus, infertility of an unclear nest, surgical interventions on the cervix - another of the many reasons to contact the clinic for an insemination procedure.

Until recently the reason female infertility They were looking only for the weaker sex, but, as research has shown, male problems are often dominant in this matter. Low motility and a small number of sperm that find it difficult to reach the end point, and azoospermia are some of the main diseases due to which artificial insemination is prescribed if previous treatment does not produce any results. Disorders with potency and ejaculation can also be an indication for the procedure.

Genetic diseases, due to which there is a possible risk of having a sick child or with psychophysical characteristics of the baby, are another reason why artificial insemination is prescribed. True, then the procedure is carried out with the donor’s sperm, to which the husband (and the future official father) gives written consent. Fertilization with seminal fluid from the clinic’s database is also carried out for single women who want to become pregnant.

Advantages

Intrauterine insemination is the first method that is used for problems with conception. The main advantage is the absence great harm female body. Artificial insemination can be carried out even if the exact cause of infertility has not been established. The procedure does not require lengthy preparation, and its implementation does not take much time. The most important trump card of use this method is its low cost.

Preparation

Like any operation, but intrauterine insemination medically is such, the procedure requires preparation. Just the desire to do artificial insemination is not enough; you need to come to an appointment with a doctor, who will prescribe an action plan after drawing up a family history and a thorough analysis of the situation during a conversation. Then it is necessary to sign certain papers confirming the consent of the spouses to carry out the conception. If it is necessary to use donor sperm, the number of documents for approval increases significantly.

Tests before insemination

Beforehand, to determine whether the couple is prepared for the artificial insemination procedure, the following tests are taken from the couple:

HIV (AIDS);
stick infections;
hepatitis;
passive hemagglutination reaction (RPHA).

After a 3-5 day period of abstinence, the man takes a spermogram, which determines sperm motility. In women, the patency of the fallopian tubes will be checked, and the uterus will be examined using hysterosalpingography. Ultrasound detects the presence of ovulation. If there are problems, hormones are used to stimulate egg production. The microflora is cultured to determine the presence of papillomavirus, ureplasma, group B streptococcus, which can cause the impossibility of bearing a fetus.

Sperm preparation

Immediately before the insemination procedure, seminal fluid is given artificially, after which it is examined and processed. There are 2 ways to prepare cells: centrifuge processing and flotation. The first option is preferable, since this increases the chances of conception. Sperm preparation involves removing acrosin from it, a substance that inhibits sperm motility. To do this, portions are poured into cups and left to liquefy, and after 2-3 hours they are activated special drugs or passed through a centrifuge.

On what day is insemination done?

According to doctors specializing in these issues of gynecology, the best option To carry out artificial insemination is the introduction of sperm into the uterus three times:

1-2 days before ovulation;
On the day of ovulation;
After 1-2 days, if there are several maturing follicles.

How does the procedure work?

Artificial insemination can be carried out independently or directly with the participation of a specialist in the clinic. To do this, the woman is placed on a gynecological chair, and access to the cervix is opened with the help of a mirror. The doctor inserts a catheter, and biological material is drawn into a syringe connected to it. Then there is a gradual introduction of sperm into the uterine cavity. After insemination, the woman should remain motionless for about 30-40 minutes.

Insemination with donor sperm

When identifying serious illnesses the woman's partner, such as hepatitis, HIV and other potentially dangerous diseases, including genetic ones, then the donor’s sperm is used, which is stored frozen at a temperature of -197°C. Information about a person is not declassified, but the woman can always bring with her a person who has the right to donate seminal fluid for subsequent artificial insemination of the patient.

Husband's sperm

When using biological material from a spouse, sperm collection occurs on the day of the insemination procedure. To do this, the spouses come to the clinic where biological material is donated. After this, the semen is analyzed and prepared for use. It is important to understand that before donating sperm, a man must abstain from sexual intercourse for at least 3 days in order to improve the quality of sperm.

Artificial insemination at home

Artificial insemination at home is allowed, although according to doctors its effectiveness is considered minimal, however, judging by the reviews, successful attempts have been recorded. At the pharmacy you can buy a special kit for performing manipulations at home. The algorithm differs from that carried out in the clinic in that the sperm is injected into the vagina, and not into the uterus. When performing insemination on your own, you cannot reuse the kit, you must not lubricate the labia with saliva or cream, or inject sperm directly into the cervix.

Efficiency of the method

Positive result with the intrauterine artificial insemination procedure, it is achieved less frequently than with in vitro fertilization (IVF) and ranges from 3 to 49% (these are the most positive data). In practice, the number of attempts is limited to 3–4, since larger number the sample is considered ineffective. After this it is necessary to carry out additional research or adjustment of treatment. If pregnancy does not occur, you should resort to another method of artificial conception or change the sperm donor.

Risks and possible complications

As such complications intrauterine insemination does not cause, women are more at risk due to taking drugs that cause ovulation, so it is necessary to conduct tests for the possibility of allergies. In addition, the risk of having twins, or less often triplets, increases, due to the fact that several attempts are made to introduce sperm and stimulate the formation of more than one follicle.

Contraindications

Although artificial intrauterine insemination is a simple procedure with virtually no consequences, there are still some restrictions due to which it may be refused. Among them are problems with ovulation itself, which occurs with disturbances, tubal infertility(it is necessary that at least one intrauterine labor is capable), inflammation of the appendages and uterus, hormonal imbalances, infectious and viral diseases.

Price

It is impossible to say definitely how much artificial insemination costs, since prices will differ in each clinic in Moscow. It is important to understand that the procedure consists of several stages, including consultation, tests, and treatment. It is necessary to take into account the price of the medications that you will have to take. If donor sperm is used, then its cost should be added to the price. Today, according to the information provided on the Internet, the following figures can be cited:

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If the cause of infertility is unknown, or the quality of the spouse’s sperm does not meet the necessary standards, and also if it is not possible to have sexual intercourse to achieve conception, it is recommended to do insemination.

To find out whether the husband's seminal fluid is suitable for insemination, a trial processing of the biomaterial is carried out. After this, the specialist gives an opinion on which sperm should be used for the manipulation. If the spouse's seminal fluid is considered unsuitable for artificial insemination, then donor sperm can be used or IVF with ICSI can be resorted to.

AI is also carried out on single women who want to give birth to a child after they undergo the necessary examinations.

Indications and contraindications for artificial insemination

The question of whether the procedure is worthwhile is decided by the attending physician individually after a comprehensive examination of the patient.

Artificial insemination in Moscow is prescribed to women if the following factors are present:

Unsatisfactory quality of partner's sperm. There are quite a few reasons, as a result of which the quality, quantity of seminal fluid or sperm motility changes for the worse (transferred infectious diseases, bad environment, increased loads and constant stress). All this leads to the fact that sperm cannot reach the egg and die in the woman’s genital tract;

Having a husband cancer, the course of treatment of which includes chemotherapy. It is known that this technique has extremely negative impact on the quality of seminal fluid, reducing the reproductive function of men. Therefore, in this case, it is better to donate sperm in advance, before starting treatment. The semen will be frozen and can be used in the future.

Vaginismus. This is the name for involuntary contraction of the vaginal muscles, as a result of which sexual intercourse becomes impossible, as it causes pain in the woman. With this pathology, it first makes sense to work with a competent psychologist who will help identify the essence of the problem and find ways to solve it. If this does not help, then you can resort to intrauterine insemination to achieve conception.

Immunological infertility. In this case, the woman’s body perceives sperm as foreign agents and begins to actively produce antibodies that destroy male reproductive cells, preventing them from fertilizing the egg. Such antibodies are found in cervical mucus. This barrier can be overcome using intrauterine insemination.

Erectile dysfunction and ejaculation disorders. In this case, IUI is the most reliable and in an efficient way solving the problem. In all of these cases, insemination in Moscow is carried out with the husband’s sperm. But there are cases when the partner’s seminal fluid, due to various reasons cannot be used for IUI. In this case, the procedure is performed using donor sperm.

Intrauterine insemination is contraindicated if a woman:

diagnosed with advanced endometriosis;
no ovaries or uterus;
There are no fallopian tubes or there is their obstruction.

In these cases, the results of artificial insemination with high probability will be negative. Therefore, there is no point in carrying it out.

When choosing medical institution To carry out the procedure, you should take into account the equipment of the clinic, the experience of the specialists working in it and the authority of the medical institution.

If such a procedure requires donor sperm, then the specialists of the AltraVita clinic will offer a number of candidates from the donor catalog. This is where the largest sperm bank in our country is located.

Analyzes before AI

Before the procedure, both partners mandatory undergo a series of tests.

The woman is prescribed the following tests:

blood test for hormones;
detection of antibodies to the rubella virus (this virus poses a threat to the life of the unborn child during pregnancy and can also cause the development of birth defects);
analysis for tumor markers;
STD testing;
determination of the concentration of sex hormones in the blood;
Ultrasound of the fallopian tubes (to determine their patency) and the uterus.

A man undergoes an STD test and a spermogram, the results of which determine the quality of his seminal fluid and its suitability for use during IUI.

Preparing for artificial insemination

Depending on the reasons that prevent conception from occurring naturally, artificial insemination can be carried out in parallel. drug therapy aimed at stimulating ovulation. In this case, the effectiveness of IUI will be much higher, since not one, but several follicles will mature. True, this sharply increases the risk of developing multiple pregnancies.

It is important to correctly calculate the time when intrauterine insemination will be most effective. For this purpose, an ultrasound is performed 8 days after the start of menstruation. When the follicle reaches required sizes, an injection of hCG is made, and 12–40 hours after this, IUI is performed.

In addition, preparation for insemination involves diagnosing the cause of infertility. The procedure is performed only for those women who have maintained a normal menstrual cycle, who ovulate monthly, and whose internal genital organs are normal structure, and the fallopian tubes are completely patent.

Carrying out AI

Pre-prepared and processed seminal fluid is drawn into a special syringe. It is attached to a plastic catheter, which is inserted into the cervical canal and uterus. After installing the catheter, the slow injection of sperm begins. Patients who have undergone insemination leave good reviews. Women note that the manipulation is practically painless and takes little time. After the procedure, there is no need for a stay in an inpatient department or special rehabilitation measures - the patient can lead a normal lifestyle.

The cost of this manipulation may vary. This depends primarily on whether the husband's or donor's sperm will be used. IUI prices at the AltraVita clinic are indicated at the beginning of this page.

Many doctors are trying to solve the problem of infertility by artificial means, including insemination of a woman’s uterus with her partner’s sperm. The method has its advantages and disadvantages. Despite the fact that the effectiveness of the procedure is low and amounts to about 15-20%, the method is being used more and more often.

Intrauterine insemination is the artificial implantation of a partner's sperm into a woman's uterus. The method is carried out to ensure reproductive functions partners. The method has its advantages.

It is closest to the act of natural fertilization; it has affordable price, the method is easy to carry out and does not require expensive preparation and the use of a large number of medications.

Disadvantages include minor pain during the procedure, invasiveness (introduction into a woman’s body), which results in an increased risk of infection. The method also has a low percentage of successful fertilization.

Who is the procedure indicated for?

Insemination can be performed on any couple with infertility or single women who do not have a partner but want to have a child. Artificial insemination can be indicated for both male and female female uniform infertility.

For successful fertilization hormonal background women should be normal, there should also be good patency of the woman’s genital tract, there should not be inflammatory diseases mucous membranes of the uterus and vagina, as this may interfere with the attachment of the fertilized egg (zygote) to the endometrium.

In addition, healthy sperm with a sufficient number of active sperm must enter the uterine cavity. If one of the points necessary for fertilization is absent or fails, conception may not occur.

Artificial insemination for a reason is carried out when there is a violation of the structure, number or motility of sperm, a violation of ejaculatory functions or impotence.

The reasons for this condition may be the following factors:

genital injuries;
past infectious diseases ( mumps or, hepatitis, gonorrhea, syphilis, tuberculosis);
alcohol or smoking abuse;
emotional or physical stress.

Intrauterine insemination due to female infertility is carried out in case of anatomical incompetence of the female genital organs, diseases endocrine system, lack or excess of hormones.

The causes of such conditions may be the following factors:

"Cervical factor on the part of the woman." This is a condition in which the cervical canal is covered with very thick and viscous mucus. Sperm trapped in it cannot enter the uterine cavity, and sperm cannot reach their destination - the egg.
Vaginismus is a condition in which spasm (contraction) of the vaginal muscles occurs, which interferes with sexual intercourse and conception.
Idiopathic (without obvious reason) infertility.
Chronic inflammatory diseases of the uterus (for example, chronic endocervicitis).
Previous operations on the uterus that make pregnancy difficult (amputation, cryotherapy).
An allergy to seminal fluid or the woman’s body secreting antibodies to her partner’s sperm.
Ovulation disorders.

Who is contraindicated for artificial insemination with sperm?

patients with severe mental illness who cannot bear a child;
women with obstruction or absence of fallopian tubes;
in the absence of genital organs (uterus or ovaries);
for severe inflammatory diseases of the female genital organs (for example, grade 3-4 endometriosis);
neoplasms of the female genital organs;
malformations of the uterus, in which it is impossible to get pregnant (for example, a bicornuate uterus).

Preparation for the procedure

Correct intrauterine insemination should begin with the preparation of the material – the partner’s sperm. Either unprocessed seminal fluid (native sperm) or processed purified sperm is used.

The second option is preferable, since some women may experience allergic reaction in the form anaphylactic shock immediately after insemination. The reaction occurs to a protein contained in a man's sperm.

Processing of the material involves separating sperm from seminal fluid, which reduces the risk of anaphylaxis. In addition, the selection of the most active sperm is carried out, which increases the likelihood successful conception.

Frozen donor sperm material can also be used. In this case, the seminal fluid is frozen for at least six months, after which it is re-checked for infection.

Artificial insemination with donor sperm is used if there is genetic diseases in a man, which can be transmitted to a child, as well as for women who do not have a sexual partner, but want to become pregnant.

If there is a lack of sex hormones or a violation of ovulatory functions, hormonal stimulation is performed before the procedure. This leads to the maturation of the egg in the woman’s ovary and its release into the lumen fallopian tube(ovulation).

Sperm insemination procedure

For successful insemination and conception to occur, sperm must be introduced at the time of ovulation. To do this, after hormonal stimulation of the ovaries, observation is carried out using an ultrasound machine. The doctor monitors the growth of follicles.

Artificial insemination is carried out either a day before ovulation or a few hours after it. It is interesting that several ovulations can occur in one menstrual cycle, then more than one injection of sperm can be carried out. So, a woman can undergo from one to three inseminations per cycle.

One more important point, necessary for successful conception, is sufficient preparedness of the endometrium of the uterus (mucous membrane). This factor is monitored using ultrasound and, if the thickness of the membrane is small, appropriate hormones are administered.

Direct injection of sperm takes place on a gynecological chair, reminiscent of a regular examination by a gynecologist. The material is introduced using a special catheter directly into the uterine cavity.

As a rule, the procedure is painless. On the day of the procedure, the woman is advised to avoid physical and emotional stress. In addition, it is advisable to comply careful hygiene genital organs, since the uterus after the procedure is very sensitive and can easily become infected.

The success of conception depends on several factors:

the age of the woman (it is recommended to carry out the procedure up to 40 years);
causes of infertility ( male infertility reduces the chances of success);
past infectious or inflammatory diseases of the female genital organs, since after them scar changes can form on the mucous membrane.

Possible consequences and complications after insemination:

Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. This condition occurs when the body is overly sensitive to hormonal drugs or due to incorrect selection of hormone doses. At the same time, the ovaries begin to actively increase in size, and metabolism is disrupted. As a result, protein metabolism is disrupted and the blood pressure, a large amount of fluid is released into the abdominal cavity. The functions of many organs (liver, kidneys) are impaired. This condition does not go away on its own; the woman needs to be hospitalized in a hospital, and insemination must be postponed.
Multiple pregnancy (increases the risk of self-abortion).
Allergy to implanted sperm.
If the rules of asepsis are violated, acute infectious or inflammatory process in the female genitals.
Ectopic (ectopic) pregnancy. In this case, pregnancy is impossible.

Like any method, artificial insemination has its drawbacks. However, the procedure is often used as an alternative in vitro fertilization, which helps many couples have a baby.