Artificial insemination as a method of ART. Artificial intrauterine insemination with husband's or donor's sperm - indications, preparation for surgery and price

For couples facing infertility, assisted reproductive technologies become a chance to become parents.

One of the simple and accessible methods of assisted reproduction is artificial insemination. What is the essence of the procedure? How to behave after insemination? Who is it indicated for and are there high chances of pregnancy?

Artificial insemination - what is it?

Artificial insemination can rightfully be considered one of the first scientific methods of assisted reproduction. At the end of the 18th century, the Italian doctor Lazaro Spalazzi first tested it on a dog, resulting in healthy offspring of three puppies.

Six years later, in 1790, artificial insemination (AI) was first tested on humans: in Scotland, Dr. John Hunter inseminated a patient with the sperm of her husband, who suffered from an abnormal penis structure. Today the procedure is widely used throughout the world.

Artificial (intrauterine) insemination is a technology that involves the introduction of male sperm into the cervical canal or uterus of a woman. For this, a catheter and syringe are used. The day for AI is calculated taking into account the patient’s menstrual cycle.

It is necessary to accurately determine the periovulatory period, otherwise the procedure will be useless. The technology is used both in the natural menstrual cycle and in the hormonally stimulated one.

Sperm is obtained outside of sexual intercourse in advance (and then frozen, thawing on the day of AI) or several hours before the procedure. It can be processed or introduced unchanged.

How effective is artificial insemination? The statistical results are not very promising: fertilization occurs in only 12% of cases.

Who is the procedure indicated for?

For women, indications for vaginal insemination are:

1. the desire to become pregnant “for oneself” without having a sexual partner;
2. infertility caused by cervical factors (cervical pathologies);
3. Vaginismus.

Indications for insemination on the part of men are as follows:

• infertility;
• disorders of an ejaculatory-sexual nature;
• unfavorable prognosis for genetic diseases transmitted by inheritance;
• sperm subfertility.

In the first three cases, donor sperm is used.

After the procedure: how does the woman feel?

In order to undergo intrauterine insemination, a woman does not need to go to the hospital at all. The procedure is performed on an outpatient basis and lasts only a few minutes.

How does the patient feel? In practice, she experiences sensations that are no different from those during a routine gynecological examination. A speculum is inserted into the vagina, and perhaps the most unpleasant experience is associated with this. They disappear almost immediately after artificial insemination.

For a short time, there may be a painful pulling sensation in the lower abdomen, which is caused by irritation of the uterus. In rare cases, anaphylactic shock may occur with the introduction of unpurified seminal fluid.

To avoid allergic reactions and to improve the quality of sperm, it is recommended to clean it, even if the seed of the patient’s spouse is used as a biomaterial.

How to behave after completion of the procedure?

The gynecologist performing the procedure will definitely tell you how to behave after insemination, warn about possible consequences, and give the necessary recommendations. Immediately after the injection of sperm, the woman will need to remain in a supine position for one and a half to two hours.

A small pillow should be placed under the buttocks - an elevated pelvis facilitates better advancement of injected sperm into the fallopian tubes. This increases the chance of conception, for which, in fact, artificial insemination was carried out.

The success rate of the procedure depends on the patient’s age, the state of her reproductive health, and the quality of the sperm used. To increase the efficiency of AI, the donor material is processed, as a result of which only the highest quality sperm remain.

To ensure that a potentially fertilized egg can fully develop and implantation of the fertilized egg is successful, hormonal therapy with progesterone is prescribed. If three cycles in a row after artificial insemination do not conceive, other methods of assisted reproduction are selected.

What can and cannot be done during insemination?

Fertilization does not occur immediately at the moment of sperm injection; it requires several hours, up to a day, after insemination. What to do to increase the chance of pregnancy?

On the first day you must refuse:

1. from taking a bath, as water helps wash out some of the sperm from the vagina;
2. from douching;
3. from the administration of vaginal medications.

But having sex is not on the list of things that should not be done after insemination; some experts even see a benefit in this: unprotected sexual contact promotes better movement of injected sperm into the tubes.

Conclusion

By following these recommendations after insemination, within a week (that’s how long it takes for a fertilized egg to move into the uterine cavity and attach there) you can conduct a blood test for hCG. This hormone is a marker of pregnancy; it begins to be produced immediately after implantation of the fertilized egg into the uterus. A home express diagnostic method - a pregnancy test - is not advisable to use earlier than 12-14 days. In urine, the concentration of hCG is achieved somewhat later than in the blood.

Video: Intrauterine insemination (IUI)

Among the methods of overcoming infertility, artificial insemination stands out - a procedure that, unlike, allows one to achieve pregnancy with virtually no intervention in the woman’s body. This medical manipulation gives a real chance to become parents to many couples who in the recent past were considered infertile. How is artificial insemination performed and reviews about the procedure?

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A non-invasive procedure called insemination involves the introduction of a man's sperm into a woman's uterus using a special catheter and syringe.

Initially, doctors practiced various methods of introducing sperm into the body of the expectant mother. Insemination could be:

• intracervical;
• in the area of ​​the fallopian tubes;
• into the peritoneum;
• intrauterine.

The last method was recognized as the most effective - it is used today in most cases.

But first the couple needs to get tested. An approximate list is presented in the table:

Important: good patency of the pipes is a necessary condition for the manipulation. If one of them is clogged with adhesions or fluid, there is a high risk of complications - ectopic pregnancy. If both tubes are completely obstructed, insemination does not make sense: the egg will not meet the sperm.

The procedure is performed only if the woman has spontaneous (or hormone-stimulated) ovulation. In order to track the moment of ovulation, starting from the 8th-9th day of the cycle, the reproductive specialist performs folliculometry, observing the dominant follicle and choosing the time to administer a small dose of hCG. 24-36 hours after the hCG injection, the largest follicle bursts - the egg goes “on the hunt”. It is very important not to be late here.

This procedure, unfortunately, is not a panacea. Pregnancy with artificial insemination is possible if:

• the man has subfertile sperm (i.e. there are few viable sperm or many of them have defects);
• the man has been diagnosed with ejaculatory-sexual disorders;
• a woman’s body actively produces sperm, which immediately kill sperm in the vagina, preventing them from reaching the egg;
• the partner experiences vaginismus (involuntary contraction of the vaginal muscles, making normal sexual intercourse impossible).

The procedure helps to get rid of infertility also in cases where its causes could not be established. Good effectiveness is observed with so-called psychological infertility, when a woman’s body destroys sperm after normal sexual intercourse due to some internal problems that have “gone” to the subconscious level.

Note! Insemination will not allow you to acquire heirs if:

• no ovulation;
• pipes are missing or impassable;
• woman's age is more than 39−40 years;
• early ovarian exhaustion or menopause is observed; all eggs mature with defects.

After the necessary preliminary examinations have been carried out, the woman is prescribed a course of drugs - gonadotropins - to stimulate ovulation.

If there are no hormonal problems, the ovaries are working normally, the doctor simply tracks the day of the supposed rupture of the dominant follicle. An hCG injection is prescribed about a day before insemination, so that the follicle does not develop into a cyst and “releases” the egg.

Most often, the procedure is performed on days 12–14 of the cycle (at this time the periovulatory phase occurs). A couple of hours before the manipulation, the woman comes to the clinic, where she undergoes a control ultrasound, and sperm is collected from her husband.

Next, the husband is released, and the wife must come to the moment when the sperm is processed. The sperm is put through a centrifuge to purify it. If unprocessed sperm enters the uterus, it can cause severe allergic reactions, including anaphylactic shock.

Having prepared the sperm for artificial insemination, the doctor invites the woman to the operating room. You need to change into a disposable robe and cap, and replace your shoes with shoe covers.

The patient is located in a gynecological chair. Under ultrasound control, the doctor inserts a catheter into the uterus, at one end of which a syringe with sperm is attached. The infusion is made slowly to avoid reflex contraction of the uterine muscles. Then the catheter is removed, the woman remains in the chair for another 10 minutes, and after artificial insemination she rests in the room for half an hour.

Then you can go home or to work, and after 14 days do a test or donate blood for hCG.

The manipulation itself takes about 5 minutes. It is completely painless and does not require anesthesia, since the catheter is thin. The only “but”: those patients whose neck is very narrow or tortuous may need intramuscular injection of painkillers: no-shpa or ketorol. They will relax the muscles and facilitate the process of inserting the catheter.

To support the luteal phase, doctors prescribe medications with progesterone. Usually these are Utrozhestan or Duphaston capsules. They are inserted into the vagina to make the endometrium “lush” and to support the corpus luteum, without the normal functioning of which the embryo will not be established.

Price of the procedure

The price for artificial insemination is about 12-15 thousand rubles (this does not include hormones to stimulate ovulation and tests). For tests, you will have to add another 8 thousand for the wife and 3-4 thousand for the husband. Compared to the costs of IVF, this is very little.

The procedure is simple and rarely causes complications, since the intervention in the woman’s body is minimal. However, many are depressing statistics: according to research, only 11-15% of women who decide to carry it out succeed in becoming pregnant through insemination. The chances of having a child with IVF reach 45% (if the spouses are young and relatively healthy).

But the procedure can be repeated several times without interruption, as soon as the new egg matures, and the cost of artificial insemination is low. It is believed that it is advisable to perform insemination 3 times - after this, the effectiveness drops sharply.

It would seem that everything turned out the way I wanted: a successful career, a happy marriage, a settled life, best friends and pleasant leisure time.

But there is no happiness...

Infertility... A terrible word. Sounds like a sentence. But that's just the sound. Thanks to reproductive methods of treatment, the problem of infertility does not exist today.

Artificial insemination (AI)

is the simplest, most accessible and, in some cases, effective method of assisted reproductive technology. This is a procedure in which pre-treated sperm is injected into the uterus outside of sexual intercourse. What happens next is as usual: sperm move through the fallopian tubes to the egg and fertilize it. A pregnancy obtained in this way is no different from a normal pregnancy.

Indications for AI:

• male factor infertility (poor sperm analysis, sexual dysfunction);
• cervical infertility in women (changes in the properties of uterine mucus, involuntary contractions of the vaginal muscles caused by fear of sexual intercourse);
• lack of a partner for a woman.

If you have similar problems, perhaps conducting AI is your path to long-awaited happiness.

Necessary examinations before performing AI

This is how it is with us: if pregnancy occurs naturally, then it doesn’t matter at all who is sick and what. And if you turn to doctors for “long-awaited happiness,” then you must be healthy.I stood on the threshold of the clinic and was preparing to take the first step...

You will have to undergo a full examination for sexually transmitted infections (for both partners), have an ultrasound done to exclude possible gynecological diseases that may be an obstacle to pregnancy or pregnancy (for a woman), and have a spermogram analyzed (for a man).

To prescribe an AI procedure, it is necessary to exclude the presence of diseases in a woman that prevent pregnancy. After all, if menstruation occurs on time, this is not at all a reason to think that you are healthy, and a mature and ovulated follicle does not at all mean that a full-fledged, good-quality egg has matured.

But the most important condition for carrying out AI is the patency of the fallopian tubes, or at least one tube. If you haven't been offered a tubal check, run away from this quack doctor. Lack of information about the fallopian tubes not only sharply reduces the effectiveness of AI, but also increases the risk of ectopic pregnancy.

The examination scheme is simple: they check the functioning of the ovaries (maturation of the eggs), the patency of the tubes (the place where the egg meets the sperm), the condition of the uterine cavity (the ability of the embryo to attach).

The decision on the advisability of insemination will be based, among other things, on sperm quality indicators.

... A complete examination in a modern reproductive clinic took me (and my husband) a little over 2 weeks. I didn’t take leave, I just ran to the doctor or the laboratory in the morning, and then to work. I can say that the examination is not a cheap pleasure, but the doctor assured me that such a thorough examination has its advantages. Firstly, the AI ​​procedure is prescribed to me according to my indications and the obstacles to pregnancy will be minimized. Secondly, I will be sure that during the subsequent pregnancy my child will not be threatened by any infection, because carrying out treatment with a child already under the heart is quite dangerous and not always possible. And yet, I realized that I had taken the most important first step towards a long-awaited pregnancy.

Preparing for AI

When all the tests and examination conclusions are ready, the doctor will decide on the advisability of performing AI. If this reproductive treatment method is right for you, you proceed to the next step - preparing for the AI ​​procedure. Preparation for insemination involves determining the date of ovulation, hormonal stimulation of the ovaries (if necessary), monitoring the growth of the endometrium in the uterus, and preparing sperm.

Ovulation is the time when a mature egg is released from the ovary/follicle, occurring approximately in the middle of the menstrual cycle. The most favorable time for conception is a day before ovulation and a few hours after; this time is ideal for carrying out AI. Although insemination 2-3 days before ovulation can also lead to pregnancy.

To determine the time of ovulation with an accuracy of at least the day and maturity of the egg, ultrasound monitoring is performed. From the beginning of the menstrual cycle in which AI is supposed to be performed, ultrasound is performed several times, tracking the functioning of the ovaries and the growth of one or more follicles (eggs). Ovulation occurs when the follicle reaches a size of 18-22 mm.

In addition to ultrasound, you can independently determine the time of ovulation using ovulation tests. Such tests, similar to tests for determining pregnancy by urine, are sold in pharmacies and can show those “cherished” days when ovulation occurs.

AI can be carried out either in a natural cycle or with the use of hormonal stimulation of the ovaries, which will lead to the maturation of several follicles/eggs and increases the likelihood of pregnancy. In the second case, starting from the first day of the cycle, the doctor prescribes stimulant drugs.

In addition to controlling the growth and maturation of follicles/eggs, an important factor for pregnancy is the thickness of the endometrium in the uterus at the time of ovulation. During ultrasound monitoring, the growth of the endometrium is monitored and if the growth is insufficient (by the time of ovulation it should be at least 9 mm), additional hormonal drugs are prescribed to build up the endometrium.

Preparing sperm for AI takes about 2 hours. It takes about an hour to liquefy it, then the sperm must be processed without delay, otherwise its quality will deteriorate. Treated sperm can be stored for several hours without losing its quality. If cryopreserved sperm is used, it will take more time to defrost it.

On the 7th day of the menstrual cycle, I had my first ultrasound. Even then, the dominant follicle was visible, storing that same egg.

On the 12th day of the cycle, an ovulation test showed two lines. This means that ovulation will occur within 24 hours. I was happy like crazy, as if I was already pregnant. My beautiful egg will be ready to meet her prince very soon!

On the 13th day of the cycle, in the morning, the doctor confirmed that ovulation was about to occur, the endometrium had grown to 11 mm, and suggested insemination.

I called my husband and asked him to come urgently.

AI procedure itself

The AI ​​procedure itself (sperm injection) takes several minutes. The woman sits comfortably in the gynecological chair. Specially prepared sperm is injected directly into the uterine cavity using a catheter. That's all! The procedure is performed by one person, usually your doctor.

The procedure was painless, I only felt a slight tugging. After injecting the sperm, the doctor left me to lie down for 20-30 minutes. I lay there and imagined the process of conception, the meeting of egg and sperm, fertilization. I dreamed about my future baby, I thought what he would be like, who he would look like and what gender. For some reason I imagined a girl with blond pigtails and plump lips. I tuned in to a positive mood and a positive result and became confident that I would become a mother very soon!

The estimated cost of AI consists of several components:

initial consultation with a doctor - 100-300 UAH.

examination for infections, viruses, hormonal examinations - 1000 UAH.

checking the patency of the fallopian tubes - x-ray (for women) - 300-450 UAH.

spermogram (for men) - 100-250 UAH.

cost of ultrasound monitoring (at least 2-3 ultrasounds required) - 100-150 UAH.

insemination procedure (including sperm preparation) - 1000 UAH.

Thus, the estimated cost of the AI ​​procedure is 2800 - 3450 UAH. This amount can be increased in the case of using donor sperm (approximately 500 UAH) and using medications for ovarian stimulation (the cost is comparable to the cost of medical services for insemination - 1000 UAH).

By the way, a higher price for the insemination procedure compared to other clinics does not always mean that this clinic has a better result.

AI success rate and possible reasons for failure

Pregnancy as a result of insemination occurs less frequently than during natural sexual activity in healthy couples, and than during in vitro fertilization (IVF). That is, the probability of pregnancy in one cycle during insemination is less than 30%. Therefore, you should be prepared to carry out at least 3-4 cycles of insemination. However, each subsequent AI will cost less by the amount of the examination and will be approximately 1400 - 1550 UAH.

If pregnancy does not occur after 3-4 cycles of insemination, it is recommended to change the treatment method.

Possible reasons for failure:

1. Insemination was not carried out according to indications; there are obstacles to pregnancy. To avoid failure for this reason, in fact, a full examination is carried out.

2. Insemination was carried out insufficiently qualified or carelessly. Perhaps the ovulation period was not set correctly or there was a delay in sperm preparation, which affected its quality. In this case, you may want to think about changing clinics or doctors.

3. Bad luck. If you have only completed 1-2 cycles of inseminations and are confident in your doctor, most likely you are just out of luck. Talk to your doctor about using ovarian stimulation if it was absent, changing stimulation medications, performing 2-3 inseminations per cycle if only 1 was performed, increasing the time of sexual abstinence for a man before donating sperm (up to 5 days).

On the 22nd day of the cycle, I felt that I was pregnant. A new life had settled in me and was already making itself felt. Before, I would never have believed this, and no one believed me. And I felt it!

With some unbearable effort I restrained myself from taking the test, because it was too early.

I behaved more quietly than usual, as if I was afraid of scaring away my happiness. And I waited every minute.

On the 26th day of the cycle, the test showed the coveted two stripes - one was very pale, but we saw it! I AM PREGNANT!

Tears of happiness...my...husband...

HAPPINNES EXISTS!

P.S. By the way, we are having a girl!

The diagnosis of infertility is not a death sentence and very often it can be overcome by performing a simple and relatively inexpensive procedure - artificial insemination, as one of the methods of artificial insemination.

Carrying out the intrauterine insemination procedure increases the likelihood of natural conception, since male sperm are previously carefully selected and divided into groups of the most active ones. They, together with female eggs, are fed with special microelements and are also immersed in a favorable, sterile environment for development. In laboratory conditions, protein-enriched sperm is prepared for injection into the uterus, due to which its “path to the goal” is significantly shortened, which means that even low sperm motility cannot interfere with conception.

Thus, after artificial insemination, the likelihood of a long-awaited pregnancy increases. As follows from the results of research at the Institute of Reproductology, pregnancy after insemination occurs in 30% of cases.

Sometimes the procedure is prescribed after laparoscopy, which stimulates ovulation, and in each individual case the indications for its implementation are determined by the doctor.

Application of insemination

A man’s satisfactory state of health and regular sex life, unfortunately, do not always guarantee his ability to fertilize. Not only injuries and overheating of the genital organs, but also various infectious diseases and bad habits can have a detrimental effect on male reproductive function. All these reasons directly affect the quality of seminal fluid and sperm motility.

But insemination is recommended not only for male infertility. There are cases when, after many unsuccessful attempts to get pregnant, a woman’s cervix begins to produce antibodies to individual components of her partner’s sperm, perceiving it as a foreign substance.

During the insemination procedure, seed material from both the husband and the donor can be used, and the procedure is the same. The only differences are in the indications for fertilization.

Insemination with the husband's sperm is prescribed in the following cases:

• when the seminal fluid is of poor quality and sperm have poor motility;
• the man does not ejaculate or suffers from impotence;
• female vaginismus, which prevents normal sexual intercourse;
• in the presence of antisperm antibodies in the cervical canal of a woman’s uterus.

Donor material for fertilization is used when:

• the woman’s sexual partner has no sperm;
• the husband suffers from infectious diseases that are dangerous for the child;
• there is a risk of genetic abnormalities and hereditary diseases;
• the woman does not have a sexual partner.

Preparing for AI

Just making the decision to undergo artificial insemination is not enough, and partners who dream of conceiving a child should first contact a specialist in the field of intrauterine insemination. The doctor will analyze the situation, take a family history, and prescribe an examination plan.

To begin with, venous blood is taken from a man and a woman for HIV, torque infections, hepatitis, as well as a passive hemagglutination reaction (RPHA). After three days of abstinence from sexual intercourse, the expectant father must undergo a spermogram and a test to identify antisperm bodies.

Favorable flora of the genital organs contributes to the proper development of the baby, therefore, during the examination, the woman additionally takes a culture in the period from 15 to 24 days of the menstrual cycle. Infections such as papillomavirus, ureplasma, group B streptococcus can interfere with the full gestation of the fetus. These diseases are usually asymptomatic, so the importance of these studies in preparation for the procedure is especially high.

The sperm is also prepared before insemination. The laboratory assistant liquefies the seminal fluid and cleans it of cellular debris and proteins. Then, under a microscope, the most motile and morphologically suitable sperm are selected to be used in the fertilization process.

Intrauterine insemination with the sperm of a partner or donor is carried out during ovulation, at the moment a mature and ready-to-conceive egg leaves the ovary. If a woman has problems with ovulation, then doctors additionally stimulate the ovaries through hormone therapy. Preliminary stimulation increases the effectiveness of the procedure and also allows you to calculate the exact time of ovulation.

Insemination: how the manipulation works

The chronology of insemination consists of the following sequence:

1. After the partners come to the fertility doctor’s office at the appointed time, the doctor’s first step is to prepare the sperm for use. A cell specialist selects the fraction of the most viable sperm and adds all the necessary substances to them. Centrifugation, enrichment and semen separation usually takes about 45 minutes.
2. After manipulating the sperm, it must be administered within the next few hours.
3. At the same time, the gynecologist must confirm the occurrence of ovulation by performing folliculometry. If the egg does not leave the ovary, folliculometry is repeated again one day after insemination.
4. The doctor places the purified sperm into a syringe with a long catheter. His fertility specialist carefully inserts it into the woman’s cervical canal and leaves all the selected sperm there.
5. If the procedure is performed correctly, then the sperm closest to the entrance to the fallopian tubes penetrate inside without barriers and fertilize the egg.

This is the process of intrauterine insemination with sperm. It is absolutely painless, and all instruments used are sterile and disposable.

The completion of the manipulations is the attachment of a special cap to the cervix. This is necessary to ensure that the introduced liquid does not leak out. After 8 hours, you can remove the cap yourself. Sexual intercourse is not prohibited, but on the contrary, it is recommended.

2 weeks after AI, a woman must undergo a blood test from a vein to determine the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin.

If pregnancy occurs, your doctor will most likely recommend homeopathic maintenance therapy. If conception does not occur, then, if the partners wish, another fertilization cycle will be scheduled. There is no need to worry about the fact that you were unable to get pregnant the first time, since there are biological reserves of eggs and fertilization cannot take place in every AI cycle. However, the effectiveness of artificial insemination increases from time to time.

Many fertility centers have a discount system, according to which the price is reduced for subsequent cycles of artificial insemination. If the AI's attempts are unsuccessful, the discount also applies to IVF.

Pregnancy after AI

The first sign of pregnancy after the intrauterine insemination procedure is a woman’s delayed menstruation. If the development of the embryo has begun, the gynecologist may prescribe maintenance therapy to the expectant mother.

The probability of conception after the first cycle in this case is 15%, but if this does not happen, then it is advisable to continue treatment up to 4 cycles. It is impossible to stimulate the ovaries more than 4 times, and as an alternative method, doctors may recommend using the IVF method.

If the patient’s age does not exceed 30 years, she is healthy, and the partner’s sperm is of good quality, then the chances of fertilization increase.

Advantages and disadvantages of insemination

Advantages of the artificial insemination procedure:

• naturalness of manipulation;
• genetic connection between parents and child in the event of pregnancy;
• low cost of reproductive procedures.

Disadvantages of insemination:

• additional hormone therapy can cause hyperstimulation of the ovaries, in which they enlarge and release a lot of fluid into the abdominal cavity. This leads to an increase in overall body weight and a feeling of bloating;
• If a catheter is inserted incorrectly into the uterine cavity, the likelihood of infection increases.

Contraindications to insemination:

• oncological diseases;
• infertility due to pathological changes in the uterus as a result of malformations or acquired diseases;
• diseases for which pregnancy is contraindicated;
• structural changes in the endometrium.

Helpful Tips:

1. The priority area of ​​activity of a reproductologist is the use of sperm from the patient’s sexual partner. Therefore, if a man’s seminal fluid contains even the smallest amount of viable sperm, the doctor will do everything possible to effectively carry out insemination.
2. The more active cells in the sperm, the more likely it is that the AI ​​procedure will result in successful conception. If the mobility of cells capable of fertilization is low, the doctor may choose a method of hormonal stimulation of ovulation.
3. For insemination, only fresh, not pre-frozen biological material from a man is taken. Additional freezing can impair the properties of sperm, slow down sperm motility and even suppress them.
4. For the procedure to be successful, a woman must have at least one healthy fallopian tube and there must be no serious contraindications to its procedure.

Intrauterine insemination at home

If you decide to carry out this manipulation at home, then you need to be well prepared for it. First of all, buy all the necessary tools:

• syringe without needle;
• catheter;
• tests to determine ovulation.

Insemination at home should be carried out at a time when the egg is in a mature state and is ready to meet the sperm. Therefore, if you plan everything regardless of the menstrual cycle, then all your efforts will be in vain.

The first cycle of artificial insemination should be done independently two days before ovulation and then repeated every 48 hours. Place your partner’s sperm in a separate sterile container, but remember that no more than 2 hours should pass from the moment of ejaculation to insemination.

Before the procedure, relax and set your thoughts in a positive way.
The chronology of artificial insemination at home consists of the following stages:

1. Draw some semen into the syringe and insert a catheter.
2. When inserting a syringe into the vagina, you should not use lubricant, as it can damage the sperm.
3. Once the catheter is completely immersed, gently press the plunger and release the contents of the syringe.
4. For comfort, place pillows under your pelvis so that it is elevated during insemination.

You should remain in this position for a while so that the seminal fluid does not leak out. After a few hours, it is recommended to experience an orgasm. In this case, the walls of the uterus shrink, which in itself promotes the advancement of sperm.

The results of the procedure can be found out after some time using a pregnancy test.

In conclusion, I would like to note the importance of the age of the expectant mother when carrying out this type of fertilization. The quality of eggs decreases after 35 years, so fertility doctors recommend using the traditional IVF method at this age.

Artificial insemination. Video

More recently, in the 20th century, a similar diagnosis was given to married couples who could not conceive a child for 6-8 years, despite regular marital relations. In the 21st century, this diagnosis began to be made much more often, since the indicator has shifted significantly - they are now considering the possibility of conceiving within a year if they refuse contraceptives.

The percentage of couples suffering from infertility has increased significantly, but the number of requests for this problem to official medicine after 1-3 years of married life has not increased. This happens because families dreaming of children know about the IVF procedure - which is quite expensive - and do not suspect that there is a cheaper procedure - artificial insemination. It requires almost no preparation and is performed on women who are under 30 years of age and have fallopian tubes in physiological condition.

The procedure is indicated for couples in which the man has problems conceiving or incompatibility has emerged between the partners. With artificial insemination, the chance of getting pregnant is 20%. The procedure can be performed 3 times in a row.

Preparing for artificial insemination

Before the procedure, both partners must sign documents confirming their consent to the manipulation. If fertilization is carried out with the husband's sperm, then there are fewer papers, the donor - their number increases significantly.

Next, an examination is carried out, as before any surgical intervention. They donate blood to determine their health and immune status, for AIDS, the Wasserman reaction, biochemistry, and various types of hepatitis. If necessary, treatment is prescribed. The woman finds out that at least one tube must function, otherwise the sperm and egg will not meet.

The presence of identified antibodies to pathogens is not a contraindication for manipulation - some married couples turn to medical help in order to increase the chance of having a healthy baby, and they are met halfway. If the husband has hepatitis or AIDS, the sperm quality is low or there are hereditary diseases, donor sperm is used.

After the tests have been completed, ovulation stimulation begins. At this time, it is advisable for the patient to be constantly under the supervision of a doctor so as not to miss this moment. She has to visit the gynecologist up to 3-4 times from the beginning of the cycle chosen for pregnancy. At the appointment, she undergoes an ultrasound of the fallopian tubes to ensure that the formation of an egg is not missed.

If, under the influence of hormonal drugs, there is multiple ovulation, the cycle is skipped.

Preparing sperm for artificial insemination

Insemination with sperm is considered more successful if the ejaculate is fresh. It must be taken on the day of the procedure, several hours before it.

There are 2 ways to process semen: flotation and centrifuge processing. Treatment of seminal fluid is necessary to remove from it a substance that inhibits the activity of the sperm head - acrosin.

First, the sperm is poured into cups to liquefy and left for 2-3 hours, and then activated with special preparations or passed through a centrifuge, separating non-viable or inactive sperm. The chances of getting pregnant from sperm processed in a centrifuge are higher than after flotation.

Pre-prepared sperm can be used – frozen at a temperature below -196 ºС. A preservative is used if donor sperm is used.

How is the insemination procedure performed?

The woman is invited to a regular gynecological office and placed in a chair, as for an examination. The ejaculate is poured into a syringe-like device, the cervix is ​​opened - in most cases under anesthesia - and the semen is injected using a catheter. After the procedure, the woman should lie on the gynecological chair for another 30-40 minutes, no more. Insemination takes place quite quickly and, importantly, is almost painless.

• do not have sexual relations for up to 3 days;
• do not use medications;
• do not drink alcohol;
• avoid smoking;
• do not lift weights and give up sports for a week.

In some cases, drugs with progesterone are prescribed - usually topical in suppositories.

If after 11-15 days menstruation has not occurred, we can conclude that the procedure was successful and the couple has a chance to become parents.

Neither pregnancy nor childbirth after intrauterine insemination differs from the usual processes of bearing a fetus. A woman must register and take all tests on time in order to successfully prepare for childbirth. Artificial insemination is not an indication for cesarean section.

The only difference between such fertilization and conventional fertilization is that the chance of multiple pregnancy increases. The probability of having twins is 16%, triplets – 3%.

Selecting a donor for artificial insemination

You should not be afraid to resort to donor services - the donor material and the donor himself are examined very carefully. Only men whose sperm contains 20 million sperm per 1 ml of ejaculate, of which more than 60% are active, are considered eligible.

The donor is examined upon registration, and then annually 2 times a year by a urologist and 1 time by a therapist. In order to be admitted to artificial insemination, he takes tests before the manipulation itself.

These include, in addition to the general ones:

• tests for Wasserman reaction and AIDS;
• hepatitis tests;
• bacterial culture of sperm.

The donor must be examined for mental health.

3 days before donating the seed material, alcohol is completely excluded from the diet, and donors abstain from sexual intercourse. The selection of a donor is carried out taking into account the nationality of the couple, appearance, and even the psychotype is taken into account.

difference between artificial insemination and IVF

These are completely different procedures. During insemination, ejaculate is artificially introduced, but conception occurs naturally - the egg meets the sperm in the fallopian tube, and all further stages proceed in the usual way. If a woman has adhesions or there is no patency of the fallopian tubes, manipulation is not performed. Age over 38 years is also considered a contraindication to insemination - even if the reproductive organs are in perfect condition, the mobility of the egg is reduced.

During in vitro fertilization - IVF - a ready-made embryo - or rather several embryos - is implanted into the uterus to increase the chance of pregnancy. Conception occurs in a test tube, the egg is artificially fertilized.

In most cases, inseminization is prescribed when a cervical factor is detected - a woman’s secretion kills incoming sperm - or in case of reproductive problems or certain diseases of the partner.

IVF is carried out in case of obstruction of the fallopian tubes or their absence, menstrual irregularities, polycystic disease and many other problems of the female body.

self-artificial insemination

Insemination can be carried out independently, at home. The effectiveness of this procedure increases the possibility of conception, but the chance of getting pregnant is 2 times less than when performing manipulations in a doctor’s office, since the cervix is ​​not opened during this intervention.

To carry out the procedure at home, you need to purchase an intrauterine insemination kit.

It includes:

• 2 tests to determine the level of follicle-stimulating hormone;
• 2 tests to detect ovulation;
• sperm liquefaction container;
• latex-free syringe - used instead of a catheter for introducing seminal material.

In most cases, women purchase the test not for self-fertilization, but in order not to miss the time of ovulation if they do not have the opportunity to be observed by a doctor and bring a donor with them at the right time.