Technicians liquefy the sperm at room
temperature for 30 minutes and add a
harmless chemical to separate out the
most active sperm. They use a centrifuge
to collect the best sperm. Those are placed
in a thin tube called a catheter and put
through your vagina and cervix into the
uterus.
Artificial insemination is short and
relatively painless. Many women describe
it as similar to a Pap smear. The patient
may have cramping during the procedure
and light bleeding afterward. The patient
is usually required to lie down for about 15
to 45 minutes to give the sperm a chance
to get to work. After that, the patient can
get back to their usual activities.
In some cases, before the procedure, some
patients will be put on fertility drugs,
such as clomiphene citrate (Clomid). This
helps the body ovulate multiple eggs.
How do you get the semen
(sperm) sample from the
male partner?
The most common and preferred way is
via masturbation and the male partner
ejaculates into a provided container (cup)
made of special material that is not toxic
to sperm. In some instances the male
partner is unable to do so in the lab and
can produce the sperm at home with the
aid of the wife (sample must reach lab
within 30 minutes of production).
depending on woman’s age (lower in older
women) and cause of infertility such as
endometriosis.
Does IUI ever fail?
Judging from the success rate, failure is
more likely than success but because of
the relative low cost of IUI many fertility
experts will recommend 3-6 cycles in
patients meeting the criteria for IUI.
How does IUI compare to
IVF?
IUI is relatively cheaper than IVF, as
a cycle on average costs about KShs.
30,000/= per cycle with a success rate of
about 15%. IVF costs more than 10 times
i.e. KShs. 400,000/= per cycle and success
rates range from about 30%-50% again
depending on woman’s age and cause of
infertility.
In older women success rates can be
improved with the use of donor eggs (for
IVF). Also there are more procedures,
medications involved in an IVF cycle, and
complications are more in an IVF cycle as
compared to IVF however it is worthwhile
to attempt IUI in well, chosen clients. As
indicated previously some patients cannot
undergo IUI.
Which complications arise
from IUI?
There are also special condoms but this is
not recommended. In cases of ejaculatory
failure there is an electrical machine that
can help stimulate an ejaculation but I
am not aware of its use in Kenya. In men
who have retrograde ejaculation i.e. they
ejaculate backwards into the bladder and
not outside, sperm can be collected from
urine samples. Although generally painless, IUI is still
a medical procedure. Most side effects
are relatively minor, and may involve
symptoms like mild abdominal pain or
spotting for a few days after the washed
sperm is introduced into the womb.
However, there are certain complications
it’s worth being aware of if you’re
considering IUI.
What is the success rate for
IUI? Effects of fertility drugs
Success rates vary, but is limited to about
15% and this can be cumulative over 6
cycles. Success rates are also lowered
In some IUI procedures, ovulation-
inducing medications may be prescribed.
Most patients will not experience any
side effects from these, though they have
been known to cause symptoms including
stomach ache, mood swings, insomnia
and headaches.
Moreover, these medicines can increase
the likelihood of complications such as
multiple births (twins, triplets or more)
and ovarian hyper-stimulation syndrome.
This is an effect of the fertility drug rather
than the IUI itself, though it is worth
discussing with the doctor.
Infection
Since it involves placing a catheter
inside the body, IUI carries a slight risk
of introducing bacteria and causing an
infection. The odds of a pelvic infection are
low, at only 1 in 800. However, if you do
start to feel unwell after an IUI procedure,
get to a doctor as soon as possible.
What risks are there for the
baby?
Although a certain percentage of IUI
babies may be born with a defect or
disability, that’s true of babies in the
general population too. Even if an IUI
baby has a disability, this can usually be
more credibly attributed to other risk
factors like advanced maternal age, or a
multiple pregnancy.
You can rest easy knowing there’s no
evidence of a direct link between IUI
and harm to the baby. However, if you’re
concerned, talk to your clinician about
other possible risk factors in your case and
how to avoid them.
With so many remarks I hope again the
article has been useful to all of you and
hoping to converse with you more in
future on Gyn Chronicles.
Dr. Maureen Owiti is a practicing
Obstetrician Gynaecologist and fertility
consultant based in Nairobi. You can
commune with her on this or related matters
via email at: [email protected].