Artificial Insemination: Treatment, Cost and Side Effects

Artificial Insemination refers to the medical procedure of injecting semen into a woman’s uterus or cervix. It is an advanced form of fertility treatment which involves the use of a flexible, thin tube known as catheter to inject the donor sperm into a woman’s uterus. Before the procedure, washing the sperm in the lab helps remove chemicals in the semen and increases the chance of getting pregnant. There are two primary procedures of artificial insemination- intracervical insemination and intrauterine insemination.

Intracervical Insemination- it is one of the most commonly used and relatively quick procedure that places the donor sperm directly into the cervix, increasing the chances that sperm will make its way through fallopian tubes and uterus where it can fertilize the eggs. This procedure is painless and less costly than intrauterine insemination.

Intrauterine Insemination- it is the most commonly used and effective procedure to deal with the problem of infertility. Intrauterine insemination along with ovarian stimulation deposits sperm in the fallopian tubes and initiates high chances for a successful fertilization.

Artificial insemination treatment includes the following steps: You will initially have to undergo a number of tests including ultrasound scan to determine the size of your egg follicles to see if they will produce mature eggs. The doctor will recommend fertility drugs in order to stimulate ovulation. These drugs are usually prescribed at the start of your menstrual cycle since it is the most appropriate time to stimulate the ovaries into producing mature eggs. An injection of Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin (HCG) will help in the process of ovulation and stimulation. Blood tests and ultrasound will monitor the growth of the follicles to check oestrogen levels which is responsible for the development and growth of the eggs. The sperm must be injected at the time of ovulation to achieve best possible results. The next stage is to insert the sperm into the uterus. The doctor will place a speculum inside the vagina which will allow access to your cervix. The sperm finally enters your uterus through a thin tube called catheter. The procedure takes about 30 minutes and is monitored with the help of ultrasound scans and pregnancy tests.

Those who seek help for infertility and are unable to conceive are eligible for the treatment of artificial insemination.

Anybody who does not face issues related to infertility do not need to undergo this treatment.

The side effects of artificial insemination treatment includes uterine cramps, infection, transmission of venereal diseases from the donor sperm, and multiple pregnancies. In rare occasions the person undergoing the treatment may experience Ovarian Hyper-stimulation Syndrome which causes the ovaries to enlarge in size as a result of fertility medication.

There are no specific guidelines to follow after the treatment. The procedure hardly takes 30 minutes, after which you may continue with your usual activities.

Artificial insemination does not take time to recover from. It is a one-time procedure which takes about half an hour, after which the patient is allowed to carry on with her usual activities.

The cost of treatment for artificial insemination roughly ranges from Rs.20,000- Rs.30,000

The results of artificial insemination are usually permanent where the success rates for getting pregnant are normally high. However, in some cases the treatment may yield no result, in case of which the factors leading to an unsuccessful attempt may be analyzed again.

There are no such alternatives to this treatment.