Popular questions about IUI, get complete answer in this article!
Meta Title: Popular questions about IUI, get complete answer in this article!
Meta Description: IUI is the first step of infertility treatment that increases the chance of pregnancy 2 times higher than natural pregnancy. Find answers and clear up all your doubts here!
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Nowadays, there are many ways to treat infertility. But the first method that doctors often recommend is “IUI” because this method is an uncomplicated treatment, has little pain, and can help increase your chances of getting pregnant higher than a natural pregnancy up to 2 times.
HDmall.co.th and Prime Fertility Center have collected the most popular questions that many people often wonder about IUI for you in this article. They are including the questions: What is IUI? Who is it suitable for? Can you choose the gender of your baby? Or is there a chance of having twins? If you’re ready, pick up a notebook. Prepare to write down your answers from this article!
What is IUI?
IUI (Intra Uterine Insemination) is one of the methods for treating infertility. That is performed by injecting sperm into the uterus during female’s ovulation period. By using a tiny plastic catheter inserted through the vagina and injecting the sperm into it.
This method is like a shortcut that helps sperm move to the fallopian tubes faster. This is because sperm must normally move from the vagina to the cervix and passes into the uterus and continue moving until it reaches the fallopian tube. Shortening the distance helps keep the sperm safe from vaginal acids and increases the chance of successful fertilization with the egg.
IUI can be called the first step of infertility treatment. Because it can be done easily and conveniently, there is no need to see a doctor often. It also has a lower treatment cost than other methods of infertility treatment.
Who is it suitable for?
Men who are suitable for IUI
- Men who have normal sperm or slightly lower than the criteria. Before infertility treatment, men must be tested for their semen analysis. If it is found low sperm count, poor motility, abnormal morphology but it is still within the normal level or slightly below the level. They can be treated with IUI.
According to WHO criteria 2021, the pleasant results of semen analysis are as follows:
- Sperm volume must be greater than or equal to 1.4 milliliters.
- Total sperm count per ejaculation must be greater than or equal to 39m.
- Sperm motility rate must be greater than or equal to 42%.
- Sperm viability rate must be greater than or equal to 54%.
- Sperm morphology rate must be greater than or equal to 4%.
Women who are suitable for IUI
- Women under 30 years of age – This is because women over 30 years of age have a chance of developing ovarian degeneration. This may affect hormones involved in pregnancy. Reduces the chance of getting pregnant from IUI.
- People with pelvic floor problems, such as cervical or uterine narrowing (Cervical Stenosis) that makes it difficult for sperm to move naturally into the uterine cavity.
- People who have abnormal vaginal mucus – During ovulation period, women usually have fluid released from their vagina to make it easier for sperm to move into the fallopian tube. But in some cases, there may be abnormalities that prevent the body from producing this mucus so that the sperm cannot travel to the fallopian tube.
- People who have problems with ovulation, such as Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, which causes chronic anovulation.
- People with normal fallopian tubes – This is because IUI involves injecting sperm into the uterine cavity and allowing the sperm and egg to fertilize naturally in the fallopian tubes. Therefore, in couples who want to treat infertility with this method, women therefore need to have both or one fallopian tube that works normally.
- People who are allergic to sperm (Semen Allergy) – In some couples, the woman may have an allergic reaction to proteins in semen. Having sex can cause the vagina to become red, swollen, and irritated when exposed to semen.
Most often, doctors recommend IUI combined with ovulation-stimulating injections for maximum efficiency.
Differences between IUI, IVF and ICSI
Initial treatment for infertility, doctors will recommend IUI first. If it is not successful, they may recommend changing the method to IVF and ICSI respectively. IVF and ICSI are complex treatment methods but have a higher success rate than IUI. All 3 methods have different treatments as follows.
IUI is the closest to natural method. It creates an environment for fertilization within the body by injecting sperm into the uterus on the day of ovulation. Makes the sperm mix with the egg easier than usual. It increases the chance of fertilization and leads to pregnancy more easily.
While IVF (In Vitro Fertilization) and ICSI (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection) also known as in vitro fertilization. These are two assisted reproductive technologies that help stimulate fertilization outside the body. Both of these methods have quite similar initial processes. But they are different in the fertilization process.
With IVF, the embryologists place sperm around each egg and let the sperm to fertilize the egg on its own. While doing ICSI, the embryologists will select only one sperm with the best shape, appearance, and motility and inject it directly into the egg cell, resulting in a very high fertilization rate.
In IVF and ICSI, when the egg and sperm fertilize normally and become an embryo, the embryo is cultured under suitable conditions in a laboratory. When it’s the right time, the embryo will be transferred back into the uterus. To allow the embryo to implant in the uterus and develop into a baby.
In simple terms, IUI is a treatment for infertility that causes fertilization inside the body, while IVF and ICSI are treatments for infertility that results in fertilization outside the body. Once fertilization has occurred, the embryo will be transferred to the uterine cavity.
What is the success rate of IUI?
IUI can increase your chances of getting pregnant two times more than natural methods. It offers a success rate of 5-15%.
An important factor that makes IUI successful is the woman’s age. If you are under 35 years of age, there is a 10-20% chance of a successful pregnancy. Those who are 35-40 years of age will have a 10% chance of getting pregnant, and those who are 40 years of age or older will have a chance of pregnancy at 2-5%.
Highlights of IUI
The reason why IUI is the first method that doctors often recommend in treating infertility is because IUI has the following strengths:
- It is the method that is closest to natural fertilization.
- It is a treatment method that is not complicated and less painful than IVF and ICSI.
- Your doctor will evaluate the appropriate use of ovulation-stimulating medication on an individual basis.
- Can be used in planning for having children. To choose the appropriate period of pregnancy.
- It is cheaper than other methods of infertility treatment.
Limitations of IUI
Although IUI is a convenient and uncomplicated method of treating infertility but it may not be suitable for couples who have the following conditions:
- Husband is unable to ejaculate or has low sperm count.
- Wife has blocked fallopian tubes on both sides or there are no fallopian tubes at all.
- Wife has pelvic adhesion.
- Husband or wife has been sterilized previously.
- Couples who have had IUI done more than 3 times but have not yet succeeded.
Are there any complications after IUI?
After IUI, you may experience abdominal pain, bloating, nausea, headache, mood swings or bleeding from the vagina. These symptoms usually disappear within 2-3 days and patients can take painkillers to relieve symptoms. But if these symptoms still exist, it is recommended to see a doctor immediately.
Can you choose the gender of your child with IUI?
With IUI, you cannot choose the gender of your child. This is because it only helps the sperm travel to fertilize with the egg more easily. This is a method similar to normal sexual intercourse, so you cannot choose the gender of your child.
Can you conceive twins with IUI?
With IUI, there is a possibility of giving birth to twins. This is because in some cases there is an injection to stimulate ovulation. As a result, more than one egg may ovulate and twins may be born.
But giving birth to twins is just a chance. Couples cannot choose whether to give birth to a single or twin pregnancy before receiving services.
If you’re sterilized, can IUI be done?
Couples who have had a sterilization cannot undergo IUI because the woman’s sterilization is done by tying and cutting the fallopian tubes. Makes it even if we inject semen into it, the semen can only travel up to the uterine cavity. It’s unable to reach the fallopian tube, where fertilization takes place.
As for male sterilization, it is a permanent sterilization by tying and cutting vas deferens. Makes sperm unable to ejaculate. Even though men can do their sterilization reversal but the vas deferens may become much smaller and contain low sperm count to be injected into the uterine cavity.
How many times have you tried IUI and failed before you should change the method?
For couples in which the woman is less than 35 years old, it is recommended to do IUI no more than 3 times in a row. After the 4th time, there will be a very small chance of pregnancy. It is recommended that IVF and ICSI be considered more appropriate.
For couples in which the woman is over 35 years old, if IUI has been done 2 times and has not been successful, other methods of infertility treatment may be chosen instead. As women aged 35 years will have altered hormone production in their bodies. As a result, the hormones involved in ovulation decrease.
How much does IUI cost?
IUI currently costs around 15,000 – 30,000 baht, with the price varying depending on each patient. Because the doctor may consider prescribing medicine and other services necessary in each case.
Where should you go for IUI?
To succeed on IUI, apart from being well-prepared, you should select a health facility that is well-equipped in reproductive technology and also provides medical care by fertility specialist and skillful personnel in this field. If you are one of those people who are interested in IUI, Prime Fertility Center is happy to serve you.
Prime Fertility Center is a specialized clinic that provides infertility treatment. Trusted by customers across the country. We select modern infertility treatment technology. As we don’t only treat infertility but we also understand the meaning of ‘family’.
Should you be interested in getting fertility consultation, please contact us. | ICSI Bangkok | ICSI Thailand | fertility clinic bangkok
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