IUI for Male infertility: How is it Useful in Treating Male Infertility

Intrauterine insemination is a procedure of assisted reproductive technology consisting of injecting the previously prepared concentrated sperm of a male partner or a donor into the uterine cavity of the woman using a special catheter (narrow tube).

Afterward, it is followed by normal fertilization. The sperm move in the direction of the cervix inside the fallopian tubes (the uterine tubes) to reach the released egg and fertilize it. IUI for male infertility is the least complicated and least invasive method used in the treatment of infertility. It takes between 15 and 20 minutes to occur.

The IUI for male infertility can be practiced both during natural menstrual cycles as well as stimulated.
IUI with Male factor infertility: Causes and reasons
IUI for male infertility is an effective first-line treatment for many causes of infertility, including:

• Cervical factor (Human sperm are immobilized when they enter the cervical canal of the cervix);
• Ejaculatory disorders (reduced sperm concentration in the ejaculate, the high viscosity of seminal plasma, retrograde ejaculation);
• The presence of anti-sperm antibodies;
• Ovulation disorders;
• Scars on the cervix;
• Infertility of unknown origin;
• Immunological infertility. 
• Mild male infertility
• Infertility linked to endometriosis
• Unexplained infertility
• In cases where the use of donor sperm is required.

The IUI can be achieved in two ways:

• Partner's sperm fertilization (AIHㅡArtificial Insemination by husband) 
• AID - Artificial insemination by donor.

When is donor sperm needed?

• Male infertility factor. Sperm are absent in the male ejaculate;
• Hereditary diseases (genetic diseases) of men;
• The woman does not have a sexual partner.

Statistics show that women under the age of 35 who have both leaky (not blocked) fallopian tubes and are taking drugs to stimulate ovulation are most likely to be successful.

Two types of IUI procedures include:

1 When it is synchronized with the normal ovulation cycle (unstimulated cycle). Blood or urine tests are used to identify when the woman is about to ovulate, and then the IUI will be performed.

2 If ovulation is stimulated with fertility drugs, the procedure is called the stimulated cycle. 

• The development of follicles on the ovary is monitored by ultrasound and when it reaches the appropriate size, ovulation is triggered by the administration of another hormone. 
• This approach increases the number of eggs released during ovulation and subsequently gives a better chance of fruitful fertilization. 
• Insemination is carried out at the time of ovulation. The sperm is collected from the partner or donor and prepared for both types of IUI according to the same protocol. 
• This includes eliminating potentially toxic agents and concentrating on the healthiest and most mobile sperm. 
• The prepared sperm is placed in the uterine cavity. In general, the IUI is a painless procedure that takes only a few minutes. However, despite the benefits of the procedure, the risks associated with the use of infertility drugs should be considered.

Cons-indications:

• If the age of a woman is more than 40 years;
• If she has Blocked fallopian tubes;
• The presence of an inflammatory, tumor and hyperplastic processes of the uterus or any other organs;
• Somatic and mental illnesses;

Intrauterine insemination (IUI) is considered the least invasive of the other assisted reproductive technology methods. In a short summary, around the time the woman's ovary releases one or more eggs, the properly prepared sperm is placed directly into the uterus via the catheter to perform fertilization.

IUI success rate in male infertility-

IUI success rate in male infertility is generally around 15-20% per cycle. The effectiveness of the IUI depends on many variables, including the woman's age, the reason for infertility, and whether or not to use fertility drugs. Although IUI is a less invasive and less expensive option, pregnancy rates for IUI are lower as compared to IVF when we talk about IUI success with male factor infertility.

Couples who try and can't get pregnant for a while sometimes need extra help. This procedure is as close as possible to natural conditions and fertilization takes place without any interference. IUI success with male factor infertility generally lies between 15-20% per cycle. It also depends on the fertility centers as some of them claim it to be higher than the statistics.

To know more about IUI with male factor infertility, visit the best infertility centre in India and get yourself the right treatment.