Artificial insemination
Simple treatment, with few side effects and extremely good results
Artificial insemination is an assisted reproduction technique that is used when a couple is unable to have children naturally due to fertility problems. It is a simple treatment, with few side effects and with very good pregnancy results.
This technique consists of depositing the previously selected sperm in the uterus at the time of ovulation. This sperm can be from the partner or from a donor.
Both are performed, in a few minutes, through the cervix in the doctor’s consulting room, using a fine cannula.
Artificial Insemination treatment steps
Ovarian stimulation: low doses of hormones are administered to stimulate ovarian production and regular examinations are made to check follicular development.
Ovulation induction: when in a control it is observed that one or two follicles have optimum development, ovulation is triggered, generally with the hCG hormone, then insemination is programmed.
Sperm capacitation: is the process of preparing the semen sample in order to concentrate it on motile spermatozoa and not contain other cell types or seminal plasma.
Artificial insemination: during ovulation, a small sample of semen (usually 0.5 ml) is deposited in the woman’s uterus through a cannula. No anesthetic is required.
Luteal phase support: progesterone is administered orally or vaginally to facilitate the implantation of the embryo in the endometrium and, therefore, the achievement of pregnancy.
Type of Artificial Insemination
Artificial Insemination with partner´s Sperm
This treatment is carried out when the couple’s semen is good for procreation, but there is some physical inconvenience for the woman or the man that makes it impossible for them to get pregnant after sexual intercourse.
In this way, the couple may present problems such as complications for the deposit of semen into the vagina; sterility of cervical origin, due to genetic causes, derived from ovulatory dysfunctions or without apparent cause; or alterations in the semen.
Artificial insemination steps:
- Ovarian stimulation.
- Insemination.
- Sperm preparation from partner or donor.
- Fertilization and treatment with progesterone in the following days.
- Pregnancy test after 14 days.
Artificial Insemination with Donor Sperm
It is performed in cases of male infertility, Rh incompatibility or transmission of genetic disorders. Therefore, the main beneficiaries of this treatment are infertile couples, same-sex couples and single mothers.
The process of artificial insemination with donor sperm is the same as with partner´s sperm. The highest quality and most motile sperm are used so that they can fertilize the egg.
Sperm donors come from our own sperm bank. These donors are rigorously selected and all sperm samples undergo very strict quality controls.
In Spain, the sperm donor is totally anonymous. Neither the patient nor the donor can know the identity of the other.
Indications of Artificial Insemination with Donor Sperm
Even though it is usually tried first to perform artificial insemination with sperm from the future father, there are occasions when this is not possible and it is necessary to use donor sperm:
- Male infertility
- Male genetic disorders whose transmission to their descendants cannot be prevented by preimplantation genetic diagnosis.
- Infertile couples, same-sex couples and single mothers.
