Most of us have heard of artificial insemination, but few of us may be familiar with the actual process. Artificial insemination is a medical procedure in which donor sperm is taken and placed into the female with the goal of fertilizing an egg and creating a viable pregnancy.
Artificial insemination (which is sometimes called “intrauterine insemination,” or IUI) differs from another common procedure called “in vitro fertilization” or IVF). With intrauterine insemination, the sperm is placed directly into the uterus to be fertilized, as opposed to the fertilization taking place outside of the body in a medical lab, as is the case with in vitro fertilization.
When to decide to use artificial insemination?
The first step for every patient is a full physical evaluation to diagnose any issues that might be contributing to their current infertility. Artificial insemination is just one of many infertility treatment options for couples looking to become pregnant, and each option is useful in different situations. Many couples can find higher success rates with artificial insemination if they exhibit factors like low sperm count, cervical condition, poor ovulation, or other unexplained issues causing infertility.
What medications are used for artificial insemination?
Success rates for artificial insemination can often be even higher when combined with fertility drugs. While some women with normal ovulation cycles sometimes skip this step; pregnancy results can be higher when fertility drugs are used in conjunction with IUI, because the medications stimulate the ovaries to produce more than once per month.
How successful is artificial insemination?
Age and health are the biggest factors in an artificial insemination’s success rate. Women younger than 35 typically have more success, nearing 20% per cycle. Overall, artificial insemination ends in a viable pregnancy for about 10-20% of women. If patients don’t respond to the initial procedure, multiple cycles are common and lead to a success rate that approaches 85%.
Learn More About Artificial Insemination at Oregon Reproductive Medicine
Oregon Reproductive Medicine, located in Portland, Oregon, is very proud of our high artificial insemination and live-birth success rates. But we’re more than just about numbers — what matters most is the personalized and thoughtful care we provide to each patient.
You can find out more at a free informational seminar, where doctors from Oregon Reproductive Medicine will answer all your questions about what affects IUI success rates and how you may benefit from this proven infertility treatment.
