Artificial Insemination side effects will you be able to cope? Do you know what you should expect after artificial insemination, more commonly known as AI? If you don’t know, then you are not alone! A lot of women out there who have undergone artificial insemination treatment do not ideally know what to expect. This is where this masterpiece comes in handy; to let you know exactly what you need to expect after undergoing artificial insemination procedure in order to keep you posted and psychologically prepared.
Artificial Insemination Side Effects – Cramping
Unfortunately, most healthcare providers forget about their noble responsibility of informing you about the side effects and other possible complications. For instance, it is quite a frequent occurrence for women who have taken artificial insemination treatment to suffer from abdominal cramps. Cramping is, therefore, a usual side effect of artificial insemination. Cramping usually happen if the fertility expert experienced some difficulty when reaching the cervix during the AI process.
Artificial Insemination Side Effects – Vaginal infections
Another side effect with artificial insemination is the risk of vaginal infection. These infections may occur when particular bacteria access entry into your vagina. Infections in the vagina result in discharge with itching, irritation, and foul odor.
Artificial Insemination Side Effects – Bleeding and Spotting
Your cervix may also get injured while conducting this treatment procedure causing spotting and bleeding.
What should you expect to do immediately after Artificial Insemination?
Most fertility experts expect you to lie down for between 15-20 minutes after Artificial Insemination. This may, however, be unnecessary because the cervix doesn’t remain open and thus, leakage can’t occur. A majority of women may feel wet after artificial insemination. Don’t mistake this to leakage of sperm, because it is actually due to cervical mucus that was loosened by the catheter. In fact, this is one of the most common symptom expected after undergoing artificial insemination process.
If you feel unwell or experience cramping or other complications immediately after artificial insemination, you may need to take things easy and take rest till you feel that you have completely recovered. Substantially reducing aerobic activity along with other activities that may cause a miscarriage, if implantation has occurred, may be extremely beneficial. Enjoying Sexual intercourse is very possible after artificial insemination treatment. Contrary to what majority of people wrongly believe, sexual intercourse doesn’t cause a miscarriage. But fertility experts frequently suggest a waiting period of approximately 48 hours before coitus.
How implantation takes place after Artificial Insemination
An artificial insemination pregnancy is similar to a natural pregnancy. The only difference appears to be in the process of how sperm enters the egg. If you have undergone artificial insemination, you can expect implantation to take place after 6 to 12 days after ovulating. A pregnancy test taken any time after this period shows a negative or a positive result.
A pregnancy test taken from home is always 99 percent accurate. This test is done by holding an absorbent tip in the flow of urine for about 5 seconds. The test kit must be placed in a face-up flat position for 2 minutes. A positive color, two red lines, or a plus sign indicate pregnancy. If you took an HCG injection before artificial insemination, you might get a false positive outcome. This may force you to take another test for pregnancy after a few days.
Here is the bottom line; preparing for the complications expected after artificial insemination will help you deal with the situation in a better way. Your ability to fall pregnant may be substantially improved by the help of artificial insemination. Success rates can be greatly increased with deeper awareness and proper knowledge of the process as well as what to do and what to expect after artificial insemination procedure.
Intrauterine Insemination (IUI). What is it? Are you considering taking the Intrauterine Insemination procedure for infertility treatment but don’t know much about it? Then, you are in the right place. The following article introduces to you all the basic facts you need to understand about IUI before taking the procedure.
What is Intrauterine Insemination (IUI)?
Intrauterine Insemination, better known as IUI, is a type of AI (Artificial Insemination) used to treat infertility. Sperm which have been washed and concentrated are inserted directly to the womb during the time when the ovary releases one egg, or several eggs to be fertilized. More traditional types of AI place the sperm into the vagina. Though this was incredibly easier, it wasn’t as successful as the current IUI process.
The ideal result of IUI is for the sperm to travel into the fallopian tube. Here it will fertilize a waiting egg and result to a healthy pregnancy. Intrauterine Insemination can be either coordinated with fertility drugs or your regular cycle depending on the reasons for your infertility. Intrauterine Insemination is performed in healthy and definite fallopian tubes which are not blocked. This is proven through tests such as hysterosalpingogram, typically conducted by a specialist.
Why use Intrauterine Insemination?
IUI is useful to women who are experiencing any of the following situations:
1. Cervical factor fertility problem
Your cervix is located at the lower end of the womb and provides the opening between your uterus and vagina. The mucus produced by your cervix during the time of ovulation is supposed to offer a suitable environment for sperm to move from the vagina to fallopian tubes. however, if the cervical mucus is extremely thick, it may block sperm movement. The IUI procedure bypasses your cervix, depositing sperm directly into your womb and boosting the amount of sperm available to meet an awaiting egg.
2. Semen allergy
It is possible for women to experience an allergy to proteins in their male partner’s semen. This makes ejaculation into their vagina an uncomfortable experience. It can cause redness and a burning sensation, as well as swelling at the point where the semen has contacted the skin. A condom is usually used to protect the woman from these symptoms, but it also prevents her from conceiving. If you experience severe sensitivity, IUI can be efficient because most of the semen proteins are earlier removed before the sperm is inserted.
3. Specific conditions such as HIV when a man doesn’t want to pass the virus to the partner and the child.
IUI is particularly useful in this scenario. If a man knows that he has HIV, IUI can be used to reduce the chance of passing HIV on the woman and the future child.
4. Unexplained Fertility problems
Intrauterine Insemination is usually performed as the initial treatment for unexplained fertility problems along with ovulation-inducing drugs.
5. Endometriosis-related infertility
Just like unexplained fertility problems, a combination of IUI and specific drugs are used as the initial treatment process.
6. Inability or difficulties in having sexual intercourse.
There are several reasons that a couple could be experiencing difficulties with sexual intercourse. It may be attributed to any of the following factors, as well as other possibilities not listed here:
Physical disabilities
Psycho-sexual problems
Premature ejaculation
In these instances, IUI can prove an extremely useful technique to become pregnant with your partner.
7. The desire to use donated sperms.
In such a case, frozen donor sperm specimens are obtainable from certified androgyny laboratories and thawed before carrying out the IUI process.
Intrauterine Insemination (IUI)
To sum up everything, IUI is a very quick procedure and is done in the fertility clinic office without use of any anesthesia. It is not painful, but a few women have reported a mild discomfort experience. With such benefits, it’s entirely clear why intrauterine insemination is frequently used as the initial method of infertility treatment.
Around 25% of adults in the US don’t want kids, which leaves the other three quarters hoping to start a family one day.
Whilst many couples find success in more traditional pregnancy paths, IVF and adoption, artificial insemination remains a positive and accessible way to get pregnant.
If you’re thinking of pursuing artificial insemination as a way to start a family, the first thing you need to do is speak to your doctor who will be able to give you the best medical advice and guidance about the process.
However, if you’re wondering – ‘what is artificial insemination?’ Perhaps you’re looking for a handy introduction to the process and what it involves – you’ve come to the right place.
We’ve got all the information you need to get a better idea of this process.
Let’s take a closer look at artificial insemination and what it involves:
What Is Artificial Insemination?
Artificial insemination is a method used to help a woman get pregnant. It delivers sperm to the cervix or uterus in replacement of this happening ‘naturally’ via intercourse between a man and a woman.
The sperm that is used can be from a woman’s partner, or from a wide range of sources including a nominated or paid for sperm donor. The sperm can sometimes be treated to help make them more likely to travel through the Fallopian tubes and penetrate the egg. A female may also take special medications prescribed by fertility doctors which help to boost the follicle growth inside the ovaries and increase overall chances of the insemination being successful.
The Process Of Artificial Insemination
During the natural process of making a baby, a man and a woman have sex and the sperm is ejaculated from the penis via a carrier fluid, which in combination with the cervical mucous created by the banging helps the sperm get to the uterus quickly.
The sperm then goes into the vagina, through the cervix, uterus and then the funnel shaped entrance to the Fallopian tubes where a successful start to the pregnancy means the sperm has penetrated the egg and conception has occurred.
From here, though, there’s a little way to go before true pregnancy begins.
If the egg is fertilised, little cilia follicles in the Fallopian tube then move the fertilised egg (called a zygote at this time) through the tubes and into the uterus up to five days after conception has occurred.
The sperm and the egg will then divide and increase in numbers, and this is called a blastocyst at this time, which attaches to the wall of the uterus about six days from when the egg was fertilised.
For the next 3-4 days the implantation process occurs and is completed by day 10 after fertilisation of the egg. A few days later after various processes to prepare the uterus and the body for the pregnancy, the embryo is developed.
The entire process from the egg fertilisation onwards remains the same when artificial insemination occurs only for various reasons the delivery of the sperm needs to occur in a slightly different way to intercourse.
There are two methods of artificial insemination which are ICI and IUI.
Intracervical Insemination (ICI)
ICI is shown to be successful in nearly 40% of cases after about six attempts. The process is where sperm is placed in the cervix which is like the gateway to the uterus. Artificial insemination at home or in a doctors office is usually ICI. There are multiple methods and additions relating to ICI including:
A woman will take Clomid (or similar), a medication which helps to bring on ovulation and boost the chance of several eggs being released.
Sperm is donated via a woman’s partner in which case the process is usually being done with the help of a doctor as the couples natural intercourse is not resulting in pregnancy.
Sperm can be donated from a sperm donor sample which could be inserted privately without any involvement from doctors at all as where a trusted friend may have donated their sperm.
The sperm is placed inside the vagina using a syringe or something called a cervical cap. This can be done by a doctor, a partner or even a trusted friend.
A woman may have her ovulation tracked using an app, ovulation kits, calendar tracking, ultrasounds, basal temperature monitoring or a mixture of these methods.
Most women stay lying down for up to an hour after insemination and may even raise their hips using cushions to encourage the sperm to move into the uterus successfully.
The pregnancy test is taken around two weeks after insemination to see if insemination was successful.
The process can be repeated regularly depending on each individual couple.
Intrauterine Insemination (IUI)
IUI is successful in around 40% of cases after around six attempts. This number is a little higher overall than ICU and that is thought to be because prepared sperm has a better chance of fertilising and prepared sperm is most commonly used in IUI and not ICI.
In this process the sperm is placed into the uterus directly. Unlike ICI this has to be done by a medical professional and often also involves special measures like preparing the semen to make it more concentrated and more likely to result in a pregnancy.
Once the sperm is ready a woman who is ovulating will have her cervix opened using special medical instruments so that the sperm can be placed into the uterus directly.
Why Choose Artificial Insemination?
There are lots of reasons that couples or individuals choose artificial insemination including:
A same sex couple who are men may choose this method to help a surrogate carry their baby using their sperm, or if both are female they may use this method to get pregnant using a sperm donor. Around 200,000 children in America are raised by same sex parents and that number is growing as LBGTQ adoption and parenting becomes more accepted, available and accessible across the board.
A woman may be one of the 10% of females who struggle to get pregnant and so AI helps the chance of success.
A man could be totally infertile as with 10-15% of men who are infertile and have no sperm. Or a man could have low sperm motility, a low sperm count or similar issues which make AI a possible way to boost the chance of pregnancy, or a way for a heterosexual couple to get pregnant using a sperm donor.
A woman may be single and wish to use AI with a sperm donor to have a baby.
A couple may not wish to use their own sperm because of medical problems with their genes and so a sperm donor is a preferable option.
When artificial insemination at home occurs with the ICI option and no medical intervention the process is free.
With medical intervention the cost of artificial insemination is still much cheaper than IVF and sometimes insurance companies pay for some of the treatment.
Artificial Insemination At Home
If you are wondering – what is artificial insemination and can I do it at home? You’d be right to think about whether or not this is an option, especially as it can be free in many cases.
People who choose this method of insemination because it is more personal and less sterile than having it done in a clinic. It also costs less than having it done medically and it can also be more convenient too.
To do it, you can use frozen or fresh sperm. Fresh sperm has to have been recently ejaculated and will only stay alive 15-30 minutes after ejaculation.
You will want to use a clean receptacle for the donor to catch their sperm in, which you can then have a partner or trusted friend insert into the vagina using a needless syringe.
For the best results try to do this up and back, coating the cervix and vaginal walls. You can also use a menstrual cup which you fill with sperm and then leave for an hour or more so the sperm can get into the uterus.
With frozen sperm you tend to order it from a sperm bank who ship it to you with instructions including how to defrost it and how long it is stable for when frozen (usually 14 days). You then insert it using the same method as with fresh sperm when the time is right.
The sperm, whether frozen or fresh, is inserted using an ICI method of AI when done at home. The exception to this is if you have a midwife come to you who is able to perform IUI at your house.
Sperm Considerations:
When using a partners sperm consider testing the sperm for STI’s, quality and genetics just so you have all the information you need
When using a friends sperm, consider testing the sperm for STI’s, quality and genetics just so you have all the information you need
Make sure you are legally protected when it comes to using any sperm donor. Consider parental rights, legal rights and more when you’re using the sperm of a friend
Try to keep yourself in the most healthy condition possible to get the best chance of AI being successful with your chosen sperm and insemination method. Eat a healthy diet cut out unhelpful habits and exercise. Dr Larisa Corda has lots of free information and advice relating to fertility and how to boost it.
The Female Orgasm And An Increase Of Success Rates
There are lots and lots of old wives tales around different items/ actions/ occurrences boosting the chance of conception when it comes to standard intercourse or AI.
One of those rumours is that if a female orgasms when the sperm is put in place there is more chance of conception occurring. As this article describes well, this is simply not true. However, there are lots of reasons to incorporate pleasure into the insemination process with your partner at home if you wish to do so.
Some couples like to make the process more sensual or sexual as a way to bond whilst making a baby, but in a non-traditional way.
Speak To Your Doctor About Artificial Insemination
Artificial insemination can be a great option for some couples or individuals who wish to get pregnant, and require a different method to traditional sex to get there.
Even if you don’t want to commit to using a doctor for artificial insemination it can be great to go and talk it out anyway so you know what it involves.
Usually, it makes sense to get your fertility tested anyway just to check you and your partner are in the best shape for conception and if not you can then know how to work around those hurdles to get the pregnancy you want.
As with everything but especially with such an important topic, the more you know the better.
