Artificial insemination is one of the ways to help women conceive. It can be used when a woman is single and wishes to have a baby, or when there are male factor (psychological or physical) problems that prevent conception by normal means. However artificial insemination success rate, is something that has to be considered if one is considering this method of impregnation.
What is artificial insemination?
Artificial insemination is one of the methods of assisted reproduction that is used for livestock breeding as well as among human beings. Fresh or frozen and thawed sperm is collected and placed either into a woman’s cervix or uterus by artificial means, or means other than sexual intercourse.
The sperm can be obtained from a male partner or a sperm donor. The semen sample will typically undergo a process to concentrate the sperm count.
The insemination is timed to coincide with the release of an ovum (ovulation). Different instruments may be used for the deposition of sperm, depending upon whether it is to be placed in the vagina, deeper into the vagina or in the uterus.
The process of artificial insemination is much more developed today than it was in about 1900 when it was first used. Today is also known as intrauterine insemination.
The process of insemination may or may not be assisted by other methods such as improving a woman’s fertility. This is done by taking fertility drugs that boost a woman’s chances of ovulating.
What is the artificial insemination success rate?
Single females or childless couples wanting a baby have to remember that all methods of assisted reproduction do the job of improving a woman’s chances of getting pregnant. They don’t guarantee a pregnancy.
Some methods of assisted pregnancy are more successful than others, and the overall artificial insemination success rate is only about 5 to 20% per cycle of ovulation.
The chances of getting pregnant are higher among women who undergo fertility treatments prior to the insemination procedure. Using an ova assessment tool can also improve chances of successful artificial insemination.
There are factors that lower a woman’s chances of getting pregnant using artificial insemination. The rate of success goes down with increasing maternal age. Low sperm count in a woman’s partner will also lower her chances of getting pregnant.
If sperm count is very low, or if sperm is seen to have poor mobility, intracytoplasmic sperm injection may be used to increase the artificial insemination success rate. A semen analysis will reveal whether this procedure is required to be used.