Diagnosis
The Ob-GYNs at Pristyn Care are well-experienced in conducting thorough diagnoses to provide the best suitable IUI treatment to the patient. There are a few diagnostic tests the gynecologist may recommend to detect the underlying cause of infertility:
Semen analysis – As the name suggests, semen analysis is the lab test of your sperm sample. This is done to understand the health, quality, and motility of your sperm count.
Imaging tests – Imagining tests are the tests that use specialized ultra rays to print an internal image of the human body and note down any specific abnormality. For male infertility, these tests typically include ultrasound and MRI of male genital areas.
Hormone testing – The hormone testings are done to estimate the balance of testosterone and other male hormones in the male. If need be, your doctor could also refer you to a reproductive endocrinologist for this.
Testicular biopsy – In rare cases or for males in their late 40’s, a testicular biopsy may be employed. This is done using a tissue sample from the male scrotum. The sample is then sent for a lab test for depth analysis on any particular abnormality or growth of abnormal cells in the male reproductive system.
Genetic testing – As the name suggests, genetic testing is used to examine the presence of any contributing genetic defect to the couple’s infertility.
Procedure
IUI fertility treatment is done at a specialized fertility clinic. If you rely on a sperm donor for the process, the donor sperm will be thawed and prepared. If you are using your partner’s sperm, his semen will first be evaluated. The male partner can also use semen from a sterile home collection kit but should get the semen to the clinic within one hour of collection. It is to be noted that the collected semen is stored at room temperature until it reaches the clinic.
In the clinic, the semen would go through a ‘washing’ procedure in order to remove all impurities from it, leaving only what is needed to get the female pregnant.
The female would have to lie down on her back, just the way for any cervical/ vaginal exam. The doctor uses a speculum to open the vagina gently. The ‘washed’ semen will then be placed inside the uterus through the catheter. Since the sperm is directly placed inside the uterus, there is no chance of the sperm falling out. However, you’ll remain reclined on the exam table for 10 to 30 minutes following the insemination.