How effective is artificial insemination?

The artificial insemination It is a simple assisted reproduction treatment, it consists of the simple introduction of the male gametes (spermatozoa) from the couple or from a donor, into the woman's uterus.

This artificial insemination process is the most similar to the natural process and is one of the simplest techniques, so it can be assumed as an assistance, rather than an intervention. Once the sperm are placed inside the uterus, they must follow their natural path through the fallopian tubes, until they reach the mature ovum and fertilize it successfully.

The first thing the couple should do is seek professional advice and the access to a fertility test for both, that is to say, both the man and the woman.This allows to rule out and give a good diagnosis, which allows to specify a high effectiveness in the treatment, depending on the condition.

When going to a fertility medical center, and checking that the conditions for pregnancy and gestation are given, the main thing would be to receive recommendations or instructions that proceed with an artificial insemination treatment.

The conditions for the insemination treatment to be feasible are:

• Permeable fallopian tubes.
• Good seminal quality, in terms of morphology, mobility and sperm concentration.
• Ability to ovulate, whether spontaneous or induced.
• Age less than 36 years

However, for artificial insemination to be successful, other factors must be present, associated with the couple's previous points and the treatment itself.

Effectiveness of artificial insemination

According to studies and experts in gynecology, the success rates in this artificial insemination technique, are between 18 and 20% . This means that several times artificial insemination is not fully effective in the first cycle. After several sessions or cycles of artificial insemination, that is, from the second cycle (usually between 2 to 6 cycles are carried out), the effectiveness rate (accumulated rate) is increased, achieving a percentage of the 45 to 50% success .

However, to achieve these success rates, there are certain negative factors that influence the result, some of those factors that are involved in this technique would be:

Age of the woman:

Since birth, a woman loses a large amount of her total number of eggs, a completely natural condition. And from the first menstruation, the woman would be left with just 400,000 oocytes and together with this loss, only a few eggs will be available that reach their mature stage. This means that women from the age of 35 have a significant decrease of up to 66% in the chances of pregnancy. For this reason, an evaluation of her ovarian reserve is carried out, in this way to establish the fertile level of the woman, before starting the treatment.

Age of man:

Although the male role in the insemination process is not usually discussed, it is advisable that their age is also taken into consideration, since a man over 40 years of age tends to suffer from fragmentation or loss of seminal quality, causing breaks or injuries. in the genetic material of sperm, resulting in a large percentage of infertility.

Alteration causing the fertility problem:

The main causes or alterations that affect the female fertility They are: alterations in the menstrual cycle, absence of ovulation, diseases or abnormalities in the fallopian tubes or uterus, endometriosis, the mucus or cervical discharge that helps sperm to reach the ovum, stress, serious disorders or diseases, obesity, anorexia or some other undetected cause of infertility.

The main causes that affect male fertility : low seminal quality, hereditary factors, occlusions, hormonal disorders, vasectomy, infectious diseases, varicocele, retrograde ejaculation, seminal diagnoses such as azospermia, oligospermia, asthenospermia, teratospermia, weight, sexuality disorders and stress.

Ovarian reserve quantity:

If the treatment is carried out by a couple under 35 years of age, we know that age should not be a problem, this point is totally associated with the woman's age, since the ovarian reserve of a woman between 20 and 30 years of age is fully functional and less limited. In turn, the ovarian reserve can be affected by a bad lifestyle; toxic habits can reduce at any age, your reserves and natural capacities for pregnancy.

Sperm quality:

To evaluate the quantity there are the terms of volume, concentration, morphology, quantity and mobility. Today it is a highly attacked factor, because most men are significantly overweight; There are also chemicals and materials in the environment that fragment the DNA of sperm; finally, sperm quality can be affected by toxic habits, such as alcohol and cigarettes.

If the couple is not affected by most or any of these factors, artificial insemination treatment will be widely recommended. Taking into consideration three cycles of artificial insemination, the rates can be represented as follows

Artificial insemination IAD (Donor)

• Less than 35 years: 28% effective in the first cycle, 48% effective in the second cycle and 63% effective in the third cycle of artificial insemination
• Between 35 and 37 years: 25% effective in the first cycle, 44% effective in the second cycle and 58% effective in the third cycle of artificial insemination
• Between 38 and 40 years: 20% effective in the first cycle, 34% effective in the second cycle and 48% effective in the third cycle of artificial insemination
• More than 40 years: 9% effective in the first cycle, 17% effective in the second cycle and 20% effective in the third cycle of artificial insemination

Artificial insemination IAC (Conjugal)

• Less than 35 years: 16% effectiveness in the first cycle, 30% effective in the second cycle and 41% effective in the third cycle of artificial insemination
• Between 35 and 37 years: 15% effective in the first cycle, 29% effective in the second cycle and 40% effective in the third cycle of artificial insemination
• Between 38 and 40 years: 14% effective in the first cycle, 27% effective in the second cycle and 35% effective in the third cycle of artificial insemination
• More than 40 years: 5% effectiveness in the first cycle, 10% effective in the second cycle and 15% effective in the third cycle of artificial insemination

These data refer to the result of the beta hormone HCG , which is measured 14 days after the transfer, locating the first sign of pregnancy. If it is positive, it is a sign that from that moment on, nature takes its course and the baby is on the way.