Methods of Alternative Insemination

Today, there are a wide variety of procedures that can be done if a couple is having trouble conceiving naturally. If one method of alternative insemination does not work for a couple, there are others that can be tried. If you and your partner are considering an alternative type of insemination, here are two methods you can try.

One type of alternative insemination that focuses on problems with the sperm is an Intrauterine Insemination (IUI). According to fertility specialist Dr. Richard Marrs, the man gives the doctors a sample of sperm, which is then put through a filtration system. This system filters out the good, normally shaped sperm from the abnormally shaped sperm. The good sperm is put into a vial, which can then be directly injected into a woman’s uterus. This procedure is not painful for either the man or the woman. By doing an IUI, a woman will get a thousand times more sperm injected into her uterus than she would during intercourse. Using an IUI is helpful because it decreases some of the variability and timing issues that can cause issues when getting pregnant. It optimizes the number of eggs and sperm so there are more chances for the woman to get pregnant.

A method of alternative insemination that is often done in conjunction with the Intrauterine Insemination is Controlled Ovarian Hyperstimulation. Fertility specialist Dr. Kari Sproul says this procedure involves giving the woman medication that makes her ovulate more than one egg, which increases her chances of getting pregnant. One of the medicines used for this procedure is Clomid, or if that does not work, injected hormone medication can also be used. This procedure does not have to be done with an Intrauterine Insemination, but it is often recommended in order to increase the chances of getting pregnant. Doctors usually wait three to six cycles to see if the woman gets pregnant by using the COH and IUI. If the woman does not become pregnant in that time frame, doctors will recommend a different or more aggressive type of treatment.

Other types of alternative insemination target either the sperm or the egg depending on what is causing the problems with the couple conceiving naturally. These procedures will increase the number of eggs and sperm your body produces and will help create the ideal types of sperm or egg, which means you will have many more chances of getting pregnant.