For many families dreaming of children, the verdict of doctors turns out to be a real blow: "You are barren." Moreover, in the modern world, this diagnosis is more common. Healthy and young people cannot acquire offspring and are forced to turn to specialists for help. IVF technology or intrauterine insemination has become a real salvation for many. Despite the complexity of the process and the lack of a guaranteed result, tens of thousands of families turn to the procedure every year.
IVF technology and artificial insemination
This is a medical assisted reproductive technology. It is used for infertility or the absence of a partner. The procedure is as follows: pre-prepared sperm is injected into the body of a woman using special equipment. Positive feedback on artificial insemination can be found around the world. This achievement in medicine has helped many to become parents.
It is worth distinguishing technology from IVF. Developments in the field of in vitro fertilization began back in 1944. Even then, humanity began to think about solving the problem of infertility. Although many scientists pursued different goals and dreamed of learning how to grow universal and genetically unique people. The first child in the world conceived through IVF, was Louise Brown in 1977, in the USSR a girl from a test tube appeared in 1986. Each year, the technology has been improved and implemented in many countries of the world. According to 2010 data, more than 4 million children from a test tube were born on the planet, according to recent reports, about 7 million
Artificial insemination is a more simplified and relatively inexpensive process compared to IVF. The first attempts of scientists to inseminate animals on their own belong to the XVIII century, then the Italian Lazzaro Spallanzani was able to fertilize artificially by a dog that gave birth to three healthy puppies. A few years later, a Scottish surgeon helped a London childless couple to have children. He collected the husband’s sperm and successfully injected it into his wife’s body. This case has been officially documented.
Since the 19th century, in many countries of the world they have experimented in this field, and in 1949, sperm freezing was successfully carried out for the first time. Today, the procedure is actively used to treat infertile couples, as well as to help single women.
The essence of technology
According to doctors, artificial insemination today is a fairly effective measure to combat infertility. Compared with IVF, the costs here are small, about 100 thousand rubles, takes a little time, but requires a lot of perseverance, concentration and patience from a woman.
The essence of the process: sperm are taken from the father or male donor. The material is used for 1-3 hours or frozen until the day of surgery. Fertilization occurs on the day of ovulation. The doctor predicts the exact time of maturation of the egg with the help of tests or calls it with the help of hormonal preparations. Preliminarily, sperm is checked, processed if necessary, namely it is separated from the seminal fluid in order to increase the success of the operation.
The procedure itself is painless, performed on an outpatient basis and lasts several minutes. Sperm is inserted into the uterus using a plastic catheter.
True, the effectiveness of the method is only 12%. Many have to do several procedures. If fertilization has not occurred, other options may be offered to clients. For example, the use of a surrogate mother or the involvement of another male donor, as well as IVF, as a more effective measure. According to reviews, artificial insemination with sperm from a donor, a healthy man with motile and viable sperm, is sometimes very effective.
Medical indications
For a long time, this branch of medicine was not regulated by the state. Hence a large indicator of poor-quality operations, lack of results, etc. In 2012, the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation issued Order No. 107, which regulated the procedure for the provision of services, and also indicated when the IVF procedure was prescribed and contraindicated.
For women, the indication for the artificial insemination procedure is infertility, which is not treated or is treated inconclusively by other methods, as well as the sexual and sexual problems of the partner. For women, the main indicator is the infertility of the husband or the absence of a partner. According to reviews, who did artificial insemination and tried different methods before, this procedure is considered the most effective.
Contraindications for women:
- Mental illness, in which bearing a child is impossible.
- Congenital or acquired malformations of the uterine cavity, as a result of which the embryo cannot catch on for further development.
- Ovarian tumor.
- Malignant tumors.
- Acute inflammation of the urinary or reproductive system.
- Any disease requiring surgical intervention.
Male donors also undergo multiple tests and are tested. Sperm are transplanted into the body of a woman only after full confidence in her purity and the absence of infections.
Woman training
What do those who did artificial insemination say? According to reviews, more than 30% of success depends on the preparation of the body for the adoption of a fertilized egg and bearing. Special recommendations also apply to men. To increase your chances, you should adhere to the following tips:
- 2-3 months before the start of all procedures, it is worth giving up all bad habits, starting to eat right and healthy. Consult a doctor for advice; he will prescribe a special diet for you. It is necessary to add more vegetables, fruits, proteins and greens to the diet, avoid heavy foods and fast foods. Drink more pure water and juices.
- When exceeding the body index, a woman should think about weight loss. Extra pounds can adversely affect the process of bearing a child.
- Endometriosis disease, especially 3 or 4 degrees. This is a pathology of the development of internal cells, and, according to reviews, artificial insemination with endometriosis is a meaningless procedure, first you need to deal with the disease.
- Be sure to start taking vitamins and minerals recommended before and during pregnancy. Before taking, you need to consult a doctor.
- Warn the doctor about all existing chronic diseases in women and men.
- Check if there are vaccinations against rubella and jaundice, if not, and urgently.
Reviews of artificial insemination demonstrate that the more seriously the couple approached the fertilization procedure, the more carefully they prepared for the appearance of a long-awaited baby, the more likely it was to give birth to a healthy and full-fledged baby.
Semen requirements
The source of material for the procedure may be a husband or another male donor, usually anonymous. Many men donate their sperm for money, but not all of it is used for fertilization. Regardless of the source, biological material undergoes strict control.
In addition to standard analyzes and spermograms, sperm should be stored frozen for 6 months before use. This measure is necessary to exclude infection. And what do those who did artificial insemination from the donor say? According to couples and single women, this method is no worse than IVF. A couple or a woman can find out limited information about the source: height, weight, hair color, eyes, the presence or absence of chronic diseases, etc.
Methodology
Before the procedure, both parents or donors undergo a mandatory examination. It is necessary to pass tests for hormones, infections, to carry out many procedures for the study of the uterus, biopsy, ultrasound, etc. What do those who are pregnant from artificial insemination say? According to reviews, they note that it is better to undergo a full examination with your doctor so that a specialist can monitor your condition throughout the process.
How does insemination occur:
- The doctor knows in advance the timing of the formation of the egg using tests and procedures or through stimulation with hormones. The use of special drugs gives a guarantee of obtaining a mature egg.
- Sperm is collected in 1-3 hours or preliminarily in a few days and frozen. Biological material must be tested for infections and other pathologies, after collection it is processed in laboratory conditions.
- Using a special plastic catheter, sperm is inserted into the uterus.
The whole procedure takes 5-10 minutes. After this, the woman should lie down for 30-40 minutes without movement. Clinics usually offer re-insemination services to increase chances.
How is pregnancy
The effectiveness of artificial insemination technology is largely influenced by the age of the woman. The best years for pregnancy are 25-33 years, the older the patient, the less chance of fertilization.
What a woman needs to know in the first days after surgery:
- What are the reviews on the second day after artificial insemination? Symptoms of sipping in the lower abdomen, slight pain.
- Against the background of taking progesterone or other hormonal drugs, a woman can feel drowsiness, fatigue. A slight temperature increase is also a common indicator for the first days after the procedure, but if the temperature rises several degrees at once, you should immediately consult a doctor.
- A sign of pregnancy will be the absence of menstruation, it makes no sense to conduct a test earlier than after 7-10 days, all this time the egg only travels through the body and is fixed in the uterus.
In the first days after the procedure, special monitoring may be necessary. In this case, it is better to immediately take care of the place in the hospital. Doctors will observe and, if possible, help conceive and hold the embryo.
According to reviews of artificial insemination, an allergy to drugs administered during surgery can be an unpleasant consequence. If you experience a strange sensation in the abdomen or genitals, consult a doctor immediately.
Patient Reviews
In general, reviews of artificial insemination are positive. This method is effective for infertility of the husband, sexual dysfunction or absence of a partner. The advantages of the procedure are its simplicity, a small number of contraindications, and an affordable price for medical services. Moreover, all actions take about half an hour.
Today, many clinics in Moscow and the regions offer such operations. When choosing a specialist, pay attention to the documents confirming his education in this area. Read the reviews and, most importantly, meet with the doctor in person.
Reviews of artificial insemination at home
If desired, and with good preparation, the fertilization procedure can be completely carried out independently without the help of specialists. This action repeats sexual intercourse, only without the participation of a man. To carry out, you need to find out the exact day of ovulation, you can do this using calculations or a basal thermometer. Also, pre-prepare a thin syringe, a jar for collecting biomaterial, and, possibly, a sterile disposable vaginal dilator.
A man puts his sample in a jar, it is very important to use the material for 1-3 hours. You need to store in a dark warm place, you can wrap it in a cloth. Further actions are quite simple, a woman collects sperm in a syringe, carefully inserts it into the vagina so as not to damage the walls, and injects sperm as far as possible. If using a vaginal dilator, pre-lubricate it with a lubricant. After that, it is recommended to lie down on your back for 30-40 minutes with your legs up.
Reviews about artificial insemination by the donor vary. The likelihood of becoming pregnant at home, and even without the help of doctors, is much lower than in the clinic. The fact is that a lot of material remains on the walls and bottom of the jar, in addition, there is the likelihood of accidental contamination of sperm. But this method has many advantages: fast, free (if there is sperm) and it is possible to repeat it many times.
Clinics in Moscow
When choosing a specialist, pay great attention to his qualifications. Many Russian medical universities train doctors dealing specifically with the problems of conception and childbirth. Moreover, such specialists should regularly confirm their knowledge by attending courses, conferences or internships in Russian and foreign clinics.
What are the best clinics in Moscow for artificial insemination? According to consumer reviews, you can call the centers "Mom", "Embryo", "Mother and Child" or "Children from the test tube." The best guideline is the reviews of friends and acquaintances. This field of medicine is a rather narrow niche, and all good specialists are known and in demand.
And remember, when you go to the clinic it is important to have a positive attitude. You must be accurately prepared for the upcoming motherhood and fatherhood and not have doubts about this. Also, experts recommend a reasonable attitude to the procedure of artificial insemination, and if it did not work out for the first time, do not get upset and do not panic. The main thing is desire, and there is always a way to get a baby.