What is Artificial Insemination?

Artificial Insemination involves placing sperm inside a woman’s uterus and is performed just before ovulation takes place. This procedure is simple, painless, and is carried out in the clinic without the need for sedation or surgery.

When is Artificial Insemination Recommended?

Recommendations for Artificial Insemination can vary depending on whether we use semen from the spouse or partner, or from a donor:

With semen from the spouse or partner, it is recommended in the following cases:

Changes in ovulation.
Decrease in the number or motility of sperm, and/or defects in the sperm.
Difficulties with the sperm’s ability to penetrate the uterine cavity.
Unknown causes of infertility or sterility.

With semen from a donor, it is recommended in the following cases:

Azoospermia (a complete absence of sperm in the male’s semen).
Severe male factor infertility after previous failures or the lack of desire for In Vitro Fertilization.
Chromosomal or genetic alterations.
Risk of passing on a hereditary disease or condition.
A woman who wishes to conceive but does not have a male partner.

The Artificial Insemination Procedure

Artificial Insemination can be carried out during the female’s natural cycle, or after she has received ovarian stimulation. Ovarian stimulation is a hormone therapy consisting of medications that aim at assuring follicular growth as well as the ovulation of potentially fertile eggs. To control this phase we will perform regularly scheduled ultrasounds, and on occasion, hormone testing.

The semen sample, whether it has come from the partner or spouse or is a thawed sample from the Sperm Bank, will be properly handled in the Andrology Lab in order to select the sperm with the best motility. It is important to point out that the donor samples always come from either our Sperm Bank, or from another properly accredited Sperm Bank. The samples are frozen in order to assure proper conservation and meet all quality standards. All donors must pass all of the tests and analyses to guarantee that they meet all requirements.

The insemination process is finalized by introducing the selected sperm into the woman’s uterus utilizing a flexible catheter. Once the insemination process has been completed, the female will receive a hormone therapy in order to encourage the development of a possible gestation. A pregnancy test will be performed approximately two weeks after the artificial insemination has been performed.