600 Years of Turkey Basters

November 3rd, 2010

When you think about artificial insemination, you probably don’t normally think about the fact that it’s the oldest of the Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ARTs). The concept of artificial insemination isn’t a new one at all. For a couple of centuries, people have been using artificial insemination, or at least talking about it. The practice really spun up into high gear during the 1950s, but for centuries before it had been the subject of study and discussion.

Legend tells us that the practice may have been tried as early as the 1400s. Juana, who was the wife of King Henry IV of Castile, may have been the subject of attempts at artificial insemination.

The next look we get at artificial insemination is from a physician, John Hunter, during the late 1700s. In 1790, he published the results of artificial insemination attempts in a medical journal.

It was almost a hundred years later that we see efforts in Russia, in 1899, to hone the actual practices of artificial insemination. By 1909, the Catholic Church declares its opposition to the technique.

In the 1930’s, science begins to really consider the issue. A rabbit is successfully conceived via artificial insemination in 1939. This is followed by a rather dark time in the history of artificial insemination, in which Nazi doctors perform the technique as experiments on Jews, gypsies and other concentration camp victims.

Artificial insemination took several leaps forward in the 1950s. In 1950, scientists at Cornell began to add antibiotics to the sperm solution in order to help the process. In 1953, researchers were able to confirm the first pregnancy from artificial insemination using frozen sperm.

By the 1970s, artificial insemination becomes commercialized, leading to the creation of the sperm bank industry and leading to more advanced techniques such as Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) and IVF.

The technique has become more and more popular. In 1987, there were around 172,000 artificial insemination attempts that resulted in about 65,000 births.

Interestingly enough, today’s actual techniques used in artificial insemination were first tested with animals. Specifically, dairy farmers who wanted to improve milk production first would use the technique to gather the sperm of bulls that had preferred genetic composition and use them to impregnate cows.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Artificial Insemination and Low Sperm Count

October 27th, 2010

You wouldn’t know it by the way that fertility products and services are marketed so heavily to women, but somewhere around 40 percent of fertility issues have to do with a problem involving the male partner. In particular, a low sperm count seems to be one of the most common barriers to conception that couples face, and it can be terribly difficult to try to overcome that problem. Fortunately, many couples where the male partner has a low sperm count can find some success in having a baby by way of artificial insemination.

In some cases, your doctor can address a low sperm count medically, such as by removing a varicocele that’s causing the problem, or through a process like Microepididymal Sperm Aspiration. Often, however, a more effective and quicker workaround is simply artificial insemination.

Specifically, the type of artificial insemination used when a man has a low sperm count is through ICSI. ICSI stands for “Intracytoplasmic sperm injection,” and it involves more than just delivering sperm to the uterus (which is the usual procedure for traditional artificial insemination). ICSI involves a process whereby the sperm is delivered directly to the center of a waiting egg. This, of course, makes it much more likely that the sperm will be able to do its job and fertilize the egg.

It’s important to know, too, that ICSI as well as traditional artificial insemination involve first “washing” the sperm. This involves spinning the sperm out so that the healthiest sperm, which are the most likely to be able to make it to the egg and fertilize it, are used in the process. There are some other methods used to help concentrate the sperm prior to artificial insemination as well.

Your doctor is, of course, the one most capable of helping you to identify a potential cause for your low sperm count, as well as to cover the specific options that you have in terms of fertility treatments. In some cases, artificial insemination or ICSI may not be the best way to go, especially if there are other fertility concerns for the couple.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Artificial Insemination | No Comments »

Holding on to Hope

October 12th, 2010

Some folks just lead a charmed life. You know the ones we’re talking about. She’s the head cheerleader, prom queen, and successful career woman with a drop-dead gorgeous husband. When it’s time that she decides she wants to be a mom, she tries for one or maybe two cycles and she’s pregnant.

The fact of the matter is, however, that in the real world life is a lot more complex. Things aren’t always as simple as they are for the lucky few. If you want something, you have to work at it. You struggle to advance in your career, for example. You also might have something of an uphill battle when it comes time when you want to try to conceive.

Still, there is always hope. Just because something doesn’t come easy doesn’t mean it’s not worth having, or that you should give up hope. In fact, especially when it comes to getting pregnant, it can take quite a bit of effort to get to the place where you’ve reached your goal.

Many fertility doctors, for example, won’t even see a patient who hasn’t consistently been trying to get pregnant for 12 months. The fact is conception isn’t an exact science (at least not when it’s done the old fashioned way). It can take quite a bit of work in terms of becoming educated about fertility, or tracking your ovulatory cycles, or making lifestyle changes that help you to conceive.

It’s easy to start to lose hope at one point or another. Many women lose hope within just a few months of trying. This is unfortunate, because the emotional roller coaster that comes with trying to conceive can, in many ways, actually affect your ability to get pregnant by creating stress.

The good news is that there are options out there, even if you’re having trouble getting pregnant. There are fertility medications that can help many women. There are relatively simple and inexpensive procedures, such as artificial insemination, that you can try. There are very aggressive fertility treatments, such as in vitro fertilization, that are measures of last resort.

In a worst case scenario, infertility doesn’t even mean you can’t be a parent, with options like adoption.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Artificial Insemination | No Comments »

When is Artificial Insemination a Good Idea?

October 6th, 2010

Artificial insemination is one of the most common fertility procedures practiced today. It’s much less invasive (and much more cost effective) than more extreme treatments, such as in vitro fertilization. In a nutshell, artificial insemination is a procedure in which washed sperm are placed into the woman’s womb during ovulation, where it then has the potential to fertilize an egg.

There are a number of different scenarios in which artificial insemination is a good idea, including:

  • Low sperm count. Some men are unable to produce enough sperm of a high enough quality to be able to conceive. The artificial insemination procedure separates out the man’s sperm and puts it right where it needs to be for conception to occur.
  • Low sperm motility. Sperm motility refers to the way that the sperm move or “swim” forward through the woman’s reproductive system. If the sperm don’t move forward or at a fast enough pace, conception can’t occur. Artificial insemination avoids that problem.
  • Erectile dysfunction. Some men can’t obtain or maintain an erection during sex, making conception impossible. Artificial insemination bypasses this problem by making intercourse unnecessary.
  • Cervical problems. Sometimes, the cervix causes problems with fertility. It may be that the cervical mucus is too think to help the sperm move into the womb, or that it’s hostile to the sperm. Artificial insemination avoids the cervix altogether.
  • Endometriosis. Endometriosis is a condition in which the fallopian tubes or ovaries may be affected by a growth from the uterine lining. Artificial insemination can bypass mild or moderate endometriosis.
  • Unexplained infertility. Sometimes, it’s hard to identify what exactly is keeping a couple from conceiving a child. Artificial insemination bypasses all of the above problems, even when they’re not readily identified. That’s why it is used as an early stage treatment for infertility problems when a cause can’t be readily identified.
  • Same sex couples. Artificial insemination is an option in some places for same-sex couples. Male, of course, need to find a surrogate mother to carry the baby, while female couples need to find a sperm donor.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Artificial Insemination | No Comments »

When To Use An Egg Donor

April 21st, 2010

An egg donor can be considered when a couple has exhausted procedures such as in vitro fertilization without success. Egg donation, or donor embryos, can allow a woman who is infertile to carry and give birth to a child.

What are the conditions that cause women to seek donor eggs?

Many reasons a woman may consider using a donor egg, which may include premature ovarian failure because of the early onset of menopause. Genetically transmitted diseases that the mother does not want to pass on to a child. Diminished ovarian reserve, poor quality of eggs usually caused by aging and is seen in women over 40. In vitro fertilization failure, after trying many times and her doctor suspects the eggs to be of low quality.

The use of donor eggs has become more common, especially in women over the age of 40. The success rate is high, 43.4%, with this type of procedure if fresh embryos, not frozen, are used.

How to find and choose an egg donor

Some couples prefer to know the donor of the egg and enter into a detailed contract concerning any future relationship between the child and the donor. Most egg donation is anonymous. Egg donors are screened giving detailed information such as medical history, genetic disorders, education, and the background of the donor. Age limit requirements are typical, and most donor egg is from women under the age of 27. Any embryos remaining can be frozen and implanted at a later date if needed or desired. If the frozen embryos are no longer needed, the couple can choose to donate them.

Egg Donation Issues

Insurance does not usually cover the costs of these procedures, so couples will have to pay for them on their own. This will include any medical expenses for the donor and her fees as well as doctors fees, and any other expenses that may arise from possible complications.

A couple can expect long waiting lists for donated eggs at most clinics; however, there are other options such as donor registries as well as donor agencies that will give the couple speedier results.

What can I expect with egg donation?

The physician will start a course of hormone treatments so that the donor recipient’s menstrual cycle will correspond with the donor’s cycle. The donor will be treated with hormones that will help create a super-ovulation situation by which more than one egg will be harvested. The eggs are fertilized and implanted within a few days. More than one egg is implanted to ensure that pregnancy occurs.

Success rate is high, especially if using fresh embryos; however, there is always a chance the pregnancy will not occur and a repeated procedure will need to be done that will add to the cost.

Tags: , ,
Posted in Artificial Insemination | 5 Comments »

The Conception Process With Artificial Insemination

April 21st, 2010

Women who want to have a child but have difficulty conceiving have several treatment options available, including artificial insemination. As one of the oldest methods used to treat infertility, it has become widely accepted. This option works for couples who have infertility due to the man’s low sperm count, weak sperm or physical abnormalities of the cervix or endometriosis. Artificial insemination could prove one of the first fertility treatments tried by the doctor if the woman has normal ovulation. Compared to other treatments for infertility, artificial insemination has fewer side effects, but the success rates depend on the precise reason for infertility.

A physician will test the woman for regular ovulation before determining if artificial insemination is the right treatment, and might prescribe fertility to increase the number of eggs produced each month. This increases the chances of success for the artificial insemination.

Once the woman produces an egg, her partner’s semen will be collected and evaluated for sperm count and health. The doctor leaves the semen at room temperature then puts it through a centrifuge to extract the sperm cells most likely to ovulate the egg. This process is known as “washing” the sperm.

If a woman does not wish to use her partner’s sperm, she has the option of choosing sperm from a donor. Donor sperm has already been screened for genetic and medical defects and frozen to preserve it. The procedure for inserting donor sperm is the same as if the woman uses her partner’s sperm.

The woman will lie down on an examination table, as she would for a pap smear. To insert the sperm into the woman’s body, the doctor fills a tube (catheter) with the sperm. He puts the catheter into the vagina, past the cervix and directly to the uterus where the sperm is deposited. This form of artificial insemination is known as intrauterine injection (IUI). Most doctors recommend that the woman continues to lie on the examination table for up to 45 minutes after the painless procedure.

Following the insertion of the sperm, the woman will be able to return to her normal routine. Some doctors will recommend an artificial insemination treatment one to two days before ovulation and up to two days afterward to increase the chances of conceiving during a given month. The chances of conceiving with frozen donor sperm are less than with fresh sperm, depending on the health of the sperm of the woman’s partner. Several courses of artificial insemination might be needed for fertilization of the egg to occur, but the child born from the effort will make the process worth the effort.

Tags: , ,
Posted in Artificial Insemination | No Comments »

Fertility Drugs

April 20th, 2010

Few things are more disheartening or discouraging than being unable to conceive. Unfortunately, though, infertility is a problem for many couples. The good news is that there are many ways to treat the problem, either through procedures like in vitro fertilization and artificial insemination or through medications known as fertility drugs. There is a dizzying array of fertility drugs available today. Some are taken orally and some are injected; they’re sometimes used alone, or sometimes used in concert with various procedures. Learn more about the most common fertility drugs by reading on below.

Clomid

As the most commonly prescribed fertility drug, Clomid is a familiar name with any couple that is having trouble conceiving. It is also prescribed under the name Serophene, and is scientifically known as clomiphene citrate. Clomid has been in use for more than 25 years and is prescribed to trigger or regulate a woman’s ovulation.

Clomid is an antiestrogen drug; it works by releasing hormones that prompt the ovaries to produce eggs, a process that is otherwise known as ovulation. More specifically, it works by prompting the brain’s pituitary gland to release hormones called FSH and LH, and the hypothalamus to release one called GnRH.

When used as directed, approximately 60% of 80% of women ovulate successfully; about half of them go on to become pregnant. The average length of treatment is three cycles. Side effects are typically mild, and may include nausea, bleeding, blurred vision, hot flashes and bloating. The risk of multiple births increases when using Clomid.

Injectable Hormones

There is a vast array of injectable hormones that are used as fertility drugs. So many, in fact, that listing them all here would be a massive undertaking. They all share several things in common, however. They are typically used to stimulate ovulation, and may be used by women who aren’t ovulating at all or by women who aren’t ovulating regularly enough to conceive.

Approximately 50% of the women who begin ovulating when using injectable hormones become pregnant. These are also popular methods because their side effects are usually very mild. Common side effects include infection and tenderness. Some women experience problems at their injection sites, including blood blisters, swelling and bruising. The risk of multiple births is increased when using injectable hormone fertility drugs.

Other Methods

There are a handful of other relatively common fertility drugs in use today. They include:

  • Heparin – This fertility drug is used to reduce the risk of miscarriage among women who have experienced several of them in the past.
  • Aspirin – In some cases, aspirin may be prescribed to lower the risk of miscarriage. However, this must be determined by a doctor on a case-by-case basis.
  • Dostinex and Parlodel – Women who have pituitary tumors that are negatively impacting the ovulation process may use one of these fertility drugs to shrink them. They are also used to lower levels of prolactin in the body.
  • · Antagon – This injectable drug is prescribed for women who are undergoing infertility treatments, and is used to prevent premature ovulation.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Artificial Insemination | 1 Comment »

Fertility Problems

April 13th, 2010

The medical field is full of especially delicate areas. Fertility is one of those, and many individuals experience fertility problems at one point or another. Some couples freak out after only a few months of unsuccessful attempts to have a baby, but there is no reason for concern at that early stage. For those couples who have been trying to have a child for one year or more without any success, the root issue might be fertility problems. This becomes especially important as individuals age into their late thirties, since both men and women experience decreased fertility as they near forty.

So what are some of the fertility problems out there and what are people doing to find solutions? About fifty percent of all fertility issues stem from a problem with a woman’s reproductive system. Since women are wholly responsible for carrying the child, there is much more than can go wrong with their reproductive functions. Whether it is an issue with the uterus, an issue with the fallopian tubes, or some issue with the woman’s eggs, almost half of fertility problems start there. Thirty percent of issues are male-related, with low sperm count being the chief culprit. Other issues can arise, including exposure to DES by either the male or female prior to birth.

Artificial insemination for fertility problems
Today, couples who have been trying to have a child do have some resources at their disposal that they can tap into before frustration sets in. Many of these people are going to artificial insemination clinics, just to see what their options might be. Fertility tests at these clinics can assess the issues at play, which gives medical professionals the information they need to provide successful treatment. There are many ways that fertility problems can be treated, depending upon the cause.

Circumventing the physical issues
Many of the issues associated with fertility have to do with the physical dynamic with one or both partners. In these instances, artificial insemination can be used to get around some of the issues at play. For instance, if a man’s sperm count is so low that the requisite number of sperm is not reaching the woman’s egg, artificial insemination can take the sperm and insert it directly where it needs to be. Likewise, this process can be used to counteract a number of problems that are inherent to women and their reproductive systems.

This solution is a good one for fertility problems because it is direct and requires less stress than other fertility measures. Couples can become highly frustrated when other fertility treatments don’t meet the mark, which is why many are choosing not to waste their time anymore. Artificial insemination allows a couple to have a baby naturally, retaining many of the joys of child birth. This is often very important, as couples crave the experience that their friends and family have gone through previously. Fertility problems can stand to threaten this, but modern medical marvels have helped to make child birth a reality for couples.

Tags: , ,
Posted in Artificial Insemination | 1 Comment »

How to Find the Right Artificial Insemination Clinic

April 6th, 2010

Reproductive technology is one of the fast growing fields in the medical world right now, which means that individuals seeking artificial insemination have some big choices to make. Choosing the right artificial insemination clinic can be a difficult decision, and it is one that you will certainly want to research beforehand. With so many good clinics out there, you can take some peace in knowing that you’ll probably end up in good hands. Fertility is an important and delicate thing, though, so it makes sense to leave very little to chance as you make this choice. So how do you find the right clinic?

Research fertility rates
When it comes to something as important as fertility, your research should take a hard look at the numbers. You need to research fertility rates, as they are readily available through the National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This federal database is updated periodically, so you will want to make sure you get the most current information. From there, you can find out exactly which clinics have been the most successful in helping people get pregnant. Ultimately, the numbers will not lie in a situation like that, so clinics that are consistent performers are a good bet moving forward.

Likewise, you will not want to use these numbers as a hard line guide. Simply looking at the list and deciding that clinic A is better than clinic B would be a poor approach, to say the least. You should use these statistics as a base for your decision, though, and you should make sure that any clinic you choose has a fertility rate well above the national average.

Quality control and staff turnover
Look for a clinic that has a long-standing staff. If a clinic has seen a lot of staff turnover in recent years, it could be an indication of poor quality there. Likewise, breaking in a new staff in any new clinic can be a difficult process. It can lead to more mistakes, just on the basis of people acclimating to their new surroundings. Clinics with directors and technicians who have been there for quite some time will be a better choice.

Choosing a small clinic over a larger one
One of the questions that smart potential patients should ask is how many patients the clinic sees each year. Though it is not necessarily an indictment against a particular clinic if they serve many patients, it can indicate the level of service that you will receive. With something as important as insemination, you want to make sure that you are not just another number. You will want personal, hands-on treatment.

Gauging costs and guarantees
Though a decision of this magnitude should never be made on the basis of cost alone, that is one of the things that you should look into. Choose a place that is not overly expensive if you have that choice. Additionally, you should steer clear of those places that offer money-back guarantees if you don’t get pregnant. This might influence a doctor’s decision and cause aggressive, dangerous treatment for the sake of the doctor’s finances.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Artificial Insemination | 1 Comment »

How Artificial Insemination Works

March 31st, 2010

Artificial insemination is one of the simplest and least-involved treatments for infertility. During the procedure, sperm are placed into a woman’s fallopian tubes, cervix or uterus with a thin tube called a catheter, creating a shorter trip and introducing the sperm to the egg more quickly, directly and efficiently.

The vast majority of artificial inseminations are IUIs, or intrauterine inseminations, in which sperm are introduced to a woman’s uterus. This procedure is ideal in cases of fertility that are caused by weak sperm, or when a man has a significantly low sperm count. An IUI causes very few side effects, and it is a straightforward and simple procedure.

How Artificial Insemination Works

The process involved in artificial insemination is simple and easy to understand. Steps typically include:

  1. Testing for Ovulation – In order to be successful, artificial insemination must be conducted when a woman is experiencing ovulation, or the releasing of a fertile egg. A woman’s doctor will monitor her using ultrasounds, blood tests or ovulation kits in order to determine when she is ovulating. This will produce the best odds of success during the artificial insemination process.
  1. Giving a Sperm Sample – Sperm samples are time-sensitive; therefore, a man must produce his while the woman is ovulating. If he lives close enough to the clinic, a man can produce his sample at home and bring it in; otherwise, he has to produce it on-site. Doctors usually ask men to abstain from sex around this period of time, so that his sample will have the highest sperm count possible.
  1. “Washing” the Sperm – After receiving the sperm sample, the clinic will “wash” it within one hour. This is done to enhance the chances of fertilization. During the washing process, chemicals that cam cause discomfort to the woman are removed from the sperm. The sperm is then liquefied for thirty minutes at room temperature. Finally, a chemical is added to the sperm; it is harmless and works to separate out the most active sperm. The very best sperm are further separated using a centrifuge; the final sample is stored.
  1. “Injecting” the Sperm – The climactic moment of the artificial insemination process is when the sperm is actually introduced to a woman’s uterus, cervix or fallopian tubes. The washed sperm are placed into a long, thin tube called a catheter. The catheter is inserted into a woman’s vagina, and passed through her cervix, until it reaches her uterus. The collected sperm is then introduced into the uterus, will it will hopefully make contact with – and fertilize – the egg.
  1. A Brief Rest – Following artificial insemination, most doctors have the woman lay down for fifteen to forty-five minutes, in order to give the sperm a chance to do their work. At most, women may experience light cramping during the procedure, and slight bleeding immediately after. Otherwise, she will be free to resume her regular activities after the brief rest. Mother Nature takes things from there; it is just a waiting game from that point on.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Artificial Insemination | 3 Comments »

« Older Entries