Artificial Inseminationby

Jamieson Taylor O'hara

A look into Artificial Insemination and what it is capable of

What IS Artificial Insemination?

➲ Artificial Insemination is a process where semen is extracted from a male subject, and is artificially injected into either the female's cervix (intracervical insemination), or the uterus (intrauterine insemination). During this process, extreme medical attention is required, as the female menstrual cycle is closely monitored with ultrasounds, blood tests and ovarian kits. Meanwhile, the male's semen is 'washed' to ensure that no harmful chemicals or sexually transmitted diseases are in it, for it can harm the egg or the female reticipant, or both, if unlucky. The operation is risky, but, if successfull, the female will conceive.

➲ However, there is a chance that the operation fails. According to 'DocShop.com', the success rate of the operation depend on 2 factors: Fertility Problems and age. The normal chances of success are on a 5-25% raito, but they can be increased with a special kind of drug called 'Fertility Drugs', but even with those drugs consumed, success is not garunteed,

The Two Procedures

There are two procedures and approaches to preforming Artificial Insemination, which, if you have read carefully on the last slide, involve two different entry points for the sperm entering the female.

➲ If the sperm is being injected through the female's cervix, which is the common procedure, it is called intracervical insemination, or ICI. This is the most painless, and the quickest procedure, and it produces the highest success rate, as the sperm is able to make it's course after a quick injection.

➲ Intrauterine Insemination is when the sperm is injected directly into the uterus. It is the simplest way of injecting sperm, but is slower, and more painful, and it has a lower success rate, unfortunately, as the sperm may end up going to the cervix, confused, leaving the egg to die, unfertilized.

Donor Sperm

➲ Married women can choose either to have sperm taken from their husbands, or from another man. This option is preferable if taking sperm from

the husband is not a good option, because of his infertility. A single woman can also use donor sperm to get a baby without a husband, or

marriage. A donor sperm process is known as AID (Artificial Insemination by Donor). This process may also be a good idea if Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) is not affordable, or if the husband is the carrier of a disease that could threaten the life of the female or the egg, and thus, the baby.

Benefits

➲ Artificial Insemination has some good benefits, like, for example, the reduced

chances of passing on a sexuallytransmitted disease, and is even possible if

same-sex (gay) couples want a baby (As seen on an American Dad episode, where a gay couple make a baby by using the main character's wife to deliver.)

Cost of Artificial Insemination

➲ Although Artificial Insemination is useful, it can be expensive. The cost of this

procedure includes the following...

➲ The cost of investigation and diagnosis➲ The cost of drug therapy➲ The cost of the AI procedure (the intracervical insemination procedure is typically less expensive than the intrauterine artificial insemination procedure)➲ The cost of the hospital stay.

There are additional costs involved, but through any infertility treatment financing options, it can become affordable, and easier to pay off.