IUI for male infertility at North Hudson IVF can make dreams of parenthood come true. Male factor infertility is defined as abnormalities in the sperm concentration (number of sperm in the ejaculate), the proportion of progressively motile sperm (those moving fast and straight) and the percentage of sperm that are normally shaped.
A semen analysis is not a test of fertility. In fact, 30% of all men with normal semen analysis parameters have abnormal sperm function. However, an appropriately timed semen analysis will give fertility doctor Jane Miller MD an idea as to which treatment will be most appropriate to help a couple who is trying to conceive.
Semen analysis and IUI for male infertility
IUI for male infertility may be an appropriate fertility treatment when a man’s sperm falls below the acceptable numbers for the sperm concentration, progressive motility and percentage of normally shaped sperm.
If any of these numbers are too low, IUI, or intrauterine insemination, may be the appropriate treatment to help the couple achieve pregnancy.
Undergoing IUI for male infertility
An IUI for male infertility can be performed as part of a woman’s natural cycle, when it is timed using an over-the-counter ovulation predictor kit, or as part of a medicated cycle, which will allow her to ovulate more than one egg. A medicated cycle provides more opportunities for an egg to be fertilized, become an embryo and implant in the uterus.
The male partner produces a specimen one hour before the timed IUI. The specimen is prepared in one of several methods in order to separate the normally shaped, fast-moving sperm from the slow, abnormal sperm and the seminal fluid. The desired sperm are suspended in a fluid that will allow them to continue to move progressively. The sperm are then gently placed into the woman’s uterine cavity via a thin, flexible catheter inserted through her cervix. The IUI is virtually painless, and the total volume of sperm-rich fluid that is put into the uterus is only 0.3 cc.
After the procedure, the woman rests on the examination table for 15 minutes and then can go about her day with no restrictions. A pregnancy test is performed two weeks after the IUI.
Contact us if you would like to schedule an appointment to learn more about IUI for male infertility.