Artificial insemination by husband (AIH), in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) and intracytoplasmic single sperm injection (ICSI) are the most commonly used assisted reproductive technologies and are by far one of the most effective measures to treat infertility.
1.What is artificial insemination?
Artificial insemination is the release of semen into the female reproductive tract through non-coital means. Artificial insemination is divided into artificial insemination with husband’s sperm (AIH) and artificial insemination with donor sperm (AID) according to the source of sperm. The method we currently use is intrauterine insemination (IUI): the sperm removed by the husband is washed and optimized, and then the optimized sperm is injected into the woman’s uterine cavity using a catheter.
2. When is IUI necessary?
At least one of the female partner’s fallopian tubes is open
Abnormal sexual function of the male partner
Low and weak spermatozoa and semen opacity in the male partner
Cervical and mucus abnormalities
Endometriosis
Immunologic infertility
Unexplained infertility
3.What is IVF-ET?
In vitro fertilization-embryo transfer, also known as IVF-ET, is a procedure in which the woman’s eggs are removed from her body, the eggs are fertilized naturally with the husband’s sperm outside the body, the fertilized eggs develop into embryos, and the doctor then selects the better-developed embryos and puts them back into the woman’s uterus.
4.When do I need to receive IVF-ET treatment?
Difficulty in meeting the sperm and egg due to the female partner’s fallopian tube
Ovulation disorder, failure of other treatments
Endometriosis
Low or weak spermatozoa in the male partner
Unexplained infertility
Female immune infertility
5.What is ICSI?
Intracytoplasmic single sperm injection (ICSI) is a procedure in which the woman’s eggs are removed from her body and a sperm is injected into each mature egg one by one.
6.When do I need to receive ICSI treatment?
Severe oligospermia, weakness and teratospermia
obstructive azoospermia
Partial spermatogenic dysfunction
Male immune infertility
Failed fertilization by conventional IVF-ET, sperm without acrosome or abnormal acrosome function
7.Who are not suitable for IVF-ET or ICSI treatment?
Either of the sperm or egg provider has acute infection of reproductive or urinary system and sexually transmitted diseases or has alcohol or drug addiction and other bad habits.
Either sperm or egg provider has been exposed to teratogenic rays, toxins, drugs and is in the period of action.
The female partner’s uterus is not capable of gestational function or serious physical disease that prevents pregnancy.
8.What are the risks associated with assisted reproductive technology?
There are risks in everything, there is no absolute safety, and IVF is the same, but generally speaking, the risks are not significant. In the past 20 years, we have performed more than 25,000 cycles of IVF in our hospital, and there has not been a patient with a life-threatening condition, but it is difficult to guarantee that it will never occur.
(1) Common complications.
Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome
Anesthesia accidents, organ damage, and intra-abdominal bleeding may occur during the egg retrieval procedure and require surgery if necessary.
(2) Safety.
Malformation rate: As in natural pregnancy, the baby born may have malformations, but there is no significant difference in the probability of occurrence.
Pregnancy complications: as with natural pregnancy, miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, simultaneous pregnancy inside and outside the uterus, and gravidity may occur.
Others: the association between, for example, ovarian cancer, premature ovarian failure and IVF is inconclusive.
(3) What are the other possible risks of intracytoplasmic single sperm microinjection.
Microinjection may cause unknowable damage to the egg
Genetic factors that cause hypospermia in men may be passed on to their sons through this treatment
The incidence of malformations using this technique is not significantly different from that of natural conception, and the probability of a baby being born with malformations is similar to that of natural conception
(4) Other special cases.
Ovarian insensitivity to ovulatory drugs, low number of follicles, low success rate, 3.1% probability of occurrence
Failure to retrieve eggs during egg collection (empty follicles), incidence 0.5%
Failure to retrieve sperm from the husband, requiring epididymal or testicular puncture, single sperm injection or egg freezing
Failed fertilization or embryos with very poor development, no transfer value, cancelled transfer, incidence 7.4%
Frozen embryo recovery rate of 95%.