Is intrauterine insemination right for you?
There are few things in the world that are more frustrating than having trouble conceiving. Luckily, modern technology and medical advances have made it much easier to conceive and have a child, even for those that have run into problems. Even though there are dozens of methods available, intrauterine insemination is one of the best for its cost. But what is it? Is it safe? And how does it work? By answering these questions you can know for sure whether intrauterine insemination is right for you or if you’d rather not try it. So, what is it?
It is simply inserting semen directly into the uterus into of relying on intercourse to cause natural conception. Because it is such a simple procedure it takes very little time, which of course is why it costs so much less than procedures such as in vitro fertilization. In fact, there isn’t much to the process at all: semen is ‘cleaned’ so to speak in order to make it concentrated sperm. This greatly increases the chances of success. This sperm is then inserted directly to maximize the chances of fertilizing an egg. But is it safe?
The put it simply: yes. There is virtually no chance of major complications, and even minor discomfort (if it even occurs) shouldn’t last more than a day. This makes intrauterine insemination one of the safest methods of conception available, which is why it is becoming more and more popular. So what’s the drawback?
There are methods that have higher chance of success. However, they cost more. So it is a trade off of cost versus success rate. This is not to say that intrauterine insemination is ineffective, just that for those with a very small chance of conception it might not be enough. Obviously, the OBGYN would inform the patient of what their best course of action would be.
If you are struggling to conceive naturally, fertility drugs will often be the first course of action. Not only do these increase egg production, but they also help make the timing of the egg cycle (ovulation) much more exact and reliable, which of course increases the chances of fertilization.
For many, the increased production of the fertility drugs and their effect on the egg cycle is enough to conceive when paired with intrauterine insemination. Because of this, most specialists will recommend to try it before attempting a more involved process like in vitro fertilization, which of course is much more involved and expensive.
In the end, it is ultimately your decision whether you feel that this procedure would be the right thing for you. However, if you have been struggling to conceive naturally; this is the perfect thing to try to take a step in the right direction. At the very least, it gives those that otherwise would have almost no chance of having children much better odds at getting that little miracle, and isn’t that worth the 15-20 minutes?
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