Insemination

During insemination, the cleansed and concentrated (fast-moving) sperm are transferred directly into the uterus at the time of ovulation using a thin, flexible catheter (small tube). The procedure is very simple and painless.
The sperm's journey is drastically shortened by such a method, thereby improving the chances of fertilisation. The sperm are not chemically treated. A type of "long-distance run" is performed in the laboratory to select the fastest sperm for insemination. Such a method is always helpful if the motility or density of the sperm is restricted or the secretion in the cervix is very difficult to penetrate. If the motility of the sperm is seriously impaired, however, then such a method will not be successful.
Depending on the conditions, insemination is undertaken during a stimulated or unstimulated cycle i.e. with or without the help of hormones. Hormone therapy is used to support maturation of an egg, i.e. in the event that this process is impaired such as in the presence of PCO syndrome.

Prospects and risks

The likelihood of conceiving through insemination depends a great deal on the situation to begin with, especially the quality of the spermiogram. The success rates are judged in different ways. The prospects with simple hormone stimulation combined with insemination are usually between 15 and 20 percent per cycle.  If the permeability of the fallopian tubes has been investigated beforehand and is found to be good, the chances of pregnancy from insemination are doubled or even tripled. After several cycles of treatment, pregnancy results in roughly 50 percent of couples. A very high percentage, demonstrating that only mild forms of infertility are treated with such a method.  We usually advise no more than three attempts at insemination. If treatment is unsuccessful, ICSI is the next step.
There is a risk of multiple pregnancy from insemination during a stimulated cycle. It is therefore important to carry out an ultrasound scan and check the blood levels prior to inducing ovulation. If too many follicles have developed, it is possible to break the cycle or to selectively reduce the follicles.