Infertility and other forms of issues with reproduction used to be a big issue in the past. However, in modern times, there are several assisted reproductive treatments that can enhance the chances of fertility. One such method is Intrauterine Insemination, more commonly known as IUI treatment. That said, many of you may not know what this treatment is. Therefore, the question here is, "What is IUI treatment?" and "What are some of the tips for IUI success?"
In this blog, we discuss the overall concept of IUI treatment and provide you with ten tips for IUI success. So, with this in mind, let's get started.
Intrauterine Insemination, or IUI for short, is a form of assisted reproductive treatment. In this form of treatment, the experts wash and prepare the ejaculated sperm and place it directly into the uterine cavity around the time of ovulation.
By doing this, this treatment directly bypasses several steps involved and enhances the chances of pregnancy by a decent amount. That said, this process is considered a rather low-tech process because, after the insemination, your body takes over the rest of the fertility process.
Another critical aspect that we have to clarify before proceeding further is the difference between IUI and IVF procedures.
IUI is a process in which sperm is washed and selected before being directly injected into the uterus.
IVF, on the other hand, is a process where the best quality sperm and eggs are selected before being fertilized in a petri dish. In this process, the embryo is then monitored for a few days before being transplanted back into the uterus.
There are many reasons why people choose this treatment. Some of the key reasons are as follows:
These are some of the reasons why people choose this procedure. Besides these, the specific reasons can vary depending on individual circumstances.
Now that you know what Intrauterine Insemination treatment is and why people choose it, you can start your preparation. For this, you can note the three key points mentioned below.
One of the critical things you need to do before starting this treatment is to get tested. Although you may not have symptoms or risk factors, you might unknowingly have fertility issues. One such problem that can happen without any form of symptoms is blocked fallopian tubes. Therefore, before you start your IUI process, you should have a consultation with a reproductive expert and check your reproductive health.
Another key aspect you need to consider before doing the IUI treatment is your end goal. You may want to have only one child or multiple children. If you wish to have multiple children, you may want to skip IUI treatment and go straight to the IVF process. Furthermore, this process is also applicable if you wish to get pregnant later in life.
Before starting your IUI treatment, you should always make a plan. This is because not all IUI treatment processes would result in a successful pregnancy. As a matter of fact, the success rate of Intrauterine Insemination treatment in Nepal is roughly around 10% to 20%. Therefore, you should always make a plan covering the instances of your failure before starting your treatment. Although you can change your plans later on, you should at least have a general outline. This enables you to manage your expectations.
These are the three key things you need to note before starting your IUI treatment process in Nepal.
By now, you should have a general idea regarding what the IUI process is and things you need to note before this process. Now, let's talk about some tips that you can implement to increase the success rates of IUI. The ten common tips for you to enhance your IUI treatment process are as follows:
When preparing for an IUI treatment, you should eat a balanced diet. Include fertility-boosting foods such as leafy greens, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. Furthermore, you should also include lean proteins in your daily meals as well.
Monitoring the ovulation cycle using ultrasound is a thorough method. Taking an ultrasound in the middle of your cycle ensures a mature follicle with a mature egg. That said, this process can be a bit expensive. Therefore, if you cannot afford the cost of regular ultrasound checkups, you can use ovulation predictor kits. That said, these kits can be less accurate.
In the middle of your cycle, the pituitary gland creates a luteinizing hormone. This hormone then causes you to ovulate. Adding a trigger shot to your treatment can help your doctor time the ovulation and start the IUI process. The trigger shot also encourages your ovaries to make more progesterone for around a week after the shot. Therefore, it aids in optimizing the second half of the cycle.
As we mentioned earlier, one of the circumstances where you can use IUI treatment is when a couple is facing mild factor male infertility. For this, you might want to consider improving your sperm parameters through lifestyle changes.
Smoking, in general, is not a good habit and is harmful to health. That said, the effect of smoking is not just limited to general life. Smoking can also negatively affect reproductive health as it has an adverse effect on men's sperm quality. It also causes a higher rate of miscarriages for females as well. Therefore, one of the best things you can do to improve your chances of IUI success is to quit smoking.
In the same vein of thought as quitting smoking, you should also moderate your caffeine and alcohol intake. Although the effect of caffeine on fertility is still debated, it is still a good idea to avoid all forms of trouble. While you can take some amounts of caffeine, you should avoid alcohol altogether. Consumption of alcohol can harm the baby from the start of pregnancy and onwards.
Another key tip we have for IUI is checking your medications. For this, you can consult with your doctors about any form of drugs you are currently taking. This can help you determine whether you need adjustments or discontinuation of medications.
Along with the medications, you should also note your exercise regime. For the duration of the IUI process, you should avoid strenuous exercise. However, we do not mean that you should stop exercising altogether. Instead, you should stay active and engage in less severe exercises. Some of the exercises you can engage in are as follows:
Preparing for IUI success is not just about physical health; it is also about maintaining optimal mental health as well. Therefore, you should keep a relaxed approach regarding IUI treatments. The more stressed you become, the more negative impact you have on the IUI procedure. For this, you can take meditation and other forms of relaxation exercises.
People often underestimate the value of sleep. Getting adequate sleep promotes good mental health and provides rest to your body. Furthermore, getting sufficient sleep also aids in healing as well. All of this combines to increase the chances of the IUI procedure. Therefore, you should get between seven to eight hours of sleep each night.
Naturally, this is not a comprehensive list of all the things you can do to increase the success rates of IUI. Regardless, we hope you understood the overall gist of tips.
Intrauterine Insemination, or IUI, is an assisted reproduction treatment. It is a relatively non-invasive procedure with a decent success rate. The good news here is that you can increase your success rates with IUI success tips.
In this blog, we discussed a brief overview of the IUI process along with ten tips to increase success rates. We hope you found this helpful. If you want further insights into the various aspects of IUI and IVF treatment, do visit some of our other blogs. And if you want the best IUI and In vitro fertilization treatment in Nepal, remember us at Hardik IVF and Fertility Center-The best IVF center in Nepal. Thank you for reading till the end.
If you wish to increase your success rates in IUI, you can implement the following tips:
Technically, there is no way to get pregnant faster with IUI. However, you can increase the chances of pregnancy. For this, you can follow the process below:
No, IUI is not 100% successful. The overall IUI success rate is roughly around 10% to 20% in Nepal.