The Frustrating Hurdles Of Infertility
Infertility can pose serious challenges. There’s the disappointment, anxiety, cost, trips to the doctor, and treatments to deal with. More than 9% of Americans can relate. Doctors consider any person or couple trying to get pregnant for one year as infertile. Luckily, there are several treatment options, including IUI. At the same time, IUI is not without challenges, namely the need for donor sperm.
Getting a boost with IUI
IUI or intrauterine insemination is the most common form of assisted reproductive technology (ART). For IUI to work, a doctor or fertility clinic needs a sperm sample. The clinic treats sperm using sperm washing. Then the doctor will insert the treated sample into the woman’s uterus to help with fertilization. Using this technique increases the chances of sperm reaching the fallopian tubes and fertilizing the egg. Doctors perform IUI around ovulation. Or the doctor may provide medication to stimulate ovulation.
Why the need for donor sperm?
IUIs are useful when the woman is in excellent reproductive health. Even so, women need equally healthy sperm for pregnancy. Donor sperm becomes important when healthy sperm is not viable or available.
All the single ladies
Some women want to start a family but may not have a partner to do so. These single ladies turn to reproductive clinics for help. Women could be in excellent reproductive health but will still need a sperm donor to get started. By using a known sperm donor or anonymous donor, IUI allows single women to become pregnant.
Male infertility can call for donors
Infertility is both a male and a female issue. Men are just as likely to be infertile as women. Low sperm count, sperm motility, or poor morphology cause male infertility. In some cases, the man may be unable to produce any viable sperm at all. Couples still looking to start a family can get IUI treatment with donor sperm.
Too many failed attempts
In most cases, doctors can identify the cause of infertility in couples. But there’s a group, about 30%, where the reason is unexplained. In unexplained infertility, tests on both parties for infertility come back positive. Yet, despite several attempts and techniques, the couple still cannot get pregnant. At this stage, the couple can consider donor sperm to increase the chances of success.
Everyone deserves to start a family
More and more same-sex couples are turning to ART to start families. Fertility treatment continues to become more accessible to the LGBTQ community. Donor sperm can be beneficial in specific same-sex cases. For example, lesbian partners need donor sperm to start a family. Once in good reproductive health, the clinic can perform IUI with donor sperm on the chosen person.
An unavoidable condition
Of the many services reproductive clinics provide, genetic screening continues to be the most useful. Tests can reveal a genetic condition specific to the male. Or the couple may already know about an existing genetic condition. As a result, the couple can opt to use donor sperm instead. This increases the chance of a healthy baby and an improved quality of life for the future family.
Donor sperm levels the playing field
Donor sperm can be the key to unlocking the difficult challenge of infertility. There are cases where a donor is the only option, and many persons grab the opportunity. At the same time, donor sperm is not an easy decision. Men, in particular, have to come to terms with not being a biological parent. Anyone using a sperm donor will get the necessary counseling and support from a doctor. With IUI and donor sperm, persons with the specific challenges mentioned can have an amazing bundle of joy.
