Artificial Insemination

The term artificial insemination describes the process of bringing together egg and sperm cells outside of the body.

This method has existed since 1978, and is equivalent to the term IVF (In Vitro Fertilization).

Today, we differentiate between three forms of IVF:

  1. IVF is the “classic” form of IVF, in which egg and sperm cells are simply brought together in a petri dish.
  2. ICSI (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection), in which sperm cells are individually selected under a microscope and injected into egg cells.
  3. IMSI (Intracytoplasmic Morphologically selected Sperm Injection), in which sperm cells are selected using an intensive search procedure under a high-end microscope with 6,600x magnification and injected into egg cells.

The therapy process for women is identical across all three forms of artificial insemination:

First, the doctors at the Ceres Fertility Center will create an individualized hormone stimulation plan to optimally stimulate the ovaries using FSH. Another medication is used to prevent premature ovulation. At the same time, the uterine lining (endometrium) thickens.

After an ovulation-triggering injection, the eggs are retrieved 36 hours later under general anesthesia, which takes about five to ten minutes. This procedure is performed through the vagina (egg retrieval).

The eggs are then examined by a biologist in the lab and fertilized with sperm via IVF, ICSI, or IMSI.

A few days later, the embryos are transferred. This procedure is done without anesthesia.

Throughout the entire therapy, except for the day of egg retrieval, you can continue your normal daily activities.

For coverage of the costs of artificial insemination, an application can sometimes be submitted to your health insurance provider.

Insemination

Insemination is a very elegant and simple method to significantly increase the chances of pregnancy.

It is primarily used when the desire for a child has existed for over a year and tests of ovarian function, hormone levels, fallopian tube patency, and sperm quality have shown no significant abnormalities.

Since only the optimally motile sperm cells are transferred and not the entire semen (ejaculate), it is essential to check whether the sperm quality after semen sample preparation is sufficient for fertilization before planning an insemination.

If this is the case, the second step should be to assess the patency of the fallopian tubes in the woman.
In fertility treatment with insemination, a distinction is made between homologous insemination (using the partner's sperm) and heterologous insemination (using donor sperm).

Fertility therapy with insemination follows the natural cycle of the woman, with a mild stimulation using hormones to significantly increase the chances of egg fertilization by transferring sperm into the uterus and thereby enhancing the chances of pregnancy.

The actual insemination is performed when the follicle has reached optimal size, and ovulation has been actively triggered to achieve perfect timing. The prepared sperm cells are then inserted into the uterine cavity using a small plastic tube (catheter).

The embryo is formed in the fallopian tube and implants in the uterus about five days later.

This process increases the number of fertilizable sperm in the fallopian tube and thus significantly improves the chances of pregnancy.

Artificial Insemination
Artificial Insemination

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