Intrauterine insemination treatment in sub fertility : analysis of factors affecting outcome

Abstract EN

Background Intra uterine insemination is an assisted reproductive technique using husband or donor sperm, at the time of ovulation in natural or stimulated cycle put in the uterine cavity or in the cervical canal.

Objective To identify factors that can predict successful outcome in intrauterine insemination.

Methods a prospective study, 193 cycles of intrauterine insemination were analyzed to identify prognostic factors regarding treatment outcome.

The variables selected for analysis were: female age, infertility duration and etiology, types of infertility, sperm parameters after preparation (count and progressive motility), number of preovulatory follicles, thickness of endometrium and type of ovarian stimulation.

The data were analyzed with chi – square test.

Results The overall pregnancy rate was 7.8%; the miscarriage rate was 60%, and no ectopic pregnancy or multiple pregnancies were encountered.

Five significant variables were identified for successful outcome: endometrial thickness (P=0.001), number of treatment cycles (P=0.002), number of preovulatory follicles (P=0.038), progressive motility of sperm after preparation (P=0.05), and female age (P=0.05).

Conclusion intrauterine insemination should be considered prior to more invasive and expensive other assisted reproductive techniques as in vitro fertilization and gamete intra-Fallopian transfer.

Careful couple's selection is a crucial factor in enhancing conception with this method.