What are the most common indications for this treatment?

- Ovulation alteration.

- Reduced number, motility and/or abnormalities of the sperm.

- Difficulties in penetrating the sperm into the uterine cavity.

- A problem with sterility due to unknown causes.

- Ejaculation alterations.

What probabilities are there of becoming pregnant?

Approximately half of women less than forty become pregnant after four cycles. 20% of pregnancies are twins. Very rarely are there pregnancies with more fetuses.

The risks of abortion, premature birth or congenital malformation are the same as with natural pregnancies.

How and when should we obtain the semen sample for the IAC?

The semen sample collection and transportation to the lab is vital both for processing and for obtaining the desired results. The semen sample must be received at the lab the same day as the insemination and must follow the following specifications:

- No sexual relations 3 to 5 days prior to obtaining the sample.

- The semen must be obtained from masturbation.

- Only use the suited recipient (urine collection jar).

- The quality of the semen depends on the quality of the orgasm. Therefore, the necessary amount of time and stimulation should be taken.

- Collect all the semen from ejaculation and close the container well.

- Deliver the sample to the lab within an hour from collecting the sample. The sample must be protected from light, cold or excessive heat during transportation.

ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION WITH DONOR´S SEMEN (IAD)

What are the indications for this treatment?

Indications for IAD include:

1) Heterosexual couples where the male has azoospermia (lack of sperm in the ejaculation) and where the sperm can not be recovered from a testicular biopsy.

2) A reduced number and motility of sperm in the semen after failure or not wanting In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF).

3) In males with hereditary diseases which can not be diagnosed through Pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) and with a high risk of transmitting to his offspring.

4) For women without a male partner.

How is a semen donor selected?

The donors at a sperm bank must fulfil a series of prerequisites: Be in good psycho-physical health; not have a family history of hereditary diseases; not have transmittable diseases (especially HIV, hepatitis B and C, etc.) and not have generated more than six or more assisted or natural reproductions. For this, they must pass a medical exam where the legally required studies are performed.

The selection of the donor is done by the team applying the technique and must guarantee the most similar phenotype and immunological characteristics to maximise the compatibility between the women receiving the donation and her family.

The donation is always anonymous, which means that the women receiving the donation may not choose her donor, or vice versa.

How is the semen sample prepared?

The semen used for donation is conserved in a cryoprotector in liquid nitrogen (at -196ºC) in a sperm bank. To be used, it must be thawed and treated to isolate the most motile sperm, eliminating the semen plasma and the cryoprotector medium to carry out the motile sperm recovery techniques.

What probabilities are there of becoming pregnant?

Three out of four women less than forty become pregnant after six cycles.

The risks of abortion, premature birth or congenital malformation are the same as with natural pregnancies.