What are the basic steps of artificial insemination?

In practice, several interviews are scheduled with the doctor (first as a couple, then each separately), so that the latter can ensure the motivations of the future mother and the future father. These interviews also serve to clearly inform the couple about the progress of the artificial insemination, the chances of success, the risks involved, the alternatives in the event of failure and to obtain the informed consent (in writing) of both future parents.

As its name suggests, artificial insemination aims to bring sperm directly into the uterus or, more rarely, to the cervix ( intracervical insemination ), through a catheter inserted through the natural channels during a gynecological examination . In other words, this technique aims to facilitate the meeting of the egg and sperm inside the female genital tract. It is offered to couples who are having difficulty having a baby, after an infertility assessment (examination of the woman, the man, hormonal dosages, etc.) and quite often in addition to ovarian stimulation .

Artificial insemination can overcome some causes of infertility, but not all. These include female sterility (poor quality or insufficient quantity of mucus) and others male sterility (insufficient sperm).

If she has a good spontaneous ovulation, the doctor simply monitors her luteinizing hormone (LH) level, a hormonal peak meaning that ovulation has just occurred. Otherwise, she receives ovarian stimulation and is closely monitored (blood tests and ultrasounds) to know when to inject her with the human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) hormone which will trigger ovulation. In this case, insemination must take place within 36 hours.

Once ovulation is detected, it's the future dad's turn to play! His sperm is collected in the laboratory where the insemination will take place, preferably after three to five days of abstinence to obtain the best possible concentration of mature spermatozoa. This sperm is prepared by biologists - the most mobile sperm are selected to optimize the chances of success - then transported in a syringe to the insemination room if it is an insemination with fresh sperm.

The sperm is injected into the uterus using a small catheter inserted during a gynecological examination. It is painless. All you have to do is lie down for 20-30 minutes after the injection. Then, you can go back to work or go for a romantic lunch, depending on your mood. And you might be lucky enough to get pregnant: 10 to 15% of artificial inseminations end in a happy event, some women who have had recourse to ovarian stimulation are even expecting twins!