Artificial Insemination

Artificial insemination is one of the series of medical techniques that have been designed to help overcome fertility problems. The other main techniques employed to overcome infertility problems include; in vitro fertilization (IVF) and surrogate motherhood. From the onset, artificial insemination should not be confused with the use of artificial gametes, to aid in conception. It is, in reality, the use of basic and natural components of fertilization, the ovum and the sperm, and applying artificial technology to facilitate conception. The natural production of the life-giving cells is not changed in any way.

Artificial insemination is done by introducing male semen into the vagina using technological methods which have been developed to assist in facilitating pregnancy. Artificial insemination of human beings has been practiced for many years. The following table illustrates milestones in history of artificial insemination.

Artificial Insemination History

Semen used in for this procedure comes from various sources and stored in gamete banks. Donors are generally selected from men who are all checked carefully to make sure that they are not carriers of hereditary traits or acquired illness. Once semen is acquired, insemination can be done when semen is still fresh or frozen; although since the appearance of Aids, only frozen semen is used.

Techniques used to facilitate artificial insemination

• Intrauterine insemination-spermatozoa which have been separated from other components of seminal fluids are directly injected into a woman’s uterus.
• Intrauterine tuboperitoneal insemination- uterus and the oviduct are filled with insemination fluid. The cervix is then clogged to prevent leakage. This technique achieves the best results when double Nut Bivalve (DNB) speculum is used.
• Intracervical insemination- injection of fresh or frozen sperms directly into the cervix with a needle- less syringe.
• Intratubal insemination- the sperm and the ovum is mixed outside the woman’s body and then inserted into the oviduct where fertilization takes place.

Control of donors

Each gamete bank keeps a file with all the characteristics of the donor such as:
• Age
• Blood type
• Height
• Type and color of hair
• Constitutional bio-type.

Generally the anonymity of the donor is usually guarded. In many countries a child may now the physical attributes of the parent but not the identity of their biological parent. In Switzerland however, the child is allowed the right of knowing the biological parent.

Types of artificial insemination

• Artificial insemination by husband (A.I.H)
• Donor insemination(D.I)

Artificial insemination by husband (A.I.H)

This is technique use sperm from the husband, the sperm is placed in the wife’s vagina, or it is injected into the uterus or the cervix.

Reasons why this A.I.H is used

• When the husband cannot deposit his own sperm in the vagina in the normal way. This may be due to hypospadias which is accentuated by some form of impotence.
• When the husband ejaculates insufficient sperm during ejaculation
• When the wife’s cervix is impassible.
• When the sperm is inhospitable to the sperm
• In the case of war; during world two, American soldiers fighting in the pacific decided to use A.I.H due to the risks associated with war. There semen was frozen and transported back where they were used to fertilize there wives.

Donor insemination (D.I)

Artificial insemination is done by a donor who has no relation to the female receiving the sperms. These sperm generally are procured from a sperm bank.

Reason why D.I is used

• When the husband or partner is sterile
• When the husband or partner carriers a hereditary disease and he does not wish to pass the same.
• In cases of rhesus factor incompatibility between couples
• Some women choose it as a way of being independent from the hustles of being someone’s wife.

Precautions

In many countries, the anonymity of the donor is usually kept as a secret; this has a negative consequence in that; it is possible for closely related people to provide sperms to the sperm banks. With this is mind many countries have a quota on the number of times gametes can be donated; for example in Spain the maximum number allowed by law is six.

Legal issues surrounding artificial insemination

Artificial insemination has continued to raise debate on its legality. Questions have been raised on matters such as child support, anonymity, right of sperm donors and other issues. In trying to address some of these issues some countries have legislated laws to answer some of this questions; other countries have not addressed this subject in their laws.