Artificial insemination - Why artificial insemination is used

Artificial insemination can be used to treat couples who can produce healthy eggs and sperm but, due to a health condition or for an unknown reason, cannot get pregnant through sexual intercourse.

Some of the reasons why couples have artificial insemination are explained below.

If a man cannot produce any healthy sperm, sperm from a donor can be used. Donor sperm may also be used if a woman wants to raise a child by herself or if a woman is in a same-sex relationship and wants to get pregnant. 

Men

Artificial insemination may be recommended if a man has:

• fertility problems  
• erectile dysfunction (impotence)
• premature ejaculation 
• infertility caused by a medical treatment

Fertility problems

The most common cause of male infertility is abnormal semen. Semen is the fluid that contains sperm and which is ejaculated during sex. Abnormal semen accounts for three-quarters of male infertility cases. Reasons for abnormal semen include:  

• decreased number of sperm - the man has a very low sperm count or no sperm at all
• decreased sperm motility - this means it is more difficult for sperm to swim to the egg
• abnormal sperm - sperm can sometimes be an abnormal shape, making it harder for them to move and fertilise an egg

See the Health A-Z topic about Infertility - causes for more information about the causes of infertility in men.

For intrauterine insemination (IUI) to work, the semen must be of sufficient quality before it is placed in the woman's womb. For example, the semen may need to contain a certain number of sperm. Different clinics may use different criteria to determine the quality of sperm.

Erectile dysfunction

Erectile dysfunction is when a man cannot get or keep an erection during sex. It often has both physical and psychological causes. For example, a physical cause could be that the blood vessels leading to the penis are narrowed. Psychological causes could include anxiety and depression.

See the Health A-Z topic about Erectile dysfunction for more information.

Premature ejaculation

Ejaculation is where semen is squirted out of the penis during an orgasm. Premature ejaculation is where a man ejaculates too quickly. If a man ejaculates before his penis is inside his partner's vagina, it can affect fertility.

See the Health A-Z topic about Ejaculation problems for more information.

Medical treatment

Several medical treatments can cause infertility in men, including:

• chemotherapy - a treatment for cancer that uses powerful medication
• radiotherapy - a treatment for cancer that uses high-energy radiation
• orchidectomy - a surgical procedure to remove one or both testicles, sometimes used to treat testicular cancer

If a man needs to have one of these treatments and wants to have a child, he may have the option of freezing a sample of sperm so that it can be used at a later date.

Women

Artificial insemination may be recommended if a woman has:

• ovulation problems 
• endometriosis

Ovulation problems

Infertility in women can be caused by problems with ovulation, the monthly release of an egg from the ovaries. Some ovulation problems prevent any eggs from being released, while others cause an egg to be released during some cycles but not others.

Ovulation problems can occur as a result of conditions such as:

• premature ovarian failure - where the ovaries stop working before a woman is 40 years of age 
• polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) - a condition that makes it more difficult for the ovaries to produce an egg

See the Health A-Z topic about Infertility - causes for more information about the causes of ovulation problems in women.

Endometriosis

Endometriosis is a condition where cells that usually only grow on the lining of the womb grow in other parts of the reproductive system, such as the fallopian tubes or ovaries.

The condition causes heavy and sometimes painful periods and, in a small number of women, it can lead to infertility.

IUI is often used in women with minimal to mild endometriosis who are having problems getting pregnant.

The severity of endometriosis is assessed by measuring the amount of tissue growing outside the womb. In minimal to mild endometriosis, only small patches of tissue are present outside the womb.

IUI is not recommended for women who have more severe symptoms of endometriosis. This is because severe cases of endometriosis can result in the womb becoming scarred, which means that IUI is unlikely to be successful.

See the Health A-Z topic about Endometriosis for more information about the condition.

Unexplained infertility

IUI can be an effective treatment for couples who cannot conceive a child but where there is no obvious medical reason why this is the case.

IUI is much less expensive than in vitro fertilisation (IVF). IVF is a technique where an egg is surgically removed from the ovaries and is fertilised outside the body.