What Factors Influence the Success Rate of IUI Procedures?

As of 2019, almost 27.5 million Indian couples, actively trying to conceive, suffer from infertility. A research study reveals that men are 1.5% more likely to be affected than women. Infertility is not gender specific and both male and female factors can impact IUI procedures.

The best gynecologists in Bangalore say that taking care of certain factors can increase the chances of success of assisted pregnancy procedures. Here’s a look.

1. Endometrial Thickness

The ideal thickness of the endometrial lining, for a successful IUI procedure, is between 9mm and 10mm. This is because the right structure can help release 5-10 million sperms. In older, postmenopausal women, the endometrial thickness is usually 5mm. It can go down to 4mm too, which is considered abnormal. This is one of the strongest factors, since it lowers the success rate by 8%.

2. Maternal Age

The success of IUI treatment depends on female age to a significant degree. With each cycle, women under 35 years have 10%-20% chance of successful pregnancy. For women over 40, the success rate drops to 2%-5%. The main causes of this rise are higher chromosomal abnormalities, follicular depletion, decline in endometrial receptivity, reproductive tract affected by diseases, minimized granulose function, lower estradiol levels, decreased frequency of ovulatory cycles and drug injury.

3. Sperm Health

Sperm count and motility are important factors when it comes to IUI. Abnormal sperms are ones with large heads and two tails. These can hamper IUI success. In terms of motility, clinics usually prefer at least 1 million motile sperms. But for increased likelihood of pregnancy, anything between 5 million and 10 million is recommended. The best gynecologists in Bangalore say the more, the better. Also, how well the sperms have been washed also determines the success rate. This is simply because post wash, only high-quality sperms are left behind.

4. Egg Health

For successful IUI, both egg quality and quantity are important. Quality can get reduced due to multiple factors, such as age and lifestyle choices. When the eggs get old, they are less likely to be able to carry on meiosis. When this division is impaired, the cells contain abnormal DNA. In fact, the sperms are unable to fertilize the eggs, which is crucial for the insemination process.
With age, the number of eggs also starts to deplete. When there are very few healthy eggs to work with, the chances of pregnancy are lowered.

5. Diseases

Women affected with pelvic inflammatory diseases are less likely to achieve the desired results. In case of post tubal litigation too, IUI might not be successful. Even if the tubes are healthy, the birth rate per session is about 10%. Lastly, endometriosis can also lower the fertilization potential of the eggs, thus increasing the risk of a failed IUI process.

With so many factors affecting IUI, it is recommended to consult a specialist first. They are experts in detecting certain factors beforehand and can suggest effective measures. For example, a change in your diet could improve egg and sperm quality. Also, advanced technology and the latest techniques can help negate some of the risk factors.