All You Need to Know about Sperm Washing for IUI

Usually, 5 million sperms with high motility are required for Intrauterine Insemination, according to an article by Science Direct. Washing is usually performed to remove leukocytes and seminal plasma, and to filter out the required good quality sperms. In fact, this technique is also used to remove antibodies from the seminal plasma.

If you are undergoing the treatment, along with the IUI cost and methods, you must also know about the sperm washing technique.

This is a procedure in which healthy sperms are collected for successful IUI treatment. This improves the chances of fertilization and survival of the fetus. Before an IVF or IUI procedure, sperm washing is performed to remove prostaglandins from the semen, which can affect the uterus.

After washing has been done, all the non-motile or dead sperms, fluids and enzymes that are not required are removed. Sperm washing is crucial because raw semen cannot be injected into the uterus directly. It could lead to muscular contractions and eventually severe cramps during pregnancy or menstruation.

In case of IUI, the main goal is to increase the number of sperms that reach the fallopian tubes, thus improving the chances of pregnancy. Sperm washing is beneficial because after the procedure, up to 10 million pure motile sperms are left behind. Couples undergoing IUI treatment with a minimum of 9 million washed sperms have 16.9% chances of success.

A trial wash before the actual procedure could help test which procedure could be best suited for IUI.

The main methods used are centrifugation and dilution. A special antibiotic solution, along with protein supplements, is used to dilute the sperms in a test tube. This mixture is repeatedly centrifuged at super high speeds. Active sperm cells are separated from the semen, producing a dense mass. This is collected from the bottom of the test tube and used in IUI. The entire process does not take more than 40 minutes.

The main aim of this method is to obtain sperm samples that have a 90% motility rate. Liquids of different density are filled in a test tube, with the heaviest at the bottom. The semen is placed on top and spun. White blood cells, dead sperm cells, round cells, non-motile sperms and waste get left on top. Only the motile sperms can penetrate through the layers and reach the bottom. These are then collected for IUI. The procedure takes an hour at the most.

In this method, the semen sample is placed in the media culture. Only the motile sperms should be able to swim out of the sample and upwards. These sperm cells are then collected for IUI. Men with low sperm count or motility are not eligible for this method. The entire process takes 2 hours to collect the required number of sperms.

Make sure you talk to your doctor to understand if sperm washing is included in the IUI cost to avoid any unexpected costs.