VACCINATION (INTRA-UTERINE INSEMINATION)
What is Vaccination?
Vaccination (IUI) is one of the stepping-stone treatments before IVF treatment, which is one of the assisted reproductive treatments applied to couples who cannot achieve pregnancy after 1 year of regular sexual intercourse.
How is vaccination treatment administered?
If ultrasonography performed on the 2nd or 3rd day of the menstrual period shows no obstacle to start treatment that month, oral medications or low-dose injections are used to help oocyte (egg) development. In the follow-up phase, when the size of 1-3 follicles reaches 17-20 mm, ovulation is triggered and the procedure is performed 34-37 hours after this trigger. Since multiple pregnancies carry some risks for mothers and babies, it is considered appropriate to cancel the procedure in the development of more than 3 follicles.
The sperm sample that is frozen or taken on the day of the procedure is washed in the laboratory. Sperm in the best condition in terms of movement and structure are selected and a concentration of 0.5-1 cc is prepared. A thin catheter (tube) is then carefully passed through the cervix (cervix) to ensure that the sperm reach the uterus just in time for ovulation. This procedure does not require an inpatient stay and the patient can return to her normal life after the procedure. A pregnancy test is performed approximately 15 days after the vaccination procedure.
Who can undergo vaccination treatment?
- Patients with not too many years of marriage
- Patients whose expectant mother is under 35 years of age
- Male patients with vaginismus or erectile dysfunction
- Patients with not too low sperm count and poor motility
- Female patients with polycystic ovary disease causing menstrual irregularities
- Couples who cannot have sexual intercourse during ovulation for social and psychological reasons
- Patients with erection (hardening of the penis) disorders
- Retrograde ejaculation (ejaculation into the bladder in the opposite direction instead of the penis mouth)
- Female patients with antibodies that damage sperm cells
- Patients with moderate endometriosis
- Patients with unexplained infertility
In order to perform the vaccination procedure, at least one of the patient’s tubes must be open; the number of sperm cells, movement and percentage of normal-looking sperm cells must also be within the limits that can be vaccinated.
What Factors Increase the Success of Vaccination Treatment?
The rate of pregnancy in vaccination treatment is around 20%. Factors affecting this rate are the woman’s age, duration of infertility, sperm count and ovarian reserve.
According to studies, in case of problems caused by the woman, applying vaccination treatment twice in the same menstrual period does not increase pregnancy rates. Again, according to the studies, pregnancy rates are higher in the first 2-3 attempts; it has been revealed that there is no noticeable success rate in subsequent attempts.
How Many Days Does Vaccination Treatment Take?
The vaccination treatment lasts 15 days. During this period, the man is called only on the day of vaccination to take a sperm sample. The woman is called 2 or 3 times during these 15 days for ultrasonography follow-up and finally for the vaccination procedure.