IUI Treatment Cost In Chennai - Cost Vs Success

IUI Treatment – Factors for Success:

Before starting the IUI procedure your fertility specialist will explain the success rate and limitations. IUI is a simple procedure with low success. IUI is gives hope to young couples with no obvious fertility problem. Before starting IUI treatment your fertility specialist will discuss the following factors which may affect your success.

Healthy Fallopian Tube
Sperm Health
Fertility Hormones
Andrology Laboratory
Sperm Bank
Good Andrologist

HSG/ Laparoscopy

Healthy fallopian tubes are essential for the transport of sperm to the site of fertilization. Your doctor will check the tubes either by HSG or through the laparoscope. HSG is a simpler form of checking through X-Ray. It may be slightly painful but will reduce your IUI treatment cost. If you are young and trying for less than two years your doctor will advise undergoing HSG tube test. But if you have pain in the lower abdomen or heavy discharge through vagina you must discuss the issue before HSG.

Precautions before HSG

You may be suffering from infections of pelvic organs and the HSG test may aggravate the condition. Please make sure that you are not pregnant before doing the tube testing. Laparoscopy is the best for fallopian tube assessment. It can tell about the structure and function of the tubes. But this requires anesthesia and will add to IUI treatment cost.

Sperm motility and morphology

One of the most important things to get success in IUI treatment is your partner’s sperm count. WHO has given guidelines for assessing sperm health through semen analysis. You must go through the detailed semen analysis report before proceeding for IUI. If there is a problem with the count or function of sperms then your success rate will be less. A detailed test will tell you whether you will need IUI or advanced fertility treatment.

Fertility Hormones

Fertility hormones like FSH and LH give useful information before ovulation induction. FSH hormone is a measure of egg quantity whereas, LH tells us about the quality of eggs. These hormones are checked on second day of the menstrual cycle. Apart from these, your doctor will also check thyroid hormone, prolactin, and AMH in your blood.

Andrology Laboratory

A clean and well-maintained andrology laboratory gives good success for IUI. Infection in the laboratory can reduce motility and kill the sperms.

Ethical Sperm Bank

If you are choosing for donor sperm IUI you will be provided a sample matching to your partner’s profile. Usually, the identity of the donor is anonymous.

Good Andrologist

Sperm sample preparation is an important part of IUI. A good andrology specialist separates sperm sample from other cells and the fluid in semen.

How much does IUI cost in Chennai?

IUI treatment cost varies from clinic to clinic. It depends on the type of medications used. Your doctor may not use any medicines if you are young and visiting for the first time. Natural cycle IUI will cost less for you. If you are using Recombinant injections then cost goes up. Cost of IUI treatment includes the cost of medications, IUI preparation and supportive medications after the procedure. Cost breakup for IUI treatment will depend on Type of ovulation induction, procedure of IUI and supportive medicines used. IUI treatment cost may vary between 5000 INR to 40000 INR per cycle.

IUI Process

At times your doctor may conduct IUI procedure for consecutive days to improve the success rate. This will add to your cost. Donor sperm IUI will also cost more.

Ovulation Induction

Ovulation induction is the process of using medications to stimulate ovulation in women who have irregular or absent ovulation

IUI Cost for PCOS

If you are having PCOS then your doctor may advise for down-regulated cycle. This will escalate your package cost as it requires lot of injections. Usually IUI cost for PCOS women may range from 5000 to 40000 rupees. It depends on the type of IUI cycle used.

Luteal Support

Your doctor will advise to take some medications after the IUI procedure. These medicines will help you protect the pregnancy.

How many follicles need for IUI?

Ovulation induction before IUI treatment grows multiple follicles. Follicle in the ovary contain eggs and release by ovulation after maturity. Naturally the ovaries ovulate in alternative calendar months thus making one mature egg available each month.

Ovulation induction you may grow more eggs in contrast to natural cycle. For successful IUI 2 or 3 follicles of size 18 mm or beyond is better.

What is the success rate of IUI?

IUI is a simple treatment and its success rate is slightly higher than natural pregnancy. If you and your partner are healthy and have good fertility score than your chances of falling pregnant naturally in one month is around 5- 10 %.

In IUI success rate depends on the fertility parameters. On an average success of IUI is 9-15% per cycle. Your doctor may be advise 3 to 4 cycles of IUI procedure consecutively. This will increase your cumulative pregnancy rate to 25- 30%.

What are the types of IUI treatment available?

Various type of protocols are used in IUI treatment depending on the fertility parameters of couple. If you are young your doctor may try natural cycle IUI. Ovulation induction grows better follicles in patients who fail in natural cycle IUI or have been trying for few years.

IUI following down regulation of hormones is a kind of mini IVF. PCOS patients are advised this type of IUI treatment. Your doctor may do the IUI procedure after confirmation of ovulation by ultrasound. Some doctors prefer to do IUI before ovulation. They may conduct a second IUI procedure after ovulation.

What are the steps of IUI treatment?

IUI treatment starts with basic investigations of couple. If your fertility tests are normal then your fertility specialist will advise you for IUI. Steps followed in IUI treatment are –

1) Ovulation induction to grow follicles. Follicular growth is monitored by ultrasound and hormone tests. Follicles are tracked until they grow more than 18 mm.

2) Release of egg is done by administering HCG injection.

3) IUI preparation and insemination to the uterus.

4) Luteal support and guide for pregnancy check.

What are the limitations of IUI treatment?

Before starting IUI procedure your fertility specialist will explain about success rate and limitations. IUI is a simple procedure with low success. Hence your doctor prepares for 3- 4 cycles of IUI to increase chances of pregnancy. With each cycle of ovulation induction you will loose few good eggs.

Women have limited eggs in their ovary and it is not advisable to waste by repeated ovulation induction. After 3 to 4 failed IUI cycles you can take a break or opt for IVF treatment. After few cycles IUI treatment cost amounts to IVF treatment. At times infertility in couples are unexplained and IUI treatment fails for them.

Why follicular monitoring is required in IUI?

Ovulation induction is the process of using medications to stimulate ovulation in women who have irregular or absent ovulation.

It works in a condition where follicles in a woman’s ovary do not mature and release eggs. Ovulation induction is typically achieved with a variety of medications that stimulate the ovary to produce and release eggs. Follicular monitoring tells us about the time of follicular growth and release of egg. This helps in administering medications in time.

What are the features of IUI?

Deliberate introduction of sperms into the female uterus
One of the simplest techniques of ART
First step in the treatment of infertility
Husband’s sperm or Donor’s sperm
Cost effective
Non invasive
Minimal risks

Why IUI is done?

Abnormal semen profile
Cervical factor
Immunological factor
Mild Endometriosis
Unilateral tubal defect
Ovulatory dysfunction
Erectile dysfunction
Husband HIV+

What are the steps of IUI treatment?

Selection & Counseling
Ovarian Stimulation
Monitoring of Follicular growth & Endometrial development
Timing of Insemination
Sperm Preparation
Insemination

What investigations are required before IUI?

Basic investigations
Semen analysis
Midluteal PR
HSG
Baseline Ultrasound
Ovarian reserve tests

What to know before IUI Procedure?

Indication of IUI
Timing & No of visits reqd
Cost involved
Chances of success
What is sperm preparation
Technique of insemination
Any pain
Role of rest
Assurance on mix-up & confidentiality

Timing of Insemination

Viable spermatozoa should be present in the female genital system at the time of ovulation.
Sperms retain their fertilizing capacity for 40-80 h
oocyte have life span of 12-24 h after ovulation.
Urinary LH surge

The exogenous HCG mimics the endogenous LH surge & offers the advantages that the onset of LH surge is known precisely.

HCG is given when the leading follicle is 17-20 mm.
• HCG should be withheld if

The number of mature follicles > 4 or
Number of follicles > 12 mm > 8

Sperm preparation and IUI cost

IUI cost may also vary according to the type of IUI used, Usually swim up technique is employed and is cost effective. Density gradient technique is costly and your doctor will prefer if your partners sperm count is lower.

Swim up method
Density gradient centrifugation (DGC)

Collection of semen:
Sperm is obtained by masturbation into a sterile container after 3-5 days of sexual abstinence.
Avoidance of lubricants {most are toxic to sperm}.
The container should be warm {minimize the risk of cold shock}
Addition of culture media to the pots before semen collection {improve motility}