Health encyclopaedia - Alphabetical Topic List
| | A | | | B | | | C | | | D | | | E | | | F | | | G | | | H | | | I | | | J | | | K | | | L | | | M | |
| | N | | | O | | | P | | | Q | | | R | | | S | | | T | | | U | | | V | | | W | | | X | | | Y | |
Risks of Artificial insemination
Sperm washing prior to IUI removes most of the bacteria from the semen, but it is impossible to completely sterilise the sperm or the cervix. Occasionally, the inseminated sperm can cause an infection in the uterus that leads to a condition called endometriosis, although this occurs in less than 1% of cases.
Symptoms of a uterine infection include lower abdominal pain, fever, vaginal discharge, or continued vaginal bleeding or spotting. Mild cases can be treated with oral antibiotics but more serious infections usually involve hospitalisation for treatment with intravenous antibiotics.
Hormone drugs to stimulate ovulation are used for donor insemination, and may also be used to increase the chance of conception for AI using the male partner’s sperm. This sometimes stimulates the release of more than one egg at a time, which can result in multiple pregnancy and births. Multiple births can cause complications during pregnancy and carry a higher risk of the baby being premature, underweight or disabled. The chance of the baby dying within 28 days of birth is also increased (neonatal death).
Hormone drugs cause unpleasant symptoms in some women. These are often short lived, but may include hot flushes, feelings of depression and irritability, headaches and restlessness at night. Some women have an over-reaction to the drugs, causing them to develop ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS). This may lead to ovarian cysts developing, along with pain and swelling of the abdomen. In severe cases, the ovaries swell and a large number of eggs may be produced at once. Hospital admission to restore the balance of fluid is usually only necessary in 1% of cases.
