Renowned fertility expert Dr. Hrishikesh Pai, a pioneer in assisted reproductive technologies, shares his views on the age factor in determining the success of Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) Cycles.
Dr. Hrishikesh Pai, a leading IVF doctor in India and founder and director of Bloom IVF Centre states, ‘There is an undeniable relationship between women’s age and the outcomes of IUI cycles. Throughout my professional experience, women under 35 have greater chances of success in Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) Cycles when compared to older women.’
With increasing age, the ovarian reserve of the women decreases while men can have poor sperm quality which leads to the need of seeking IUI and IVF and other assisted reproduction techniques. He explains that most IVF experts recommend IUI before proceeding with IVF.
Intrauterine insemination or IUI is usually the first step in assisted reproductive technology (ART). As per the initial consultation, the woman is prescribed fertility medication to increase her egg production and trigger ovulation as per her ovulation cycle. On a pre-calculated date, a sperm sample is collected and washed in a special solution followed by inserting the sperm sample using a catheter within the uterus. After two weeks, a pregnancy test is done to confirm the success of the IUI cycle.
He adds that not all IUI cycles are successful in the first cycle. It may take more than 2 – 3 cycles for them to succeed and hence there is approximately a 10 – 30% chance of a successful IUI cycle. Furthermore, the woman’s age becomes a key factor to consider. For instance, a 20 YO woman has a higher chance of succeeding in the IUI cycle than 30 or 40 YO women; this means that the success rate of an IUI cycle for aging women is less than 10%. The main reasons for this could be diminished ovarian reserve followed by male-factor fertility issues.
Nevertheless, the IUI procedure is relatively less expensive than IVF making it viable enough to proceed with a couple of IUI attempts initially, especially if the woman has a healthy uterus. An IUI cycle causes less stress to the woman as compared to other ART procedures.
Dr. Hrishikesh Pai sums up by stating that age and uterine health are the most important factors on which the success of the IUI and IVF cycles depends. Couples and individuals should take into account these factors when proceeding with IVF and associated treatment.
About Dr. Hrishikesh Pai
Dr. Hrishikesh Pai is the pioneer of IVF technology in India. He has been in the field of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Infertility for more than 35 years. Currently, he is the 61st president of the Federation of Obstetrics & Gynecological Societies of India, FOGSI which has 38000 gynecologists pan India.
As the founder and director of the Bloom IVF Group, he manages nearly 8 IVF centres pan India including the ones at Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai, DY Patil Hospital in Navi Mumbai and Fortis Hospitals in New Delhi, Gurgaon and Mohali Chandigarh. He has received many awards and recognition for his contribution to the field of assisted reproductive technology (ART).
Get in touch with Dr. Hrishikesh Pai –
Lilavati Hospital, A – 791, Bandra Reclamation, Bandra (W), Mumbai – 400 050.
Tel: 9820057722
E-mail: [email protected]
