During intercourse ejaculate is deposited around the cervix. Only progressively motile sperm having a normal morphology can penetrate and migrate through the cervical mucus.
In addition, there are factors in seminal plasma that actually inhibit fertilization (de capacitation factors), and prostaglandin. Although fertile sperm with progressive motility and normal morphology are able to pass through into the uterus, they can’t fertilize an egg until its seminal plasma coating are removed.
The sperm processing performed in the laboratory removes these harmful substances, along with dead or damaged sperm. The processing also concentrates all viable sperm into an amount ideally suited for Intra Uterine Insemination (IUI), a process by which a gynaclgist clinically place sperm within the uterus directly thrugh the cervix.
| Coitus | IUI |
|---|---|
| Semen deposited inside the vagina | Sperm deposited inside the uterus |
| Cervical mucus is a barrier | Cervical mucus barrier bypassed |
| Cervical mucus prevents entry of seminal plasma | Sperm washing removes seminal plasma |
| Prevents abnormal sperm, non-motile sperm and other cellular forms from entry | Sperm processing removes non-motile sperm and most of the abnormal sperm |
| Only few sperm in an ejaculate are able to enter cervical mucus | Almost all of the viable sperm in an ejaculate are deposited inside the uterus |
Procedure
- patient is appropriately selected
- ovarian stimulation and induction is performed
- serial transvaginal usg is done to monitor follicular growth
- once the follicle ruptures ,IUI procedure can be performed
- semen sample is collected by masturbation one and half hour prior to IUI
- liquefied semen is mixed well in a 14ml round bottom tube (or 10ml conical bottom tube) with fresh sperm washing media with a ratio of 1:2 dilution
- centrifuge at 1200rpm for 10minutes at 37c
- remove the supernatant and add 2ml of fresh sperm wash media
- centrifuge at 1200rpm for 10minutes at 37c
- remove the supernatant and layer with 1ml fresh sperm wash medoria without disturbing the pellet.
- place the tube in co2 incubator with loose cap in slanting position for a period of 45 min.
- collect the upper 0.7ml cloudy layer .
- load the sample and asses the final count
- load the sample in canula and inseminate the patient.
- once IUI is completed speculum is removed,head low is given and patient is kept on table for 30 min
Pre Wash Sample
After centrifugation tube showing pellet which contains active motile sperms
