Clinical Aspects of Homologous Insemination. Is it an effective technique in this day and age?

Abstract

The quest for effectiveness dominates current thinking on the use of assisted reproductive techniques. As a result, the role of methods now considered of “low complexity” is being downplayed. However, these procedures have their own specific application, which would prevent having to resort in many cases to in-vitro fertilization, embryo transfer (IVF-ET) and intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), thereby avoiding human embryo manipulation.The purpose of this article is to summarize the state of the art of one of these “low complexity” techniques; namely, insemination. The results of this study show: a) insemination techniques have their own field of application in which they are comparable to IVF-ET; and b) given the scarcity of scientific data, it would be useful to undertake comparative studies on the outcome of IVF-ET, ICSI and insemination. There is not enough current evidence to rule out insemination in favor of other methods.