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AIH redirects here. For the indie rock band abbreviated AIH, see Architecture In Helsinki Artificial insemination (AI) is when Sperm is placed into a female's Uterus (intrauterine), or Cervix (intracervical) using artificial means rather than by natural copulation. Modern techniques for artificial Insemination were first developed for the dairy cattle industry to allow many cows to be impregnated with the sperm of a bull with traits for improved milk production. HUMAN ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION In humans artificial insemination is usually used as Assisted Reproductive Technology to treat Infertility . The aim is to impregnate the woman by non-sexual insertion of sperm into the vagina or uterus. Preparations A woman's menstrual cycle is closely observed, by tracking basal body temperature and chages in vaginal mucous, or using ovulation kits, ultrasounds or blood tests. Regarding the sperm donor, just as with in vitro fertilization, it is recommended not to ejaculate for a few days before the procedure. This is to ensure a higher Sperm Count . When using intra-uterine insemination (IUI), the sperm must immediately be “washed” in a laboratory. The process of “washing” the sperm increases the chances of fertilization and removes any chemicals in the semen that may cause discomfort for the woman. A chemical is added to the sperm that will separate the most active sperm in the sample. Procedure When an ovum is released, semen from a donor is inserted into the female's vagina or uterus. If the procedure is successful, she conceives and carries to term a baby as normal, making her both the genetic and gestational mother. Variations Artificial insemination has several variations both regarding the donor of the sperm and the techniques used. Donor variations Either the woman's husband's sperm (artificial insemination by husband, AIH) or a known or anonymous Sperm Donor ('''artificial insemination by donor''', AID) can be used. Earlier, a popular form of artificial insemination was AIC, in which the sperm of the husband and a donor were mixed. The advantage of this procedure was that it could not be conclusively stated that the husband was not the biological father of the child. This was important in an age where artificial insemination was considered to be immoral and tantamount to adultery, with the resulting child being considered as illegitimate and having no inheritance rights. The popularity of AIC has reduced to almost nil for a number of reasons, including advances in genetic testing which make it fairly easy to identify the genetic father with a blood test, the advance of medical treatments for male infertility (such as ICSI), and the declining stigma of assisted reproductive technologies in general. Techniques The easiest way to inseminate is by intracervical insemination (ICI), where semen are injected into the , where both egg and sperm are inserted into the Fallopian tube. Controversy Artificial insemination has become a significant issue in recent years, particularly in debates revolving around Surrogate Parenting . Legal issues have arisen in cases where the gestational (and possibly genetic) mother decides to keep the child. Likewise, there have been debates over the rights of sperm donors. ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION IN LIVESTOCK AND PETS Artificial insemination is used in animals to propagate desirable characteristics of one male to many females or overcome breeding problems, particularly in the cases of Horse s, Cattle , Pigs , Pedigree Dog s, and Honeybees . Semen is collected, extended, then cooled or frozen. It can be used on site or shipped to the female's location. The small plastic tube holding the frozen semen is referred to as a "straw". To allow the sperm to remain viable during the time before and after it is frozen, the semen is mixed with a solution containing glycerol or other cryoprotectants. An "extender" is a solution that allows the semen from a donor to impregnate more females by making insemination possible with fewer sperm. Antibiotics, such as streptomycin, are sometimes added to the sperm to control some venereal diseases. Artificial insemination of farm animals is very common in today's agriculture industry in the developed world, especially for breeding dairy cattle (75% of all inseminations) and swine (up to 85% of all inseminations). It provides an economical means for a livestock grower to breed their herds with males having very desirable traits. HISTORY Artificial insemination was apparently attempted on Juana, wife of King Henry IV Of Castile . In 1677 the Dutch scientist Anton Van Leeuwenhoek saw spermatozoa through the newly invented Microscope . More than 100 years later in 1780 an Italian priest and physiologist named Lazzaro Spallanzani performed an experiment in his laboratory that revolutionized the way scientists thought. Until this point scientists had a very primitive understanding of conception largely based on how plants grew. They speculated that the embryo was the "product of male seed, nurtured in the soil of the female." Spallanzani's experiment on dogs proved for the first time that there must be physical contact between the egg and sperm for an embryo to develop. With this new knowledge Spallanzani experimented on frogs, fish, and other animals and was successful. Efforts to develop practical methods for AI were started in Russia in 1899. Papers on artificial insemination in horses had been published by 1922. By the mid 1940s artificial insemination had become an established industry. In 1949 improved methods of freezing and thawing sperm were developed. The idea for adding antibiotics to the sperm solution came in 1950 from Cornell. Improved methods of sperm collection were developed in the 1970s and 1980s. Research to improve methods of artificial insemination continues and is usually studied under animal science curricula. SEE ALSO
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