Everything You Need To Know About Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) Treatment

IUI can be helpful for:

• Couples suffering from infertility as a result of medical issues (e.g., endometriosis or low sperm count or quality or problem in erection).
• Couples experiencing unexplained infertility.
• Donor sperm is used by same-sex female partners.
• Women who are single and want to establish a family with donor sperm.

What is the procedure?

During your initial appointment, you will meet with a fertility doctor to discuss your medical history. Then you will undergo diagnostic tests, such as a saline infusion sonogram (SIS) or a hysterosalpingogram (HSG), to ensure that your fallopian tubes are open and your uterus is normal. 

IUI is performed during an ovulation period. To encourage ovulation, most patients will take fertility medication, such as Clomid. To establish the optimal timing for your insemination operation, we will prescribe your medicine and closely monitor you with regular ultrasounds and bloodwork. Once your ovulation window is determined, your partner will provide a sperm sample to our andrologists, or if you are using donor sperm, the andrologists will prepare the sperm sample provided by the third-party agency. We will then perform a special technique called a sperm wash on the samples in the laboratory to obtain the best quality sperm.

To inspect your cervix (the entrance to the uterus) during the operation, your doctor will first insert a speculum, just like a Pap smear. The last semen sample will then be inserted into your uterus using a tiny tube that was created specifically for IUI. The procedure is usually painless and just takes a few minutes. After the operation, some women suffer spotting for one to two days. Some women may feel moderate cramping during the surgery. After the surgery, you can resume your regular everyday activities, including sexual activity.

You will do a pregnancy test two weeks after IUI to determine whether the operation was effective. If you are expecting, you will be carefully monitored for pregnancy with blood tests and ultrasounds. If your test results are negative, a new treatment cycle will be planned or alternative treatment will be taken into account.