Intrauterine insemination, commonly known as IUI, is a fertility procedure where a man’s sperm is prepared and then directly placed into the woman’s uterus. This process takes place at a fertility clinic. Before the insemination occurs, the semen sample undergoes cleaning and preparation to isolate and concentrate the most active and mobile sperm cells.

IUI is frequently combined with ovarian stimulation, which involves using medications to regulate and enhance the woman’s ovulation cycle. The recommended treatment plan will be based on factors such as your fertility history, your partner’s fertility status, and any relevant medical conditions or considerations.

This is an overview of a typical intrauterine insemination process. Please note that all decisions about steps in your personal treatment will be taken by your doctor and that this information is not to be used as medical advice.

Step 1: Ovulation Induction

You, as the woman, will be prescribed hormone medications, either oral or injectable, to optimise your ovulation cycle. These drugs help stimulate and regulate ovulation.

Step 2: Semen Sample Preparation

At the fertility clinic, your partner will provide a semen sample, which will be analysed. The process involves selecting and concentrating the strongest and most motile sperm cells, preparing them for the insemination procedure.

Step 3 : The Insemination Procedure

The insemination is timed precisely according to your ovulation cycle. The procedure itself is generally not painful. On the scheduled day, the prepared semen sample will be inserted directly into your uterine cavity. Your specialist will also prescribe progesterone to support the final stage of your cycle.

Step 4: Pregnancy Testing

After the insemination, your specialist will advise you on the appropriate time to undergo a pregnancy test, typically a blood test, to determine if the procedure was successful.

If a couple is having difficulty conceiving, and there is no apparent explanation, IUI may be recommended. Certain factors, such as poor cervical mucus quality or age-related issues, can prevent sperm from reaching uterus naturally. IUI bypasses this obstacle by directly inserting the sperm into the uterus, overcoming problems like reduced sperm motility or cervical mucus issues.

IUI can be an option when the male partner is not physically present or is scheduled to undergo cancer treatment. In such cases, previously frozen and thawed sperm samples can be used for the insemination procedure, timed with the female partner’s ovulation cycle.

For same-sex female couples or single women seeking to conceive, IUI is often the recommended approach, utilising donor sperm for the insemination process.

If the male partner has a slightly reduced sperm count or motility, natural conception may be challenging. After conducting tests to assess sperm quality, a specialist may recommend IUI to improve the chances of fertilisation. However, if sperm quality is severely compromised or there is a risk of transmitting genetic diseases, the specialist may suggest exploring conception with donor sperm.

It’s crucial to recognize that the overall success rates of intrauterine insemination (IUI) procedures are generally lower compared to in vitro fertilisation (IVF). However, IUI can achieve higher cumulative success rates when multiple cycles are attempted. In other words, if a couple continues to pursue new IUI cycles after an unsuccessful attempt, their chances of success increase over time.

One of the advantages of IUI is that it is typically less costly than IVF and is considered a less invasive and emotionally less demanding procedure. Compared to IVF and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), IUI is often perceived as a more manageable option for couples seeking fertility treatment.

While IVF may offer higher success rates in a single cycle, the cumulative success rates of IUI can be promising when multiple cycles are undertaken. This approach allows couples to continue trying in a less invasive and potentially less stressful manner, while still pursuing their goal of achieving pregnancy.

“Some studies refer to 60% of couples conceiving within 6 IUI cycles. Other data will claim that the overall pregnancy rates will not differ that much between IVF and IUI procedures. When looking at success rates, it is important to look at the way data has been collected. And even more important, it is important to speak to your specialist about your personal situation, and the pros and cons of IUI versus IVF”

60% couples conceiving

6 IUI cycles

Intrauterine insemination (IUI) is generally a safe fertility procedure, but it does carry some potential risks that should be discussed with your specialist. While IUI alone is not typically associated with serious complications, there are small risks of infection or vaginal bleeding due to the catheter insertion into the uterus. Additionally, if IUI is combined with ovulation-inducing medications, the chance of multiple pregnancies Intrauterine insemination (IUI) is generally a safe fertility procedure, but it does carry some potential risks that should be discussed with your specialist. While IUI alone is not typically associated with serious complications, there are small risks of infection or vaginal bleeding due to the catheter insertion into the uterus. Additionally, if IUI is combined with ovulation-inducing medications, the chance of multiple pregnancies.