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Intrauterine Insemination (IUI)

Intrauterine Insemination (IUI)

During natural conception process, sperms travel from vagina the cervix(narrow lower part of womb)into the uterus (womb) and upto into the fallopian tubes. If sperms come to the tube soon after release of egg, sperm and egg meet and fertilization occurs.

IUI is a procedure that places sperm past the cervix in the uterus at the time of ovulation. This makes passage to the fallopian tube much shorter and there is a better chance of fertilization.

Goal is to improve the chances of getting pregnant by this procedure.

When is IUI helpful ?

  1. Unexplained causes:
    IUI is most commonly done in couples in whom no cause of infertility can be found. Women might be given certain medicines that cause ovaries to mature several eggs in the same cycle and injecting the good motile sperms in contact with eggs to increase the traffic of gametes and thus increasing the chances of fertilization.
  2. Cervical stenosis or abnormalities or Hostile cervical mucus:
    When cervix has scarring that prevents the sperms from entering the uterus or when shape of the uterus is abnormal
  3. Anovulation (PCOS or low ovarian reserve)
  4. Problems with ejaculation (Premature/Retrograde)
  5. Mild abnormalities in Semen parameters
  6. Sperm donor being used

How are sperms collected ?

Most commonly, the man masturbates in to a sterile plastic cup provided by the andrology lab.

How is IUI done ?

Once collected, the semen sample is the “washed” in the lab to concentrate the sperms and remove seminal fluid.This process might take upto 2 hours.

IUI is performed near the time of ovulation. Procedure of IUI is relatively simpleand only takes a few minutes once the sample is ready.

Woman lies on the examination table and doctor inserts a speculum into her vagina and see the cervix. A nanotube ( catheter) is inserted through the cervix into the uterus and washed semen sample is slowly injected.

Success rate of IUI :

Depends on

  1. Underlying cause
  2. Age of woman-
    < 35 yrs -15-20%
    35-40 yrs- 8-12%
    >40 yrs – 5-10%
  3. Use of fertility medication

When is IUI not recommended ?

  1. Blocked tubes
  2. Pelvic infection
  3. Severe endometriosis

After the procedure:

  • You may be prescribed progesterone which is usually taken vaginally.
  • You may be asked to take a pregnancy test 14 days post IUI
  • No bed rest is needed

How many times can we repeat an IUI procedure ?

If it doesn’t work out for you the first time, doctors usually recommend at least 3-4 cycles of traial before getting over to the next step.

A word from Medfemme

Deciding whether or not to pursue IUI is a personal choice. Though the success rate per cycle are much higher, IUI is significantly less expensive. It is easier and less invasive. Be sure to discuss the emotional impact of this infertility treatment before going ahead. At Medfemme, we have our renowned infertility experts specializing in Artificial insemination with latest techniques to offer treatments. We also have a very strict privacy policy and keep confidentiality at the forefront while treating our patients.