What Is Intrauterine Insemination (IUI)

Intrauterine insemination (IUI) is an assisted reproductive technology involving the injection of the male sperm directly into a woman’s uterus. The affordability of artificial insemination cost makes it a rather attractive treatment method, and thus women and families resorting to such an option should understand the process and peculiarities of this procedure.

IUI is a relatively simple procedure, during which doctors specially prepare sperm to facilitate fertilization; after that, it is injected directly into a woman’s uterus with a catheter. In this way, the egg is fertilized inside the human body, unlike in IVF, when fertilization is performed in laboratory conditions. It may be carried out using both partner’s sperm and donor sperm. 

What should you know about the IUI procedure?

Even though intrauterine insemination is an assisted reproductive technology, it is non-invasive and somewhat similar to the process of natural conception.

At first, the doctor examines the patient to determine whether she has any health issues because to use IUI, the woman has to be absolutely healthy, and her body should be ready to carry and give birth to a child. If doctors identify any concerning issues with conception, they may recommend using a more invasive procedure or develop a personal treatment scheme to solve the problem.

After that, doctors either wait for natural ovulation in a woman (so-called natural IUI) or start the ovulation induction process (stimulated IUI) when the woman is administered some medication to facilitate her ovulation. In this period, the doctors will closely monitor her because sperm injection should be performed right before or during the most advantageous ovulation period. The stimulated intrauterine stimulation is indicated when a woman has issues with ovulation, e.g., it’s not regular.

When an egg matures, doctors administer the sperm of a man or a donor into a woman’s uterus using a special catheter, which is a thin and flexible tube, for this purpose. Before the procedure, the sperm is treated in a special way – it doesn’t increase its quality, though it makes the fertilization process easier. This procedure is referred to as “sperm washing” and means that individual spermatozoa are separated from the semen. The sperm should also be analyzed to determine its motility, morphology, and quality characteristics. If the sperm is of poor quality or a man has some conditions that may be inherited by the child, it is possible to use the donor sperm. 

Since the sperm injection procedure is not complicated, it doesn’t last long – only a few minutes, though after that, the woman needs to rest for about half an hour, and after that, she can leave. In a few weeks, she should come back for a doctor’s examination to confirm pregnancy. 

IUI and Pregnancy success rates

Intrauterine insemination presents many advantages at a reasonable price:

  • It is an efficient way to overcome some reproductive problems, including male infertility associated with low motility of spermatozoa, female infertility related to ovulation issues. 
  • Using IUI, healthy women can successfully get pregnant.
  • It’s a non-invasive procedure that does not require much time.
  • Low chances of complications – less than 1%.
  • It’s a good option for single women who want to get pregnant and give birth to a child.
  • The procedure is close to natural conception and often does not require any special medication.

Intrauterine insemination is probably the most affordable of all services in assisted reproductive technologies; some insurance companies even cover it in their basic insurance contracts. Though, it is also the least effective one. If a woman does not present any complicated disorders and can potentially get pregnant and carry the baby may benefit from this procedure, and such women usually have pretty good results with this procedure. However, if the one has more complicated health conditions or disorders impeding getting pregnant, IUI may not be efficient enough, and she may need to resort to some other treatment methods.

“Parens Fertility” offers intrauterine insemination (IUI) at a reasonable price and in our clinic by highly qualified doctors, so don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any further questions on IUI or need a professional consultation with qualified fertility experts. Our doctors will choose the best option for you and develop a treatment program that will match your needs perfectly because, in our clinic, we do understand how important parenthood is for our patients.