Intrauterine Insemination

For women who need to use donor sperm to get pregnant, IUI is most commonly used to achieve pregnancy. Frozen donor sperm specimens are obtained from certified labs and thawed before the IUI procedure.

IUI is often performed as a first treatment for unexplained infertility along with ovulation-inducing medications.

For infertility related to endometriosis, using medications to obtain a good-quality egg along with performing IUI is often the first treatment approach.

Your partner’s semen analysis, one of the first steps in the medical assessment of infertility, may show below-average sperm concentration, weak movement (motility) of sperm, or abnormalities in sperm size and shape (morphology). IUI can overcome some of these problems because preparing sperm for the procedure helps separate highly motile, normal sperm from those of lower quality.

Your cervix, at the lower end of the uterus, provides the opening between your vagina and uterus. Mucus produced by the cervix around the time of ovulation provides an ideal environment for sperm to travel from your vagina to the fallopian tubes. But, if your cervical mucus is too thick, it may impede the sperm’s journey. The cervix itself may also prevent sperm from reaching the egg. Scarring, such as that caused by a biopsy or other procedures, can cause the cervix to thicken. IUI bypasses your cervix, depositing sperm directly into your uterus and increasing the number of sperm available to meet the awaiting egg.

IUI may also be performed for women who have infertility caused by problems with ovulation, including an absence of ovulation or a reduced number of eggs.

IUI is done to avoid transmission of infection from one partner to other which can happen during natural sexual contact.

Ovulation will be induced by ovulogens or gonadotrophin injections and serial ultrasound scans are done to monitor egg growth. Once the egg reaches adequate size, medications like HCG injection are administered to induce ovulation at the desired time.

Ovulation can be documented about 36 – 38 hours after HCG injection by ultrasound. It is at this time IUI should be ideally performed.

Your partner’s semen sample is collected at hospital premises, processed by swim up or DG method depending on the quality of semen aimed at increasing the concentration and motility of sperms.

The processed semen sample would be inseminated into uterus with full bladder under ultrasound guidance. You will be allowed to rest for some time and prescribed progesterone supports. You can take the pregnancy test after two weeks to know the outcome of IUI.