IUI

What is IUI?

IUI (intrauterine insemination) is an artificial insemination procedure that helps people affected by infertility. It involves placing specially prepared sperm from a male partner or sperm donor into a woman’s uterus.

IUI has lower success rates than in-vitro fertilization (IVF) but is far simpler and less costly. Therefore, it may be a good choice as an early approach to infertility treatment.

Who could benefit from IUI?

IUI is ideal for male/female couples whose infertility is due to an underlying medical condition, like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), or where infertility has no clear cause.

IUI can also help female couples and single women who want to use a sperm donor to conceive.

How do I prepare for IUI?

In most cases, before the insemination process, you need to undergo ovulation induction. That involves taking fertility medications that encourage ovulation (mature egg release) or help you ovulate more successfully.

Several methods are available, but the Gen 5 Fertility Center team almost always uses an oral pill for ovulation induction, although sometimes injections are necessary. The most common medications they use are letrozole (Femara®) or clomiphene citrate (Clomid®).

The team uses ultrasound imaging to follow the follicles’ growth. When the follicles reach the right size, they either release an egg (ovulate) naturally, or your provider gives you an injection to trigger ovulation.

Ovulation induction typically causes between 1-3 follicles to develop. These contain multiple mature eggs rather than the single egg produced during regular ovulation. The Gen 5 Fertility Center team finds that with women who don’t usually ovulate, induction is sometimes all they need. That is especially so if the male’s sperm is healthy.

What does the IUI procedure involve?

Around the time you ovulate, your partner’s or the donor's sperm sample goes to the laboratory. Using special techniques, the specialist laboratory technicians select the best and strongest sperm from the sample. Your fertility specialist then puts these sperm into your uterus via a special catheter (tube) that goes through your cervix.

The Gen 5 Fertility Center team cares very much about IUI cycles and has extensive experience achieving outstanding pregnancy rates with this form of infertility treatment. Their knowledge is critical to your success, so their fertility specialists monitor your progress at every step.

To learn more about IUI and how it could help you start your longed-for family, call Gen 5 Fertility Center today or use the online booking form to request a consultation.