IUI Procedure Explained
Intra-Uterine Insemination (IUI) is a common method of infertility treatment. This advanced procedure places sperm directly into a woman’s uterus.
Who can benefit from IUI?
An IUI procedure is a good option for couples who have been trying to conceive for more than a year.
Because IUI relies on the natural ability of sperm to fertilize an egg in the reproductive tract, it is not a suitable procedure for patients who have severe male factor infertility.
In addition, a female partner should have open fallopian tubes, normal ovulation (or respond adequately to fertility drugs), and a normal uterine cavity.
IUI procedures do not involve the manipulation of a woman’s eggs, so they are more straightforward and less expensive than other assisted reproductive technology treatments for infertility.
In instances of severe male factor infertility where the partner’s ejaculate contains few or no live sperm, the couple may consider undergoing more advanced procedures or using donor sperm.
The success of IUI Procedures
An IUI procedure may be most successful when used in conjunction with fertility drugs such as clomiphene citrate or injectable gonadotropins. These medications bypass the usual female hormonal pathways and stimulate the ovaries to produce more than one follicle per month.
This increases the number of eggs exposed to sperm, thereby increasing the chance for pregnancy.
This procedure gives sperm a boost but still requires sperm to reach and fertilize an egg under its own power.
If an IUI procedure does not result in a viable pregnancy, the treatment can be done repeatedly.
The Role of Sperm
IUI procedures can be done with sperm from a donor who has been screened for diseases. Donor sperm is tested, quarantined and frozen until needed.
The sperm is always washed prior to IUI to concentrate the individual sperm cells from the seminal fluid to increase the chances of conception and avoid rejection.
The IUI procedure introduces sperm around the time of ovulation when a catheter is used to place a number of washed sperm directly into the uterus.
The end result is the placement of as many sperms as possible within reach of the fallopian tubes where they will have a higher chance of fertilizing an egg.
Learn more about IUI Procedures
Pacific Northwest Based ORM Fertility, with locations in Portland and Seattle provides full diagnosis, evaluation, and treatments for infertility. Contact ORM Fertility to learn more about growing your family through IUI.
