IUI Treatment involves a laboratory procedure to separate fast-moving sperm from more sluggish or non-moving sperm. It can be performed with your partner’s sperm or donor sperm (donor insemination). Sperm specially selected and prepared in the laboratory is injected into the womb (uterus), at the time of ovulation.
IUI (Intra-uterine insemination) is a procedure that is performed to enhance the chances of pregnancy in sub-fertile patients with open Fallopian tubes. Sperm specially selected and prepared in the laboratory is injected into the womb (uterus), at the time of ovulation. Below is a break down of what is involved in the treatment.
You are using donated sperm in your treatment (donor insemination)
You are unable (or would find it very difficult) to have vaginal intercourse
You have a condition that means you need specific help to conceive
The chance of a successful pregnancy with IUI depends on several factors such as the woman’s age, the quality of the man’s sperm and the underlying cause of their delay in conceiving. You will be advised of your chance of a successful pregnancy. From our previous experience, BCRM has one of highest success rates in the country.
IUI can help improve the probability of pregnancy if the cause of infertility is unknown (unexplained), when there is endometriosis, and where cervical mucus may be a problem. IUI also increases the chance of success in patients with suboptimal sperm counts. With normal intercourse, it is more difficult for suboptimal sperm to make it through the cervical mucus, and up through the fallopian tubes. IUI allows more sperm to be available for fertilisation. However, in patients with very low or abnormal sperm counts, IUI is not effective.
IUI treatment is a five steps programme, which can take an approximate two to three weeks, depending on circumstances. Below is a detailed breakdown of what’s involved.
1. Ultrasound Scan
When you are ready to proceed with your IUI treatment, we will ask you to telephone us on the first day of your period. We will then see you for a vaginal ultrasound scan and sometimes a blood test to check that you are ready to start the drugs. At this appointment, we will be able to go through your drug schedule and will ask you to start your stimulation drugs.
2. Mild Stimulation
The first drug is to stimulate your ovaries to produce at least one mature egg sac (follicle), this drug is given by injection. You will be shown how to give your injections by one of the fertility nurses. The injections are only inserted just beneath the skin, not into muscle, which most patients find that they can cope with easily. The dose of injection, and then when you need to take it, will be set out in the written schedule which you will be given at your first scan.
3. Check Up
We see patients in the clinic to monitor their progress during treatment. This requires at least one further ultrasound scan in the clinic and sometimes blood tests. Everyone responds at different rates. When we can see that a follicle is growing and becoming mature, we will ask you to start the second injection. This will prevent you from releasing the egg before your IUI. At this point, you will be doing two injections a day.
4. Sperm Sample
The man’s sperm sample needs to be on the day the Intra Uterine Insemination is to take place. The IUI will be performed later on the same day.
5. Insemination
The insemination itself is very simple and is a bit like having a cervical smear taken. A speculum is inserted into the vagina, the cervix is cleaned and a fine plastic straw is then passed into the uterus; the sperm is then injected through a straw.
Bristol Centre for Reproductive Medicine has an excellent reputation of providing a full range of fertility treatments, including IVF, ICSI, egg donation treatments, to thousands of both NHS and self-funded patients wanting to have a baby.
With outstanding success rates, patients travel from across the South West, the UK and abroad to benefit from Bristol Centre for Reproductive Medicines full range of fertility treatments and investigations.
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