Intrauterine insemination (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.
Why Do I Need IUI Treatment?
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.
Common reasons for needing IUI treatment:
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.
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.
Operating from Southmead Hospital, our clinic is home to some of the most modern, cutting edge technology and lab facilities in the UK. We have an experienced and dedicated team of embryologists committed to ensuring the best success rates and highest quality of care. Our purpose-built IVF facility has helped thousands of couples to conceive and create families.
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Our team of friendly, highly-skilled specialists are dedicated to providing the highest standard of patient care. We understand the emotional stress that reproductive issues can cause and we are committed to making your journey to fertility as smooth as possible.