Intrauterine Insemination (IUI)
During intrauterine insemination (IUI), sperm is collected and washed before a fine tube is used to place the sperm high into the uterine cavity (womb). IUI may be timed to coincide with natural ovulation (unstimulated IUI) or you may be given drugs to stimulate your ovaries to produce eggs (stimulated IUI) to help increase chances of success.
Is there anyone IUI isn’t right for?
It’s important to understand that IUI is not a cheaper/less invasive alternative to IVF. If you have a significant fertility problem it’s unlikely to work for you.
If you have blocked fallopian tubes, severe endometriosis, low quality eggs, a low number of eggs (low ovarian reserve), or male factor infertility, IUI will not be appropriate for you. If you’re in your late 30s or over 40 you might also be advised to have IVF even if IUI is appropriate for you. As women age the number of available eggs naturally decreases, as do your chances of succeeding with IUI.
IUI is not routinely offered on the NHS. The NICE Guideline recommends IUI where
• You are unable (or would find it very difficult) to have vaginal intercourse – for example, due to a physical disability
•You have a condition (such as a viral infection that can be sexually transmitted) that means you need specific help to conceive
How safe is IUI?
Generally, IUI is a very safe procedure. The main worry is that you might have a multiple pregnancy (twins, triplets or more), which carries serious health risks to both mother and babies. Multiple babies are more likely to be premature, have a low birth weight or die before or after birth.
Your risk of multiple pregnancy will depend on how many follicles (and therefore how many eggs) develop. This will be affected by whether you’re taking fertility drugs. If you are taking fertility drugs it’s vital that you have scans to check the number of follicles and if too many are developing your treatment should be stopped. Your clinic should discuss this with you.
A multiple pregnancy is the biggest risk of fertility treatment
How successful is one cycle of IUI?
As with any fertility treatment, the younger the woman is the higher her chances of getting pregnant. You’re also more likely to get pregnant if you have fertility drugs to stimulate your natural cycle.
Many women will have several cycles of IUI before they have a successful pregnancy so it’s worth considering that when you’re thinking about costs of treatment.
What does a typical IUI cycle look like?
This process outlines a single cycle of IUI following the most commonly used procedure. You may find that you’re given different drugs or that your treatment is slightly different depending on your history and what your clinic thinks is best for you.
Check fallopian tubes: You can only have IUI if your fallopian tubes are open and healthy. Your clinic will check this using keyhole surgery, a vaginal ultrasound or an x-ray.
Fertility drugs: You can either have fertility drugs to boost your egg production or you can have IUI as part of your normal menstrual cycle.
Scans: If you’re taking fertility drugs you should to have ultrasound scans to check how many follicles are developing. If there are too many the cycle will have to be cancelled because of the risk of multiple pregnancy.
Hormone injection: When you are ready for your IUI to be timed you’ll either be given a hormone injection to help the eggs mature and ovulate or you’ll have tests to check when you’re about to ovulate.
Insemination: Sperm are washed and prepared so that the best quality sperm are selected and injected into your uterus. The whole process takes just a few minutes and is relatively pain free.
Pregnancy test: You’ll be given a date to carry out your pregnancy test. Even though it might feel difficult to wait, try not to do the test early as the result may be misleading.
I’ve had IUI and it didn’t work – what next?
Many people have several cycles of IUI before they achieve a successful pregnancy, so if there are no obvious problems with your fertility your doctor may recommend you try again. You can try again straight away if you want to but some people prefer to take a break.
If you’ve had six cycles of IUI without success your doctor may want to run some tests to see if there’s anything that might be affecting your chances of getting pregnant. Depending on the results you may be advised to consider IVF.
How can I find a clinic that offers IUI?
You can search for licensed UK clinics on HFEA website. You'll need to enter your postcode and then update your search criteria to look for clinics offering IUI.
Reference- https://www.hfea.gov.uk/treatments/explore-all-treatments/intrauterine-insemination-iui/
The content is for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your GP or Doctor if you have any questions regarding your health.