Are you considering an intrauterine insemination (IUI) procedure to get pregnant? The IUI procedure has helped many couples get pregnant and have a baby, particularly when male and/or female infertility is a problem.
The IUI procedure includes the following steps:
- Analyzing the sperm
- Monitoring ovulation
- Obtaining, washing and preparing the sperm sample
- Injecting the prepared sperm into the uterus
Male factor infertility?
Does your partner have male factor infertility, including problems with sperm count and motility? Then your partner needs a full fertility evaluation, including sperm analysis (SA), before you undergo the IUI procedure.
During this evaluation, a doctor will check your partner’s semen for sperm count and motility. If he has low sperm count, the doctor may ask him to give several semen samples that can be used during the IUI procedure. Having several samples will increase the number of sperm available and may improve your chances of conceiving.
Before giving the sperm sample, your partner will want to abstain from ejaculation for 2-3 days. This 2-3 day wait will maximize his sperm count, and help ensure that his sperm are healthy and mobile.
Yet don’t wait too long between ejaculations. Otherwise, the semen sample will be considered “old,” and the sperm will be less likely to fertilize your egg during the IUI procedure.
For women only
Before the intrauterine insemination procedure, you will need to visit a fertility specialist and have a pre-IUI workup. With this workup, your doctor will check to see if you are in good health. The doctor will assess your hormone levels to see if they are in the normal range and check to see if your uterus can support a pregnancy.
Prior to the IUI procedure, your doctor may start you on fertility medications to stimulate ovulation, while closely monitoring you with ultrasound and/or blood testing. This monitoring will confirm that you are producing healthy eggs. It will also help your doctor determine the best timing for the injection of the sperm.
You may also take another test that tells you when ovulation is about to happen. Right before ovulation, there is a surge in luteinizing hormone (LH). Ovulation occurs within 1-2 days after the LH surge. Using the intrauterine insemination procedure, your doctor will inject the sperm at this time.
The washing of the sperm
After your partner gives a sperm sample, it will be washed and prepared for the IUI procedure. This washing can remove potentially toxic chemicals that might be present in the sperm.
Sometimes these chemicals can cause allergic reactions in women, which hinder pregnancy. Washing the sperm can also minimize cramping that sometimes occurs after the IUI procedure.
The washing and preparation concentrates the sperm into a high volume. This high concentration helps the healthiest, most mobile sperm to reach the egg. This helps to increase pregnancy success rates with the IUI procedure.
Inserting the prepared sperm sample
Injecting the prepared sperm into your uterus is quick and virtually painless. This part of the IUI procedure takes 1-2 hours at the most.
You will lie down on the exam table as you normally do for a pelvic exam. Your doctor will insert a very small, thin and flexible catheter into your cervix. Then, the washed sperm sample is injected right into your uterus.
Since this can involve lying down for awhile after the IUI procedure, you may want to bring a friend, your partner or a good book to read while you are waiting in the exam room. Having support may help you to stay calm during the process.
Some doctors perform two inseminations with the intrauterine insemination procedure. These are done within a day of each other.
About a week after ovulation your doctor may have you come back to the office to check your progesterone levels. They will also observe your uterine lining with an ultrasound at this time. By checking your uterine lining to see how thick it is, your doctor may have some clues as to whether the IUI procedure was effective.
What else should I know about the IUI procedure?
Of course, it is wise to make sure that you and your partner have healthy lifestyle habits before proceeding with the intrauterine insemination procedure. To optimize the chances of a healthy pregnancy, you should stop drinking, smoking or using other drugs.
Talk to your doctor to see if you should take a multivitamin, or make other healthy lifestyle changes before starting the IUI procedure. Once you make the decision to use the IUI procedure, you may be well on your way to conception.
Sources: American Pregnancy Association: “Intrauterine Insemination: IUI” “Male Infertility” International Council on Infertility Information Dissemination, Inc.: “General Infertility FAQ” Resolve “Intrauterine Insemination” “Medical Aspects of Donor Insemination”
