Empowering Fertility: Self Intrauterine Insemination (IUI)

Intrauterine insemination (IUI), often known as artificial insemination, is a type of reproductive treatment. For couples who are having trouble getting pregnant, intrauterine insemination (IUI) is a good alternative. It is possible to perform this procedure without using fertility medication, though a stimulated cycle is preferred. Medication is given for a period of 5 to 10 days and once the follicles have attained proper size, a trigger injection is given to initiate ovulation. After 36 hours, semen is collected, good motile sperms are separated and the IUI procedure is performed.

Get an overview of IUI

What is IUI, and how does it work?

The sperms must travel from the vagina to the cervix, then to the uterus, and lastly to the fallopian tubes when conceiving naturally. However, in the IUI treatment, sperms are delivered directly into the woman's uterus, keeping them closer to the egg.

In the IUI treatment, sperms are inserted into the uterus during a woman's ovulation time, assisting the sperm to come close to the egg. Because of the substantial reduction in travel time and distance, fertilizing the egg becomes easier. Prior to the insemination procedure, you may take fertility medications that promote ovulation.

Sperms from a donor or your partner is obtained. It goes through a "sperm washing" procedure, which separates healthy sperms from the semen. When sperm fertilizes an egg and the fertilized egg implants in the uterine lining, a woman becomes pregnant.

IUI treatment is a simple technique that is less expensive than other reproductive treatments. For specific couples who have previously had trouble becoming pregnant, this procedure can boost their chances of getting pregnant.

An IUI procedure may not be useful for the following situations:

In cases where IUI is not preferred, a further treatment, such as IVF, may be beneficial.

What can you expect from the IUI procedure?

Your doctor may prescribe you medications to promote the formation of a few eggs and then a trigger injection to initiate ovulation from your ovaries. A higher number of eggs produced during ovulation enhances the chance of becoming pregnant. You will have bloodwork and a few ultrasounds after you start taking the medication to determine whether the eggs have developed.

Your doctor will let you know when you are ovulating based on the scans and request that you and your partner attend the clinic at that time. Typically, the IUI procedure is carried out 36 hours after the trigger injection. On the day of the procedure, the male partner will provide a sample of semen, or the semen will be thawed in the case of donor sperm.

The sperm will be immediately transported to a lab and washed. While keeping healthy and motile sperms, a few techniques are used in this procedure to remove dead sperms and other debris.

Your doctor will have you lay down on an examination table while they insert a thin, flexible tube into your cervix and into your uterus. It will take 5 to 10 minutes to conclude.
The sperm will enter the uterus through the tiny tube after passing through the cervix.
After the IUI process, you will remain on the exam table for 10 to 30 minutes.
After the procedure, you can suffer very minor uterine cramps or vaginal bleeding.
For the IUI process, anaesthesia is not required.
Following the IUI process, you have 15–16 days to take a pregnancy test.

Please note: It’s important to remember that the success rate for IUI drops for elderly women and women who haven’t become pregnant after three cycles of IUI.