7 Facts About IUI

Intra-Uterine Insemination (IUI) is a fertility treatment that involves placing processed sperm sample directly into a woman’s uterus to facilitate fertilisation. You can read more about IUI process and patient’s journey here. The content of this article is contributed by Alpha KL.

7 Facts About IUI:

1. IUI may be suitable for both males and females with infertility conditions.
   Any couple who has mild endometriosis-associated infertility, problems related to the cervix, or mild male infertility problems can benefit from this simple assisted conception.
2. IUI can be performed with or without fertility medications.
   Sometimes, fertility medications are used with IUI to increase the chances of success by stimulating the ovaries to produce 1 – 3 follicles and releasing these eggs for fertilisation.
3. IUI is a simple and quick procedure.
   It can be done in a clinic and would only takes about 15 to 20 minutes. IUI generally does not require anaesthesia.
4. The timing of IUI is important.
   It must be done when the egg is in the fallopian tube.
5. IUI assists sperm to reach the egg by shortening the distance from the egg.
   However, the sperm still has to work his way to meet the egg. Having said that, a considerably good semen parameter is important to achieve optimum IUI outcome.
6. It may take multiple tries to achieve pregnancy.
   Although IUI is often suggested by doctors as one of the first fertility treatments which are non-invasive and inexpensive, IUI pregnancy rates are much lower than IVF treatments. You may have to adjust your expectation by attempting at least 2 IUI cycles before deciding on other treatment options.
7. Rest for 15 minutes after insemination.
   Studies [1] suggest that resting for 15 minutes after the insemination yields higher clinical pregnancy rates.

The success of a fertility treatment depends heavily on the women’s age at the time of treatment. It is always good to discuss your options with your fertility specialist to find out what works best for your condition.

References:

[1] Scholten I, Custers IM, Moolenaar LM, Flierman PA, Cox T, Gianotten J, Hompes PG, van der Veen F, Mol BW. Long-term follow up of couples initially randomized between immobilization and immediate mobilization subsequent to IUI. Reprod Biomed Online. 2014 Jul;29(1):125-30. doi: 10.1016/j.rbmo.2014.03.012. Epub 2014 Apr 4. PMID: 24813753