Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) is a type of artificial insemination procedure aimed at treating infertility. The process mainly involves introducing sperm that has been concentrated and washed into your fallopian tube around your ovulation period to fertilize your eggs, resulting in a normal pregnancy. In this article, we take an in-depth look at this procedure and why you should have your IUI in Celebration at the Center for Reproductive Medicine.
When Should You Consider IUI?
The ability for you and your partner to start your own family is dependent on various factors. Nonetheless, IUI is commonly considered by couples who have:
- Mild male factor infertility – Also called subfertility, this condition results from the weak movement of sperm, abnormalities in sperm shape and size, or low sperm concentration. IUI overcomes these problems by improving the quality of the sperm.
- Semen allergy – Despite this being rare, some women are allergic to the proteins in semen, and their vaginas can swell and become inflamed or irritated upon contact. IUI has proven effective as it removes most of the protein in semen before insertion.
- Ovulatory factor infertility – IUI is usually done in women who are infertile due to problems with ovulation, such as a reduced number of eggs.
- Cervical factor infertility – Thick cervical mucus could prevent sperm from reaching the uterus. IUI solves this problem by directly depositing the sperm into your uterus.
- Donor sperm – IUI is typically used on women who want to get pregnant through donor sperm.
- Endometriosis-related infertility – For women with this type of infertility, an IUI is often performed along with the use of other medications to improve the quality of your eggs.
- Unexplained infertility – Couples with unexplainable infertility cases are initially treated with an IUI along with other ovulation-inducing medications.
What Should You Expect From Your IUI?
The consultation with your doctor or a professionally trained nurse of your IUI typically takes about 15 to 20 minutes. However, the IUI process itself only takes a minute or at most two. Furthermore, no pain killers or medications are used during the procedure.
Procedure
As you lay on the exam table, you will put your legs into stirrups, and a speculum will be carefully placed into your vagina. Then, your doctor will:
- Attach a vial to the speculum containing a healthy sperm to the end of a catheter.
- Insert the catheter through your vagina into your uterus.
- Carefully push the inserted sperm out of the tube into your uterus.
- Remove the catheter along with the speculum.
Post-Procedure
Once your insemination is done, you will be recommended to lie on your back for a short period. Then, you can get dressed and leave to go and continue with your daily routine.
Results
Your doctor may recommend a visit about two weeks after an at-home pregnancy test. The primary purpose of this visit is to examine your pregnancy hormones after fertilization. If you do not get pregnant, you may opt to go through with the same therapy for 3-6 months or seek other fertility treatment options.
Conclusion
Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) has proven to be a lasting solution for couples with fertility problems such as hostile cervical mucus or low sperm count. If this sounds like you and your partner, consult with the fertility experts at the Center for Reproductive Medicine. They have years of experience helping families bring life into the world through IUI. Schedule an appointment online or contact their offices in Celebration and Winter Park, Florida, today.
