IUI treatment: Procedure, Success rates, and Risks

Intrauterine insemination (IUI) is a fertility treatment in which sperms are directly placed inside a woman’s uterus.

During natural conception, sperm travels from the vagina through the cervix, into the uterus, and to the fallopian tubes. With IUI treatment, sperm are “washed” and concentrated, and placed directly into the uterus, which puts them near the egg.

This process can increase the probability of pregnancy in some couples who have had trouble getting pregnant. 

Procedure

Though an IUI procedure is painful, it is a non-invasive one. IUI is occasionally recommended in what is called the “natural cycle,” which means no medications are prescribed. A woman ovulates naturally and has the sperm inserted at a doctor’s office, during the time of ovulation.

IUI can also be paired with ovarian stimulation. Medicines like clomiphene citrate (Clomid), FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone), and hCG (human Chorionic Gonadotropin) may be used to force the ovaries to mature and release one or multiple eggs. Ovulation with more than one egg generally increases the probability of pregnancy.

Each medical centre and doctor will have their detailed instructions for IUI treatment. After your primary consultation, you and your physician can determine that IUI is the best treatment to pursue.

IUI treatment can be done using a male partner’s sperm or donor sperm. IUI is mostly used in these cases:

• unsolved infertility
• problems with ejaculation or erection
• same-sex couples wanting to conceive
• a single woman wanting to conceive
• mild endometriosis
• issues with the cervix or cervical mucus
• low sperm count
• decreased sperm motility

Risks

If medicines are used to encourage ovulation, there is a risk of pregnancy with multiple children. Since fertility medications increase the probability that more than one egg will be released, they also indirectly increase the probability of pregnancy with multiple babies.

Sometimes the ovaries over-react to fertility medications (specifically the medicines administered as injections) and may cause a condition called ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome.

If you are taking fertility medications for IUI treatment and experience any of the symptoms, you should call your doctor instantly:

• dizziness and light-headedness
• sudden weight gain of more than 2 kilograms
• extreme abdominal or pelvic pain
• a sudden increase in abdominal size
• shortness of breath
• nausea or vomiting

Success Rate

Every couple will have a different reaction to IUI treatment, and it can be problematic to assume its success. Many factors affect the outcome, like:

• age
• underlying infertility diagnosis
• use of fertility drugs
• other fertility concerns

Pregnancy rates following IUI are mixed based on the reasons for fertility treatment. Success rates for IUI likely decrease in women over the age of 40 years, and in women who have not become pregnant after 3 cycles of IUI. You should discuss your foretold success rate with your fertility specialist to see if this a better option for you. 

Intrauterine insemination is a comparatively low-risk treatment that can be a great option for many women or partners trying to conceive. If you have had trouble conceiving or have questions about your chances of conception, talk with your OB-GYN. Your doctor can help decide the best way to help you get pregnant, and IUI treatment may be an efficient route.