If you need some extra help becoming pregnant, intrauterine insemination (IUI), or artificial insemination, may be an option.

IUI is one of the most common fertility treatments. This procedure is performed by a reproductive endocrinology and infertility specialist. During IUI, your doctor will place partner or donor sperm into your uterus via your cervix while you are ovulating to facilitate egg fertilization.

IUI may help you conceive if you have: 

IUI is different from in vitro fertilization (IVF), another type of fertility treatment that combines egg and sperm in a lab.

IUI Options

At MU Health Care, we offer several IUI options at our Reproductive Health and Fertility Center.

Medicated IUI

We can give you oral fertility medications to promote egg development. You may also have a hormone injection to increase your chances of ovulation before IUI. Fertility medications can help improve your chances of becoming pregnant, but they may have side effects, such as headaches, nausea and hot flashes. Typically, these are mild.

Partner or Donor Sperm

Our team can perform IUI with partner sperm or donor sperm. 

If you are considering IUI, our fertility experts can discuss these options during a consultation. When you’re ready, we can personalize your IUI based on your fertility goals.

Am I a Candidate for IUI?

IUI may be an option for you if: 

  • You are younger than 35 and have been trying to conceive for one year.
  • You are older than 35 and have been trying for six months to get pregnant.
  • You want to use donor sperm. 

If you are older than 40 or have other health issues affecting fertility, in vitro fertilization (IVF) may be a better alternative. 

We can help you choose the appropriate treatment for you based on your preferences, budget and other considerations.

Our Approach to IUI

IUI raises your chances of becoming pregnant. For many women, IUI is the first type of fertility treatment recommend.

To determine if IUI is right for you, you’ll have an evaluation with one of our reproductive endocrinology and infertility specialists. We’ll take your medical and family history and perform a physical exam. We may also order tests to check your ovaries and uterus.

If you have a male partner, he can make an appointment for semen analysis, which is done in our lab. We can also collaborate across specialties with our urologists to treat potential causes of male infertility.

Then, we will discuss the range of fertility treatments available to you at MU Health Care. Based on your age, health, goals and preferences, we may recommend IUI or another fertility treatment like IVF. If you choose to have IUI, we’ll communicate with your OB/GYN throughout the process.

We’ll also be clear about costs and help you understand your insurance coverage, if available. We offer IUI packages and discounts for private pay, as well as financial counseling, to make your fertility goals more attainable.

What to Expect Before IUI

An IUI cycle can take several weeks. When you get IUI at MU Health Care, here’s what you can expect before your procedure: 

  • If you’re having medicated IUI, we may prescribe oral fertility medication for 5-10 days. This helps facilitate ovulation. If you are having natural cycle IUI, you will not take fertility drugs before the procedure.
  • About 24-36 hours before the procedure, you may have an injection of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) to trigger ovulation.
  • Before insemination, our andrology lab team will “wash” the semen sample. This process allows us to use the healthiest, most active sperm during the procedure.

What to Expect During IUI

IUI is an outpatient fertility treatment that does not require anesthesia and only takes a few minutes to perform. Here’s what to expect during IUI at MU Health Care: 

  • Your fertility specialist inserts a speculum into your vagina.
  • We place a small tube into your uterus through your cervix (lower end of uterus) and insert the sperm into your uterus. Placing the sperm in your uterus gives them a better chance of reaching your egg.
  • After we remove the tube and speculum.
  • After IUI, you can resume your usual activities, but you should avoid strenuous exercise.

What to Expect After IUI

Approximately two weeks after the procedure, we will perform a pregnancy test to determine whether this IUI cycle was successful. It can take several cycles for conception to occur.

If IUI is not successful, we can recommend other fertility treatments like IVF that may help you reach your goals.

 

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