Intrauterine Insemination (IUI)

Artificial Insemination Atlanta

With intrauterine insemination (IUI), also referred to as artificial insemination, millions of sperm are placed directly into the uterus when the woman is most fertile, immediately prior to and during ovulation.  Fertility Specialists at our artificial insemination clinics in Atlanta will identify people who benefit from IUI and will comprehensively review IUI success rates, donor IUI, how IUI is performed and other topics that are summarized below.

IUI Atlanta Overview

The sperm cells are first "washed" with special solutions, then concentrated to increase the number of sperm that make it to the fallopian tube where fertilization takes place. This improves the chances for conception.

IUI may be performed with or without the use of fertility drugs by the woman. When such drugs are used, the therapy is referred to as controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH), ovulation induction (OI), or superovulation. IUI with COH generally results in higher pregnancy chances.

Donor IUI

If the female patient has no male partner to provide sperm, insemination using donor sperm is available.

All frozen specimens are quarantined for 180 days and the donor is retested and found to be seronegative for HIV and other STD's before the specimen is released. These requirements provide safety for patients undergoing donor IUI.

How IUI is Performed

The woman:

• May or may not use fertility drugs to stimulate the ovulation of more than one oocyte
• Monitors ovulation with a combination of at-home (home ovulation predictor kits) and clinic (ultrasound, blood tests) techniques.
• Is monitored by the clinic for any adverse effects of fertility drugs
• Receives a hormone injection (human chronic gonadotropin, or hCG) to time ovulation

The man's role is to provide a semen sample on the morning of insemination. The semen sample is prepared and then inserted through the cervix and into the uterus by way of a thin plastic catheter. The procedure takes place in the clinic and is relatively painless.

Possible IUI Complications

Though complications of IUI are infrequent, they include infection and uterine cramping. Also, fertility medications have potential side effects, including ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome and multiple pregnancies.

If no pregnancy is achieved after three IUI's, specialists may recommend more advanced reproductive therapies such as IVF (in vitro fertilization).

IUI Success Rates

Success rates for IUI depend largely on the cause of infertility and the woman's age along with total motile sperm count. If the count is optimal and the woman's fallopian tubes healthy, conception rates for IUI and Controlled Ovarian Hyperstimulation (COH) approximate 15-20 percent per cycle.