Simple IVF Centers
San Luis Obispo Fertility Center
Intrauterine insemination (IUI): commonly referred to as ‘artificial insemination’, IUI treatment is often chosen for patients with male infertility or unexplained infertility. To begin IUI treatment, the male partner’s semen sample (or the semen from a donor) is obtained at the same time that the woman is ovulating. The semen sample is ‘cleaned’ in a culture media before being centrifuged to concentrate it. The doctor uses a catheter, similar to a thin straw, to insert the concentrated semen directly into the woman’s uterus. Once inserted, the sperm will swim to the fallopian tubes to meet the egg where fertilization will hopefully take place.
IUI process video - learn more.
Studies have proposed that patients with unexplained infertility who are treated with IUI and fertility medication have an 8-10% chance of pregnancy each month. SOURCE
IUI treatment for male infertility has a varying range of success depending on the severity of the semen problem. An 8-12% chance of pregnancy per month has been observed in studies where couples are experiencing mild to moderate male infertility. The first 4 months of treatment produces 90% of pregnancies. Once treatment has extended past 4 months, or if a male has severe infertility (sample containing less than 5 million moving sperm cells), the success rate drops to under 5% per month. SOURCE
The source of sperm is the only difference between donor IUI and the IUI described above. Donor IUI is a suitable treatment for single women or families who need to rely on donor semen. The cryopreserved sperm sample is often purchased from a sperm bank.
According to several studies, patients undergoing donor IUI may expect a 10-12% chance of pregnancy each month. SOURCE
Schedule your consultation with us today to learn more about IUI and if this treatment is right for you.