Understanding Intrauterine Insemination (IUI): Success Rates, Process, and Costs
If we consider the past data, the possibility of a woman becoming pregnant through an IUI procedure in only 1-2 cycles is significantly less. It is about 10-20%. The chances increase with the repetition of cycles. Usually, if the female uterine system is entirely normal and the sperm injected is healthy, there is a high chance of becoming pregnant. But in case of any complication with the reproductive system or sperm health, repeated cycles will be required to get successful outcomes.
Intrauterine insemination treatment (IUI) is a fertility treatment suitable for couples where male partners face difficulty producing healthy sperm or erectile dysfunction. Through this process, washed semen is injected into a woman’s uterus through catheters to regulate the reproductive cycle, resulting in childbirth.
If compared to IVF, IUI is a less complicated process and thus has gained popularity among many infertile couples who want to give IUI a try before going for IVF. Generally, healthy sperm are chosen for fertilization. Such a process is preferred by many couples who want to have their child. If the female partner is infertile, IUI can also be carried out through surrogate mothers.
Many infertile couples hesitate to undergo IUI infertility treatment because they think such procedures are costly. While it is partially true, many IUI treatments are not much costly, and any average person can afford them. Some of them are even budget-friendly. Hence you don’t have to be worried much about the artificial insemination cost.
IUI fertility treatment
Step by Step IUI treatment Procedure
Semen Sample preparation
In this step, your partner will provide sample of semen at the doctor’s clinic, or you can opt for frozen donor sperm. The semen sample will be washed to remove the nonsperm elements, which can interfere with fertilization. Washing is done to separate high and low quality sperm. Your chances of conceiving will increase with high-quality and healthy sperm.
Ovulation monitoring
As the IUI timing is essential, ovulation monitoring is a crucial part of IUI fertility treatment. For this, you can use an at-home urine ovulation predictor kit to check the increase or release of luteinizing hormone (LH) in your body. Also, your doctor can do a transvaginal ultrasound to know your eggs and ovaries’ growth. You might be given injections or medicines of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) to make your body ovulate multiple eggs at a time.
Determining optimal timing
Usually, the IUI procedure is done a day or two before detecting ovulation. Your health specialist will let you know the timings of other procedures and what you can expect.
IUI is a relatively affordable fertility treatment compared to IVF, making it the most preferred choice of many infertile couples.
IUI treatment success rate
Below are some facts you must know about the IUI success rate:
- The IUI success rate is 5-15% among all types of patients. But this percentage varies from study to study. Some studies have shown the success rate to be 8%, while others claim it to be around 20%. Your success rate will depend on factors like which medications were given to the patient and the age.
- Repetition also plays a pivotal role in getting success. The more IUI cycles you undergo, the higher your chances of getting pregnant. Most studies have shown maximum chances of successful IUI happen in 3-4 cycles.
- The success rate is higher for the patient facing issues with male infertility. In such a situation, male sperm is washed and injected directly into the uterus for fertilization.
- IUI’s success rate is lower for couples facing issues with the female reproductive system.
- As success rate varies from patient to patient or treatment, couples need to consult the best fertility specialist like us to enhance their success rate.
- Age is also one of the major contributing factors to success rate. The success rate reduces to only 4% in women above 40.
Who should opt for IUI treatment?
IUI treatment is usually recommended when the fertilization process needs some assistance for success. In this, semen is collected from the donor, cleaned and washed, and healthy sperm is separated. This sperm is then placed in the woman’s uterus for fertilization. The IUI process is usually recommended for couples in below cases:
- Poor sperm quality
- Low sperm count
- Cervical mucus
- Mild endometriosis
- Non-heterosexual individuals.
Apart from this condition, IUI is also recommended to couples to avoid passing some genetic defects to their child.
When is IUI recommended?
- Your doctor may recommend you IUI treatment procedure in the below cases:
- Trying for at least one year to get pregnant without knowing any cause of infertility.
- Male partner with extremely low or poor sperm quality.
- Female partner with scar tissue on the cervix.
- Using donor sperm for pregnancy.
What can you expect after IUI treatment?
Vaginal discharge or mild spotting is common after IUI treatment for pregnancy. Some patients may experience mild cramping, but this doesn’t imply that something has gone wrong. You need to be gentle with your body and take adequate rest. You can take over-the-counter medications to get relief from cramping. In some rare cases, you can experience severe pain, bleeding, or bloating. You must contact your doctor in such a scenario.