IUI is an abbreviated form of Intrauterine insemination, also known as artificial insemination, which is a fertility treatment in which sperm is implanted directly into a woman’s uterus.

Sperm must drift from your vagina by your cervix, into your womb, and your fallopian tubes during a natural conception. The fact is only five per cent of sperm is capable of travelling from your vagina to your womb. Your ovary sends an egg to both of your fallopian tubes after it is released. This is where the egg and sperm come together and fertilisation takes place. IUI collects, washes, and concentrates sperm to ensure that just high-quality sperm remains.

This sperm specimen is inserted promptly into your womb via a Catheter (narrow tube), near your fallopian tubes. Intrauterine insemination makes it simpler for sperm to reach an egg because it reduces the amount of time and distance it must travel. This raises your chances of getting pregnant.

IUI is frequently used by healthcare providers before more intrusive and costly fertility treatment options. IUIs can be done with either your partner’s sperm or donor sperm. Fertility drugs can be used to ensure that eggs are discharged during ovulation.

How can Intrauterine insemination help?

In comparison, to more intrusive and expensive treatments like in vitro fertilization, IUI is a considerably non-invasive and slightly inexpensive fertility treatment. In some circumstances, patients may start with IUI before moving on to IVF if necessary. Intrauterine insemination may be the sole treatment required to conceive.

IUI is extensively used in the following situations:

• Infertility that is unexplained.
• Mild endometriosis.
• Problems with the cervix or cervical mucus.
• Low sperm count.
• Decreased sperm motility.
• Ejaculation or erection problems.
• Same-sex couples who want to conceive.
• A single woman who wants to conceive.
• A couple who wants to prevent passing on a genetic defect from the father to the child.

IUI is ineffective in the following circumstances:

• Women suffering from moderate to severe endometriosis.
• Women who have had both fallopian tubes discarded or blocked.
• Women suffering from drastic fallopian tube disease.
• Women who have had several pelvic infections.
• Men who do not produce sperm (unless the partners desire to utilise donor sperm).

In cases, where IUI is not proposed, another treatment, such as in-vitro fertilization, may be beneficial. If you want to talk about your choices for conceiving, your specialists can advise you on the best path to take.

How much does IUI increase the chances of pregnancy?

If you are thinking about intrauterine insemination, you are probably interested in knowing about IUI success probabilities. IUI, or artificial insemination, bypasses the vagina and cervix to deliver concentrated sperm directly into the uterus, where it is closer to the egg. But how feasible is it that this “head start” will result in you becoming pregnant?

• IUI sequences have live birth percentages per cycle ranging from a success rate of 18% on average across all patient types.

• Repetition is also important in the overall success of IUI. The more IUI sequences you have, the better your chances of getting pregnant.

• Many diagnoses are a paradox to pursuing IUIs because IUI functions merely as an aid to natural conception.

• “IUI Success” can be defined in a variety of ways, including pregnancy probabilities, live birth rates, and the likelihood of multiples.

• Because success rates vary greatly from person to person and procedure approach to procedure approach, it is critical to consult with a specialist.

What is the success percentage?

IUI will have a different effect on each couple, and its success can be tough to predict. A variety of factors influence the outcome, including:

• age
• underlying infertility diagnosis
• whether fertility medications are used
• other underlying fertility issues

IUI success percentages tend to be lower in women over the age of 40, as well as in couples who have not conceived even after three series of IUI. You should talk to your fertility specialist about your anticipated success probability to see if this is a promising option for you.

How to Increase IUI Success Rates?

When it comes to IUI, timing, egg, and sperm quality are all critical. As previously demonstrated, a medicated cycle can considerably increase the number of eggs and enhance IUI success probabilities. Most fertility doctors will advise you to lie flat on your back instantly, following insemination. According to an investigation, women who lie down for fifteen minutes after insemination are ten per cent more inclined to conceive during that cycle than those who get up soon after insemination.

The success rate of your IUI treatment depends on several elements and factors

You and your partner’s checkups and diagnosis issues

Your doctor can do a variety of checkups and diagnoses to know the success rate of your IUI treatment. If you and your partner are in good condition during these checkups and diagnoses, then the chance of IUI being successful increases.

Your age

The age of a patient is one of the major factors in the IUI procedure. With increasing age, the quality of your eggs also starts decreasing. Therefore, usually after the age of 35, the success rate of IUI starts decreasing. 

Time delay in the procedure

IUI treatment is a very sensitive procedure. Everything in this would have been completely well-planned and well-organised.  When to take medicine, to give sperm, to get checked up, everything is predetermined, so even a slight delay in this can drop the success rate of your IUI.

Conclusion

IUI, or artificial insemination, is among the least meddlesome fertility treatment options available, and it can be quite effective in some cases. IUI is an excellent first-line treatment for many women and couples, especially those with innocuous male aspect infertility and/or ovulatory dysfunction or infertility that have no underlying issue and similar sex or individual women. Many factors influence your chances of success, including your age, diagnosis, and medication regimen.

We at Silverleaf fertility centre, successfully treat many patients with IUI to create families they are dreaming for. Have any questions?  you can consult our doctor Beena Muktesh Clinical Director at Silver Leaf Fertility Centre, Fertility Gurgaon. M.B.B.S, M.S. (Obst & Gynae), Infertility & I.V.F. (U.K), Diploma in Endoscopy (Germany).