IUI
Intrauterine Insemination
What Is IUI And When Is It Used?
Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) Is A Fertility Procedure In Which A Prepared Sperm Sample Is Placed Directly Into The Uterus At Or Around The Time Of Ovulation, Using A Thin, Flexible Catheter Passed Through The Cervix. IUI Is Simpler, Less Physically Demanding, And Significantly Less Expensive Than IVF. It Is The Appropriate First-Line Treatment For Carefully Selected Couples Who Do Not Yet Need The Full Complexity Of In Vitro Fertilisation.
IUI Is Most Effectively Used For Couples With Unexplained Infertility – Where Investigations Have Found No Specific Cause For The Failure To Conceive, And Natural Conception Has Simply Not Occurred Despite Normal Parameters On Both Sides. It Is Also An Appropriate Option For Couples With Mild Male Factor Infertility.
The IUI Procedure – What Happens
Monitoring and Preparation
An IUI Cycle Begins With Monitoring. If The Cycle Is A Natural IUI Cycle, The Woman Is Monitored With Serial Ultrasound Scans To Track Follicle Development And Identify The Time Of Ovulation. If It Is A Stimulated IUI Cycle, Low-Dose Gonadotropin Injections Are Used Alongside Monitoring To Induce The Development Of One Or Two Dominant Follicles. When A Follicle Reaches The Appropriate Size, A Trigger Injection May Be Given To Precipitate Ovulation, And The IUI Is Scheduled 36 Hours Later.
Sperm Preparation & Insemination
On The Day Of The Procedure, The Male Partner Provides A Semen Sample. The Sample Is Processed In The Laboratory Using A Technique Called Sperm Washing And Preparation – A Process That Separates The Motile Sperm From The Seminal Plasma, Removes Immotile Sperm And Debris, And Concentrates The Best-Quality Sperm Into A Small Volume Of Culture Medium.
This Prepared Sample Is Then Drawn Into A Thin Catheter And Gently Deposited Into The Uterine Cavity Under Ultrasound Guidance. The Procedure Takes A Few Minutes. There Is Minimal Discomfort – Most Women Describe It As Similar To A Cervical Smear Test. No Anaesthesia Is Required.
What Are The Success Rates Of IUI?
Success Per Cycle
IUI Success Rates Are Significantly Lower Per Cycle Than IVF Success Rates – Typically Between 10 And 20 Percent Per Cycle Depending On The Couple’s Age And Diagnosis. However, Because IUI Is Simpler And Less Expensive, It Is Reasonable To Attempt Two Or Three Cycles Before Considering IVF In Appropriate Cases.
Cumulative Success
Cumulative Success Rates Over Three Cycles Of IUI Can Reach 35 To 45 Percent For Couples With Unexplained Infertility Under 35 Years Of Age. For Couples Where The Female Partner Is Over 38, Or Where There Is Moderate To Severe Male Factor Infertility, Progression To IVF Is Recommended From The Outset.
Two Weeks After The IUI, A Pregnancy Test Is Performed. If The Result Is Negative, Dr. Krishnakumar Reviews The Cycle And Discusses Whether A Further IUI Cycle Is Appropriate Or Whether A Progression To IVF Should Be Considered.
Is IUI Right For You?
The Decision Between IUI And IVF Should Be Based On A Careful Review Of Both Partners’ Investigations, The Woman’s Age, The Duration Of Infertility, And The Likelihood Of Success With Each Approach. Dr. Krishnakumar Will Provide A Clear Recommendation At The First Consultation Based On These Factors.
There Is Never Pressure To Pursue A More Expensive Treatment When A Simpler One Is Genuinely Appropriate – And Equally, There Is No Value In Spending Time And Emotional Energy On IUI When IVF Is Clearly The More Effective Option For A Given Couple’s Circumstances.
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