Intra Uterine Insemination, best known as IUI is a simplified fertility procedure. It involves introducing sperm directly inside uterus. IUI procedure helps healthy sperm get closer to the eggs. Sperm is washed and concentrated and placed directly in your uterus around the time of ovulation. Your ovary releases one or more eggs by the process of ovulation. As a result of intrauterine insemination sperm is activated to swim into the fallopian tube and fertilize the egg. This can result in a normal pregnancy. Before starting IUI procedure your doctor decides whether to go for normal cycle or with fertility medications.
Preparation for IUI Procedure
- For IUI, if you are using a sperm donor means the donor sperm will be thawed and prepared.
- If not means your partner need to come and give semen sample to the hospital
- For IUI the semen sample is collected to the container by masturbation, where similar given for the semen analysis is done.
- At times to produce a semen sample at the clinic may not be comfortable. So, you may ask for the option of using a sterile home collection kit.
- Keep in mind that for IUI method, doctors need to get the sample to the hospital within an hour of collection, and it must be kept at body temperature until they get.
- If your partner will be out of town, or if they had difficulty providing a sample in past for IUI procedure they might be able to provide the semen sample before IUI day. You may keep the sample frozen until it’s time to thaw it out and be prepared.
Semen Preparation Method
Semen contains more than sperm. For IUI doctor will put the semen through a special washing that makes removal of impurities, dead sperm,etc. For IUI procedure doctor need good quality and progressive motile of sperm
The techniques used in IUI procedure: Different steps are followed for separation of sperm cells from the seminal fluid for IUI procedure. At Femelife, the best fertility center in Chennai, three techniques are followed:
- Sperm washing technique : During IUI procedure, sperm cells are washed in a solution containing protein supplements and antibiotics. Repeated washing and centrifuge removes dead cells and seminal fluid. Within a time duration of 40-50 minutes, the seminal fluid separates itself from the cells thereby concentrating the cells alone
- Density gradient sperm wash: One of the popularly used techniques in IUI procedure, density gradient sperm wash method used. Here separates the dead sperm cells, white blood cells and other elements in addition to the seminal fluids. The semen is placed on the top layer of the test tube filled with liquids of varying densities. During centrifugation the healthy sperm cells move to the bottom layer of the tube while the remaining particles stay on top
- Swim up techniques: These techniques used in IUI procedure where for the motility and strength of healthy sperm cells. The semen is placed in a test tube with a layer of culture medium, where the healthy sperm cells move towards up of the test tube and that are washed again and used for IUI procedure
IUI PROCEDURE
The IUI procedure is simple and virtually painless, though it’s normal to feel nervous about it. This is done in fertility hospital . It doesn’t require medications or painkiller. This takes just few minutes to complete. The semen wash will take time to prepare.
IUI can be combined with ovarian stimulation. Medications such as clomiphene citrate (Clomid), hCG (human Chorionic Gonadotropin), and FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) may be used to prompt the ovaries to mature and release an egg or multiple eggs. Release of more eggs during ovulation usually increases chance of pregnancy.
At Femelife fertility, specific instructions are given in written for the IUI procedure. After your initial consultation, our doctors and nurses will suggest best course to pursue and a typical timeline.
Factors for success of IUI Procedure
- You may have several visits while on your period for blood work, ultrasounds, and medication instructions.
- Medications are usually started while you are on your cycle day 2 or 3.
- About a week after starting the medication, you’ll likely have another ultrasound and possibly blood work.
- Depending on your follicular study, your doctor will determine when you’re ovulating. You and your partner will return to the clinic for IUI after ovulation is timed. It will approximately coincide 10 to 16 days after starting the medications.
- Your male partner will provide a semen sample the day of the IUI procedure, or the donor sperm will be thawed.
- The collected sample will be immediately be taken to a lab where they are washed. By this process the seminal fluid and other debris are removed so that the sperm is very concentrated and unlikely to irritate the uterus.
- That prepared high progressive motile sperm is injected to the uterus where the sperm itself move towards to the egg and get fertilized
- At Femelife we suggest you to lie in the bed for a short while after the procedure.
It is difficult to predict the success rate of IUI as every couple has a different profile. Some factors that can influence the results are:
- Age of the women
- The ovarian reserve
- The husband’s sperm parameters
- The underlying cause of infertility
- Other unidentified fertility conditions
After The IUI Procedure
After the IUI procedure , you may prescribed progesterone .this is usually taken via vaginal suppository .after 15-18 days of a IUI procedure doctor may order for blood test to check the progesterone , estrogen, and beta hCG levels. And check for UPT test
If positive means continue medicine and visit for confirmation scan.
