Last Updated: 11 December 2018
Intrauterine insemination (IUI) is a
fertility treatment that involves directly inserting sperm into a woman's
womb.
Accessing IUI on the NHS
See your GP if you are considering having IUI
on the NHS. You may be offered IUI if:
- you're
unable to have vaginal sex – for example, because of a physical
disability or psychosexual problem
- you
have a condition that means you need specific help to conceive, for
example, if one of you has HIV and it's not safe to have
unprotected sex
- you're
in a same-sex relationship and haven't got pregnant after up to
six cycles of IUI using donor sperm from a licensed fertility
unit (the Stonewall website has more information about IUI for same-sex
couples).
Bear in mind that the waiting list for IUI
treatment can be very long in some areas. The criteria you have to meet to be eligible
for IUI can also vary. You must check with your doctor/ GP or local CCG to find out what the rules
are where you live.
Paying for IUI privately
IUI is also available from some private fertility
clinics. The Human Fertilisation & Embryology Authority (HFEA) has a fertility clinic finder. Costs range from about £800 to £1,300 for each
cycle of IUI treatment.
Fertility tests before IUI
Before IUI is carried out, you and your partner's
fertility will need to be assessed to find out why you are having difficulty
conceiving and to see whether IUI is suitable for you.
For a woman to have IUI, her fallopian tubes (the
tubes connecting the ovaries to the womb) must be open and healthy. You and your partner won't usually be offered IUI
if you have:
- unexplained
infertility
- a
low sperm count or poor‑quality sperm
- mild endometriosis.
This is because there is some evidence to suggest
that it won't increase your chances of getting pregnant in these circumstances
compared with natural attempts.
Timing your IUI treatment
You may be offered IUI in a natural (unstimulated)
cycle or in a stimulated cycle. To increase your chances of success, a
cycle of IUI should be carried out just after ovulation. Ovulation usually
happens between 12 and 16 days after a woman has had their period, if you have a regular
menstrual cycle. This can vary if you have an irregular menstrual cycle.
You may be given an ovulation prediction kit (OPK)
to help you work out the date of ovulation. An OPK device detects hormones
released during ovulation in urine or saliva. Otherwise, blood tests may be used to find out when
you are about to ovulate.
Stimulated IUI
Sometimes, fertility medicines are used to
stimulate ovulation before IUI. In this case, vaginal ultrasound scans are used to
track the development of your eggs. As soon as an egg is mature, you'll be
given a hormone injection to stimulate its release.
IUI using a partner's sperm
If a couple decides to have IUI using their own
sperm, the man will be asked to provide a sperm sample at the fertility clinic
by masturbating into a specimen cup. This usually happens on the same day that
IUI treatment takes place. The sperm sample will be "washed" and
filtered to produce a concentrated sample of healthy sperm.
An instrument called a speculum is inserted into
the woman's vagina to keep it open. A thin, flexible tube called a catheter is
then placed inside the vagina and guided into the womb. The sperm
sample is then passed through the catheter and into the womb.
This process is mostly painless, although some
women experience mild cramping for a short while. The process usually takes no more than 10 minutes.
You should be able to go home after a short rest.
IUI using donor sperm
Frozen sperm from a donor can also be used for IUI,
regardless of whether you are single or in a partnership, gay or straight. All licensed fertility clinics in the UK are
required to screen donor sperm for infections and inherited diseases.
Some infections take a while to show, so the sperm
will be frozen for six months to allow time for infections, such as HIV, to be
detected. The sperm is frozen whether it's from
someone you know or from a registered, licensed sperm bank.
Choosing to use donated sperm can be a difficult
decision, and you should be offered counselling before you go ahead.
Your chances of success with IUI
This depends on lots of different things,
including:
- the
cause of infertility
- the
woman's age
- the
man's sperm count and sperm quality (using fresh sperm leads
to higher conception rates than using frozen sperm)
- whether
or not fertility medicines are used to stimulate ovulation (this can
increase your chances of success).
There are many different factors involved, so
it's best to talk to your fertility team about your
individual chances of success.
Are there any risks?
Some women have mild cramps similar to period
pains, but otherwise the risks involved with IUI are minimal. If you take a fertility medicine to stimulate
ovulation, there is a small risk of developing a condition called ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. There's
also a chance that you will have more than one baby, which carries
additional risks for both you and your babies.
Source: NHS Choices