The specialists at Reproductive Care Center have used Intrauterine insemination (IUI) for over 25 years to treat infertility. IUI is a painless procedure where a small catheter is used to pass concentrated sperm through the vagina, past the cervix, and into the uterus.
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Overview
IUI is one of the first steps in the majority of infertility treatment plans. Using a time-tested method, IUI places sperm inside a woman’s uterus. The goal of IUI is to increase the chances of pregnancy by increasing the number of sperm that reach the fallopian tubes.
Working with our specialists, we will help determine which infertility treatment is right for you. Typically, IUI is the best treatment choice for those impacted by cervical factor infertility, mild endometriosis, older age, mild to moderate male infertility, male ejaculatory problems, and/or for patients who have been unsuccessful with drug treatments.
Process
1
Semen Analysis
Our andrology lab uses the “Kruger Strict Criteria” to evaluate semen.
2
Fertility Medicine
Prescribed medicine increases the chances of conception using IUI.
3
hCG Injection
Before the procedure, the patient is triggered with chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) to cause ovulation.
4
Intrauterine Inseminations
36-40 hours later and after the hCG injection, an IUI is performed.
IVF Cycle Monitoring
The insemination process must be timed properly to maximize the chance of pregnancy. Sperm can last for several days in the female reproductive tract, however, the egg can only be fertilized within approximately 24 hours.
The level of luteinizing hormone (LH) rises in the urine 36-40 hours before an egg is released. Home ovulation predictor kits (OPKs) test the urine for LH and predict ovulation accurately 90-95% of the time. Women with PCOS often have elevated LH levels, which can cause a false positive test. The insemination is scheduled 36-40 hours after this hormone surge.
OPK Instructions
Follow the kits instructions and begin testing before 5:00 PM on day 10 of your cycle. Cycle day one is the first day of your menstrual cycle. Testing is done once daily at approximately 11:30 AM or twice daily, early morning and evening. Ovulation will most likely occur between days twelve and twenty. When your test is positive, call the office as soon as possible to schedule the IUI. If the LH level surges in the evening, call us the next morning. If you surge on a day we are closed, call our answering service at (866) 774-1266 to contact the on-call physician. Call us for further instructions if you don’t surge by day 18.
If the test is positive in the morning or at noon, we usually perform the IUI the next day. If it is negative in the morning and positive in the evening, we usually perform IUI the next afternoon or the following morning (1.5 days later). Menses will occur 13-15 days after the LH surge. If menses doesn’t start, you are either pregnant or ovulation did not occur (false positive OPK test).
If the OPK testing seems inaccurate, we do a blood test for LH (should be high >30) in the next IUI cycle. We often check blood progesterone levels 7 days after the IUI to confirm that ovulation with good luteal progesterone production occurred.
Additional Cycle Monitoring
An ultrasound can confirm the number and maturity of the follicles and the thickness of the lining of the uterus.
Another way of monitoring your cycle is through blood estradiol levels which confirm healthy mature follicles.
Transvaginal ultrasounds, estradiol, LH and progesterone measurements are also done when FSH is used. This helps avoid multiple births, FSH side effects, and can help determine the best time for the hCG injection
We are so confident we can help grow your family that we offer a 100% IVF money back guarantee.
Reproductive Care Center specialists will help you understand your treatment options.
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