Commonly referred to as Artificial Insemination, IUI is a process where washed sperm cells are placed directly inside the uterus around the time of ovulation to increase the probability of conception as opposed to timed sexual intercourse.
When sperm counts are lower than normal, or the number of motile sperm is low, intrauterine insemination or IUI can be a solution. Depending on your age and presence or absence of other contributing factors, we may recommend ovarian stimulation before IUI. In cases where sperm counts are very low or the sperm is very weak (motility and percentage with normal shape), IUI may not be sufficient, and you may need IVF with intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Overall IVF success rates are higher than IUI. However, if there are no complicating problems and you wish to start with a less involved and relatively lower cost approach, IUI with or without ovarian stimulation can be a choice for you.
The success will depend on your age and the sperm numbers. Once we complete our evaluation, we would be happy to discuss with you the success rates specific to your situation. Unique to our center, we perform all IUIs under ultrasound guidance ensuring precision and allowing you to observe the insemination procedure on a screen.
Success rates of IUI for women under 35 years of age is about 10 to 20%. In general, women over the age of 37 will have shorter time to pregnancy with IVF but if they wish to try IUI first, they should consider a smaller number of IUI cycles and opt for IVF as soon as possible.