Fertility Treatments / Fertility IUI Treatment in Texas

Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) Treatment in Texas

Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) improves the processes involved in natural sexual intercourse to help you conceive without undertaking IVF. ​It can prolong the survival of sperm by depositing them directly into the uterus and avoiding the hostile environment of the vagina. More active sperm can reach the end of the tube to fertilize the egg and improve the chance of pregnancy.

Is IUI Treatment Right For You?

Our fertility specialists will work closely with you to determine whether IUI is the best fertility treatment for you. Since IUI is less invasive and less expensive than IVF, it is often a great starting point. Natural IUI works well for women with regular cycles lasting between 28-32 days. If your cycle is longer than 32 days, we recommend using ovulation induction in combination with IUI to optimize your chance of pregnancy. For men who have significant issues with their semen analysis and for women who have problems with their fallopian tubes, IUI may not be the appropriate course of treatment.

How Intrauterine Insemination Works

IUI involves extracting sperm from a semen sample, concentrating them in a laboratory, and depositing them directly into the uterus. Typically, the man produces a fresh semen sample at home and brings it to an IVFMD clinic, which is then prepared and made ready for insemination. Intrauterine insemination can also be done with frozen or donor sperm. The sperm is then deposited beyond the woman’s cervix using a catheter (much like having a pap smear) to reduce the distance the sperm has to travel to meet the egg.

1

Semen Sample

The male provides a fresh semen sample at an IVFMD clinic, or donor sperm is provided.

2

Semen Spinning

Fresh semen is washed and spun in our lab to separate out the swimming sperm from the seminal fluid

3

Insemination

At the time of ovulation, the forward swimming sperm are placed into the uterus, beyond the cervix, shortening the distance the sperm have to travel to meet the egg. 

FAQ

To optimize IUI success, both partners need to meet with our fertility specialists for fertility assessments and testing.

  • How successful is IUI?

    Around 50-60% of couples find success with IUI after 5 cycles, which is about a 10-20% success rate per cycle. Success depends on many factors, including the woman’s age and the quality of the sperm. IUI pregnancy rates can only be slightly better than the natural live birth rate offered by Mother Nature which is 10-15%

  • What are the limitations?

    While the relatively low cost of IUI offers a major advantage over IVF, there are limitations of artificial insemination. IUI treatment would not be effective in the following situations:

    • Very low sperm concentration and forward movement
    • Severe abnormal sperm size or shape
    • Tubal abnormality or severe endometriosis or pelvic adhesions
  • Will I need other treatments combined with IUI?

    Every couple is unique, and depending on the results from your fertility assessments, other treatments may be needed to increase your chances of getting pregnant. For some patients, natural IUI is enough to result in pregnancy. For others, IUI may need to be combined with ovulation induction.

To meet with one of our fertility specialists, schedule your initial fertility assessment here.

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