IUI Offers Patients Hope of Successful Conception
There are many obstacles that can prevent patients from naturally getting pregnant. In some cases, a woman may find that she is dealing with unexpected fertility issues, in others, the male partner has fertility problems in relation to sperm production. All of these situations may be remedied with artificial insemination, a procedure in which prepared sperm is injected directly into a woman’s uterus. For the right patient, intrauterine insemination (IUI), or artificial insemination, can increase the chances of a successful pregnancy and may bypass the need for more extensive fertility treatments. At the Center for Fertility and Gynecology, we discuss with our Los Angeles patients IUI success rates and whether this fertility technique may be right for them.
How Successful Is IUI?
IUI does increase the success rate of pregnancy for couples facing a variety of fertility problems and is often a great first line of fertility treatment. The average success rate of a healthy couple trying to conceive naturally is about 20 to 25 percent. For couples facing infertility problems, that number drops significantly. Through IUI, couples who are dealing with infertility can increase their pregnancy success rate to about 20 percent, giving them a good chance of conceiving. While IUI (as with any other fertility treatment) does not offer a guarantee of pregnancy, it does offer hope to those who have been unsuccessful in conceiving naturally. IUI is also a more affordable and less complicated fertility treatment than alternate options such as IVF and GIFT, which is why we often recommend that patients first try artificial insemination before proceeding with more advanced fertility treatment.
IUI success rates may be improved in patients who maintain a healthy lifestyle. Be sure to eat a well-balanced diet, exercise regularly, limit alcohol use, and avoid smoking.
IUI Treatment
IUI increases the chances of pregnancy by monitoring ovulation timing, controlling the quantity and quality of sperm, and avoiding the need for the sperm to travel through the vagina and cervix. In some cases, IUI can be preceded by the use of fertility medication to stimulate ovulation, thus increasing the success rate of IUI even further. During this procedure, which is scheduled to take place at the time of ovulation, prepared sperm is passed through the cervix in a small plastic catheter, which is attached to a syringe. Once in proper position, the sperm is deposited directly into the uterus. After this procedure has been completed, the patient is directed to lie down for about 10 minutes before returning home. We advise patients to wait for about 14 days after treatment has been completed before testing for pregnancy.
Schedule an Appointment
At the Center for Fertility and Gynecology, we work with patients to determine their best chances of combatting fertility problems in order to achieve the dream of parenthood. If you’d like to learn more about IUI or any of the many other fertility treatments we offer, schedule an appointment with one of our fertility specialists at your earliest convenience. We look forward to meeting you!