While IVF is the most common procedure that is used in fertility clinics to help couples in conceiving who are otherwise unable to get pregnant, in certain conditions IUI treatment can boost your chances at half the cost, time, and minimum requirement of invasive techniques.
In many fertility clinics, including the Center for Reproductive medicine based in Florida, you have to undergo certain rounds of IUI before you can try IVF as the fertility treatment. IUI in Celebration and Winter Park locations of this clinic is done if there is male factor fertility issue like low sperm count or the problem is with the hostility of the cervical mucus that prevents sperm from reaching the uterus. The procedure is done on an outpatient basis as it does not require anesthesia and aftercare.
IUI – The procedure and its success rate
It is the process by which sperm is artificially inseminated directly in the uterine cavity with the use of a catheter that bypasses the cervix. The steps followed during the IUI procedure performed in a fertility clinic in Celebration, FL is:
- You will be given a course of Clomid or Letrozole to stimulate the ovulation process.
- You will be monitored at different days of your cycle to determine the date when the egg will be released.
- Approximately 24 hours before egg release, you will be given the appointment for conducting IUI.
- Your male partner or a semen donor will provide a fresh semen sample which will go through a laboratory procedure to extract sperms.
- Sperms are then mixed with some liquid which is loaded into a syringe attached to a catheter which is the size of a pen-tip.
- The catheter is passed through the vagina into the uterine cavity where sperms are directly injected to increase chances of conception.
You can feel mild cramps or get light spotting after the procedure. IUI has the following success rates depending upon the cause of infertility:
- 8-10% for every IUI cycle if the reason behind infertility is abnormal sperm count, quantitatively or qualitatively.
- 18-20% when the reason behind infertility is not known.
- 5% success rate in cases of tubal infertility.
Any female who has severe endometriosis, adhesions, or pelvic inflammatory disease should get these conditions treated before opting for IUI. Also, if you have a low ovarian reserve or your partner has an extremely low sperm count, your chances of having success with IUI decrease.
Get a thorough evaluation by a fertility specialist and let them make a treatment plan that best suits your condition. They will perform necessary diagnostics and analyze every factor including your age, medical condition, and your budget, to suggest the right treatment and will also educate you through the process to reduce your stress levels.
