IUI treatment procedure is where sperms are placed directly in the woman's uterus. The sperms travel from the vagina to the uterus and fallopian tubes to fertilize the egg during natural conception. In IUI treatment, sperms are first washed and concentrated, then are placed in the uterus. The process helps in treating infertility and in making women pregnant.
Who is ideal for IUI treatment?
IUI treatment is a non-invasive and affordable fertility treatment. A couple can start with IUI as a fertility treatment and then proceed to more expensive and invasive procedures like IVF. Your doctor would recommend the IUI treatment in the following cases:
- Endometriosis (Mild)
- Low sperm count
- Issues with sperms motility
- Problem in ejaculation
- Hostile cervical mucus
- Unexplained infertility
How is the procedure performed?
IUI procedure is a painless and non-invasive procedure. Before undergoing the procedure, your doctor will start you on a few medications that will stimulate ovulation and push your ovaries to produce two or three eggs. So, if the first egg doesn't fertilize, others may. Your doctor may skip the medications if you have no problem ovulating on your own. One should also note that ovulation stimulating medicines can also risk multiple births.
It takes about an hour to prepare the semen for the IUI process, as you need to first separate the sperms out of the seminal fluid. Then the small amount of sperm is mixed with a fluid and is transferred to the uterus using a catheter. The process will only take a couple of minutes.
IUI process works by getting the sperm closer to the eggs so that they can easily fertilize. The process bypasses the cervical mucus and the cervix, unlike in normal intercourse.
Once the procedure is performed, a woman should keep track of any signs of IUI pregnancy. You can again take the IUI treatment in your next cycle if the first one fails.
Side -effects of IUI
There may be some cramping and spotting after the IUI process is performed. Rarely, a woman may also develop an infection. However, the chances of getting an infection are less than 0.5 %. If you experience an unusual vaginal discharge or pain in the first 24 hours of taking IUI, you should visit your doctor; she may start the antibiotic course.
The success rate of IUI
The success of the IUI procedure depends on the couple's age, the quality of the sperm, and the condition of the fallopian tubes. The odds of getting pregnant can be increased by taking fertility medicines. If you fail to get pregnant after four or five cycles of IUI, you need to consult IVF doctors in Hyderabad, Mumbai, Delhi, or Bangalore.
After receiving any fertility treatment, two weeks wait is recommended. It's the time that determines if the treatment has worked for you or not. If IUI has not worked for you, you should get disappointed as there are many advanced infertility treatments available that can help you achieve your reproductive goals.
