IUI Success Rates

One of the ways in which people facing infertility manage to build their families is through intrauterine insemination (IUI). IUI is a type of assisted reproductive technology (ART) therapy whereby sperm, after going through an optimizing process, are inserted into the uterus within the ovulation window to increase the chances of a pregnancy occuring.

IUI is one of the more affordable ART treatments, and it is also minimally invasive, making it a preferred option for many at the beginning of their fertility journey. To get a better perspective of IUI, we shall discuss the process, its benefits, costs, factors affecting success rates, as well, we shall point out some ways to increase your chances of conceiving through IUI.

What Is IUI?

IUI is also known as artificial insemination and is the oldest form of assisted reproductive technology dating hundreds of years. With medical advances and improved technologies, the process of IUI has become more sophisticated, yielding better results. 

What Is the IUI Process?

IUI treatments typically occur in four steps:

Testing

The first step is to test the female partner to check if the uterus, ovaries and fallopian tubes are healthy. Once the results are out, a consultation with a professional healthcare provider will determine if IUI is the best option for their fertility journey. After this, an optimal time for the treatments to begin will be determined, and schedule will be made. 

Medication

Once the schedule for treatments is determined, medication will be prescribed to stimulate ovulation, synced as closely as possible to the natural ovulation cycle. 

Sperm Sample

In order to give the best chance of fertilization, the sperm sample that will be used will be optimized in a sperm wash. This process removes unwanted compounds as well as sperm that are not viable. This leaves the semen with sperm that have a higher chance of producing a successful pregnancy.

Insemination

Once ovulation begins, the cleaned sperm is inserted into the uterus using a speculum and a small catheter. The insemination process is generally free of pain and usually takes just a few minutes. After the procedure, a person may experience some mild cramping or spotting. This is to be expected, but does not usually last for more than a day or so, and tends to resolve on its own.

Who Can Benefit from IUI?

Typically when people are struggling to become pregnant, IUI can be of benefit. University of Pennsylvania, research showed that IUI could be effective when:

• Someone is using donor sperm to conceive
• Individuals have subfertile semen parameters i.e. low sperm count and/or motility
• A male partner struggles to achieve an erection or to ejaculate
• A female partner has scar tissue on their cervix
• The female partner has issues that affect their cervix or cervical mucus

What Influences the Success of IUI?

The main factors that influence the success of an IUI cycle are age, ovarian stimulation, the timing of the procedure, and the frequency of treatments.

Age

There is a direct correlation between the age of patients undergoing IUI treatment and their chances pf successfully becoming pregnant. This is because IUI relies on a natural menstrual cycle, as well as natural fertility. 

Therefore patients who are under the age of 25, using sperm from donors who are under the age of 30, tend to have higher success rates. However, as age increases, the chances of becoming pregnant gradually decrease, particularly after the mid 30s.

Ovarian Stimulation

It is possible to time the natural ovulation window and use IUI to become pregnant. However, ovarian stimulation protocols have been observed to double the chances of the success of IUI cycles, compared to if the person, or people, desiring to become pregnant rely on their own natural ovulation cycle.

Timing

The importance of timing in IUI is to ensure that the endometrium reaches a particular thickness so that implantation will be successful. In a fertility study conducted in 2021, this thickness was attributed to not only successful implantation, but a successful pregnancy.

Treatment Frequency

IUI treatments are usually done as a singular procedure within an ovulation cycle. At times a second procedure may be done within the same ovulation cycle. The idea is that doing a double IUI increases the chances of conception. This was found to be true in a review of clinical trials that compared single and double IUIs.

What Does IUI Cost?

A single IUI cycle costs between $300 and $4,000. This cost covers consultation fees, tests, ovarian stimulation, monitoring, and a single insemination procedure. Sometimes a round of IUI does not result in a pregnancy, so people tend to try additional rounds.

Bottom Line

IUI is safe and affordable. It also has a long history of success. If you do want to learn more about fertility treatments, contact Ivy Fertility, we are a reliable and compassionate partner on your family-building journey.