01/ What is IUI? And how is it done?

IUI treatment is performed by threading a thin, flexible catheter through the cervix and injecting washed, motile sperm into the uterus.

The whole process does not take very long—it usually takes no more than a couple of minutes once a speculum has been inserted and the catheter threaded through.

02/ Where is the sperm collected? How long before the IUI?

If you are ordering at home, Aspire HFI requires that the sperm be delivered to the office within an hour of ejaculation. Otherwise, we provide a collection room for men in the office. A sterile collection cup is used to collect sperm samples.

For IUI, the post-washing delay can range from thirty minutes to two hours, with most clinics can perform IUI within two hours of washing. For IUI (in vitro fertilization), doctors will often cryopreserve all sperm; a thaw cycle is not required.

03/ When is the most appropriate timing for intrauterine insemination?

IUI treatment should be performed as soon as ovulation on either side. An IUI is usually done within 24 to 48 hours after an hCG injection; the timing of injections for many IUI’s should allow at least 24 hours between them.

04/ What does an IUI feel like?

Most women consider IUI pretty painless due to the thin, flexible catheter — along the same lines as having a pap smear. There can be some cramping afterwards, but often what is felt is ovulation-related rather than from the IUI.

05/ What monitoring is usually done for the IUI cycle?

Once ovarian stimulation begins, ultrasound monitoring can be increased to confirm ovulation. When gonadotropins are used, bloodwork and ultrasounds become more frequent.

06/ What does “sperm washing” mean?

Sperm preparation is a lab technique used during IUI to separate motile sperm from non-motile sperm and other components, such as seminal fluid, of human semen.

In the case of near-normal specimens, ejaculate is mixed with a washing medium after liquefying and centrifuging.

After discarding the supernatant, it is necessary to resuspend the sediment in a washing medium. This process is repeated 2-3 times maximum. In the final wash, the residue is resuspended in 0.5 ccs of the medium and then loaded into a syringe and then deposited into the uterus.