IUITreatment
IUI is the most misunderstood fertility treatment — often overused past the point it can help, and underused for problems it could solve cheaply. Washed and concentrated sperm is placed inside the uterus through a soft catheter, timed precisely to ovulation. It's a ten-minute clinic procedure with no anaesthesia. ~10 Mins Procedure Time. None Anaesthesia.
Understanding IUI Treatment
Intrauterine insemination is commonly described as a gentler alternative to IVF, which sets the wrong expectation immediately. IUI is not a weaker IVF. It solves a different problem, and understanding that difference saves couples considerable time and money.
What IUI does is shorten the journey sperm must make and improve its quality on arrival. A semen sample is washed and concentrated in the laboratory, stripping out seminal fluid, dead sperm and debris. The resulting concentrated preparation of motile sperm is placed directly into the uterus through a fine catheter at the precise point of ovulation, bypassing the cervix — which filters out the vast majority of sperm during natural intercourse.
What IUI cannot do matters just as much. It cannot open blocked fallopian tubes, because egg and sperm still have to meet inside the tube. It cannot compensate for a severely low sperm count, because it concentrates what exists rather than producing more. And it cannot improve egg quality. In those situations IUI is not a gentler first step, it is the wrong tool, and trying it only delays effective treatment.
The evidence on how many attempts are worthwhile is consistent. Most IUI successes occur within the first three to four properly monitored cycles. Beyond that the chance per cycle drops steeply, and continuing is a poor use of time and money. A frank conversation about moving to IVF at that stage is not the treatment failing — it is the treatment having done its job of ruling things out.
When To Consider This
Mild male factor infertility, where washing concentrates enough good sperm
Cervical factor issues, where mucus blocks natural sperm progression
Ovulation problems, combined with induction medicines for precise timing
Unexplained infertility, especially early in the journey for younger couples
Use of donor sperm from a registered ART bank
Seek Care Promptly If
- Severe abdominal pain after the procedure
- Heavy vaginal bleeding
- Fever or chills within 48 hours of the procedure
What's Involved
Expert Video Guides
IUI Explained: When It Helps and When It Doesn't
9 Years On, Parenthood at Last
A 6-Year Dream Fulfilled
Frequently Asked Questions
Evidence shows most IUI successes happen within the first three to four properly monitored cycles. Beyond that, the chance per cycle drops and IVF usually becomes a wiser investment of your time and money.
It varies with age, sperm parameters and the underlying cause. We give you a case-specific estimate rather than a generic number, since averages can be misleading for any one couple.
No. You can resume normal activities immediately. Some clinics suggest resting for ten to fifteen minutes afterwards, but there is no evidence it changes the outcome.
Yes, including donor sperm from a registered ART bank, which is always frozen and quarantined per ART Act 2021 requirements.
There genuinely are not reliable early signs — implantation symptoms are too similar to normal premenstrual changes. We ask patients to wait for the blood test around day 14 rather than reading into symptoms.