Intrauterine insemination (IUI) is an excellent alternative to IVF for eligible couples and individuals who would prefer a less invasive fertility treatment.
As with all our patients at Fertility First, we are committed to ensuring you feel fully supported and informed at every stage of your fertility treatment. Though IUI treatment is seen as less invasive compared to IVF, it can still take many women out of their comfort zone. We’re here with our dedicated team to answer all your questions and hold your hand - both figuratively and literally - whenever you need us.
Your fertility treatment at Fertility First begins with a comprehensive assessment of your fertility journey to date, an examination of your and your partner’s overall health, and tailored fertility testing. If you are intending to access our donor sperm program, we will give you information about what you need to know about the donor sperm process.
Once we have a better idea of your reproductive health and medical history, we can discuss all your options for fertility treatment.
Intrauterine insemination may be most appropriate for you if:
IUI is less likely to be suitable for you if there are severe infertility conditions, such as active pelvic infections in the female partner, fallopian tube blockage or damage, severe sperm abnormalities, or very low egg reserve. In these cases, we will discuss more suitable solutions to get you on your way to growing your family.
A comprehensive assessment of your and your partner’s (if you are considering IUI as a couple) reproductive health allows us to determine whether IUI will give you a good chance of success. If you are considering IUI using donor sperm, we will discuss the process of accessing our extensive sperm bank and the considerations that come with being a donor sperm recipient.
Counselling is a requirement to be completed prior to accessing the use of donor sperm for treatment.
Since your egg needs to be ready and available for fertilisation to make the IUI procedure a success, we manage the timing of the release of your egg through medically-induced ovulation. This allows us to coincide ovulation with when we introduce the sperm. If your preference is to avoid ovulation induction, we can also work around your natural ovulation cycle.
If you are undergoing IUI as a heterosexual couple, we collect sperm from your male partner and prepare it in our specialised laboratory. This concentrates the healthy sperm cells for use in the IUI procedure and increases the chances of fertilisation.
The prepared sperm is then inserted directly into your womb using a long, thin tube called a catheter. This procedure is usually painless and takes only a few minutes. You can expect to return to your normal activities on the same day. We arrange a pregnancy blood test around 16 days later.
Several factors affect your expected out-of-pocket expenses for IUI, including whether you are using donor sperm or partner sperm. Please refer to our costing page for approximate out of pocket expenses.
We provide the full range of fertility treatments, from helping you to improve your natural fertility and chances of spontaneous conception, to advanced assisted reproductive technologies. In addition to IUI and donor sperm, we also offer IVF, ovulation induction, intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), egg donation, and frozen embryo transfer.
We understand that undergoing IUI treatment can be emotionally challenging. It’s important to know that you’re not alone. Fertility First offers a range of support services, including access to local support groups specifically for IUI patients in Sydney. These groups provide a safe and supportive environment where you can connect with others who are going through similar experiences.
Our dedicated team can help you find a support group that best suits your needs and preferences. By connecting with others who understand what you’re going through, you can gain valuable support, share experiences, and learn coping strategies.
Factors like timing, egg quality, sperm quality, medication, and lifestyle can influence your outcome. Our experienced fertility specialists will provide personalised guidance and support throughout your IUI journey.
IUI (intrauterine insemination) and IVF (in vitro fertilisation) are both fertility treatments aimed at helping people to conceive, but they differ in their approach.
IUI is considered to be less invasive and less expensive than IVF. IVF involves more complex procedures, however, can offer a higher chance of success for couples with more significant fertility challenges.
At Fertility First, our fertility specialists can help you choose the right treatment based on your individual circumstances. We’ll consider factors such as your medical history, age, and overall health to determine which treatment pathway is right for you.
An embryo transfer is very similar to having an IUI or an pap test performed. It is essentially uncomplicated, simple and does not require readmission to theatre.
An immature egg is an oocyte that has not reached meiotic competency, meaning it hasn’t reached the first stages of meiotic division.
Assessing and correcting fertility problems is the first step in any fertility treatment and at Fertility First, we want to make the process as easy as possible with minimal invasiveness.
Usually out of the eggs retrieved, we expect approximately 80% to be mature, and of those, between 60 to 80% will fertilise normally. This is perfectly normal.
