Intra-Uterine Insemination (IUI) Treatment Using Partner’s Sperm

Ans: IUI with partner’s sperm is a fertility treatment where sperm is collected from the male partner, processed in a lab to concentrate the most motile sperm, and then directly inserted into the woman’s uterus during ovulation.
IUI with partner’s sperm is typically recommended for couples who can’t have sex “on command” i.e. during the time of predicted ovulation.
It is also useful for couples where intercourse may be difficult due to physical or psychological reason. Sometimes there can be erectile dysfunction or retrograde ejaculation and sometimes when the male partner may be regularly away during ovulation period (commonly job related).
Sometimes mild male factor infertility can be treated by IUI as well, though, ovulation induction can be simpler and far cheaper than IUI.

Ans: Success rates vary depending on factors like the woman’s age, sperm quality, and the underlying fertility issue.
It is more likely to succeed when the problem is with inability to have sex than when the problem is “unexplained” or “mild male factor” where the couple have been having sex regularly. The success is about 5%-10% per cycle (more or less depending on various other factors mentioned earlier)

Ans: The process begins with monitoring the woman’s ovulation cycle through ultrasound and sometimes blood tests. On the day of ovulation, the male partner provides a sperm sample, which is then processed to select the best sperm. The processed sperm is inserted into the uterus using a thin catheter. The procedure is quick, relatively painless, and typically takes a few minutes.

Ans: IUI is generally safe with minimal risks. The most common side effects include mild cramping or spotting after the procedure. There is also a small risk of infection, but that’s really low. If fertility medications are used, there is a risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) but that too is quite low if you compare it with OHSS in IVF treatments.
Multiple pregnancies (twins, triplets, etc.) is probably the most significant risk and we can avoid that by either not using ovulation stimulating medicines or using them at a very low dose and cancelling the cycle f the response is unexpectedly more than expected.