Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) is a process in which prepared sperm is placed into the woman’s uterine cavity via her cervix, using a tiny soft catheter. It is usually a painless procedure that normally takes only a few minutes. At The HWFMU, this fertility treatment is performed as an outpatient procedure and does not require any anaesthesia or pain medication.   

The male partner is scheduled to produce a semen sample at an optimal time; his sample is prepared in the laboratory by the embryologist before the procedure. The aim of the preparation process is to select a concentration of the best sperm for insemination. The prepared sperm is then introduced, through a very soft catheter, into the woman’s uterus. This procedure is, in general, a painless process that takes only a few minutes.

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IUI is used in couples with:

• Low sperm count
• Unexplained infertility
• Mild endometriosis
• Ejaculation dysfunction
• Cervical scaring from past procedures

The success of IUI depends on several factors. If the IUI procedure is performed under ideal conditions, success rates may reach as high as 20% per cycle depending on variables such as age, the reason for infertility, and whether fertility drugs were used

The international success rate for IUI is on average between 10 – 15 % per cycle.

Local study: Intrauterine insemination in Jamaica as a low-cost subfertility treatment in a low-resource region. Christie LR¹, Harriott JA, Dacosta VE, Wynter SH, Everett DM, Foster RA. Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 2011 Mar;112(3):208-10. doi: 10.1016/j.ijgo.2010.10.017. Epub 2011 Jan 17.

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