Who benefits from Intrauterine Insemination (IUI)?

Intrauterine Insemination, often simply known as IUI, is an effective and relatively non-invasive assisted fertility method that helps large numbers of women achieve pregnancy each year. During IUI, previously medically treated sperm will be inserted directly into the uterus. Who benefits from this type of assisted fertility? When should you consider Intrauterine Insemination? If you have been trying to conceive for a long time, and have not had success in getting pregnant, you might make a fertility appointment at some stage.

The causes of your infertility will first be looked into, before deciding what the best course of action might be to attempt to get pregnant. It is quite likely the IUI will offer the hope of getting pregnant for you. Intrauterine Insemination can often be used successfully for couples where the female has no fertility problems, but there is male factor infertility. IUI can be used in combination with a low sperm count or sperm abnormalities, and the healthy sperm are separated from those of substandard quality in a process called sperm washing. Women who are not ovulating might benefit from IUI when combined with ovulation inducing fertility drugs such as Clomid, and those with Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (as a result of chlamydia, for example), blocked tubes, or women who have gone through an early menopause may also achieve pregnancy through IUI.

In addition, this insemination method is commonly used by future single mothers by choice or lesbian couples who are trying to conceive with donor sperm as well. Finally, there is some evidence that IUI and sperm washing could be a way for HIV positive men to become fathers. Sperm washing has been shown to greatly reduce the risk that the HIV virus is passed on to the female partner, and the child. Research is still being conducted into sperm washing and HIV transmission, but the current studies are certainly promising.