Intrauterine Insemination

Intrauterine insemination (IUI), also called artificial insemination (AI), is a type of fertility treatment in which the sperm are prepared and concentrated with technical selection of the most motile sperms. The insemination procedure can be performed in a natural cycle, when the recipient patient is expected to have normal ovulation, or in a hormonally-stimulated cycle, where the patient receives ovulation induction with tablets (usually letrozole) or in some cases gonadotropin injections.

Intrauterine insemination can be performed using donor sperm (DI), and it is the first line treatment in case of heterosexual couples where the male partner does not produce sperm and the female has not any apparent infertility causes and she is of young age (under 35 years). Donor insemination is also an appropriate treatment for women in same-sex relationship and for single women applying for donor sperm treatments. The age of the women is considered an important predictive factor for success of fertility treatments in general, thus women of 36 years or older may be recommended to go directly for IVF treatment with donor sperm instead.

Intrauterine insemination is also indicated for treatment of couples with mild male infertility factor or when the male partner has sexual dysfunction or impotence, and also cases with an evident cervical factor, för example women that have undergone surgery of the cervical cancer (trachelectomy), and couples with a diagnosis of unexplained infertility.

The success rate of insemination is higher when ovulation induction is combined with the procedure, and it is also higher in women that are younger. The data from the Swedish Quality Register has shown that whereas women younger than 30 years may achieve live birth using insemination treatment in up to 18% of the cases, the chances decrease with increasing age and the success is about 6% in women 38-39 years of age.

Article by

Kenny Rodriguez-Wallberg

MD, PhD, Professor – Specialist in Reproductive Medicine, Fertility Preservation & Reproductive Oncology

Other Articles

Veronica’s Story

To make babies. Nowadays that phrase has a completely different meaning.In february 2019 we decided ... Read article

Tova’s Story

This is #mybumpystory - an emotional rollercoaster with repeated miscarriages and hopefully soon a b... Read article

The effects of Vitamin D on fertility

Vitamin D is a vitamin synthesized in the skin through sun exposure (UVB radiation). Moreover, vitam... Read article

Samantha's Story

I knew from the start that it was hard to conceive a child of our own with my partner. As a child he... Read article

Male factor infertility

The definition of male factor infertility is when the cause of infertility within a couple is becaus... Read article

Endometriosis

The European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) has recently released an updated g... Read article

Jessica Olers's Story

Sometimes it doesn't turn out as planned. Ever since I was little, I have dreamed of a big family wi... Read article

Jessica’s Story

I have been pregnant three times. Or actually while writing this story, I am pregnant. But I don't f... Read article

Klara’s Story

Our infertility journey started two years ago. The process has not at all been what we expected and ... Read article

Helen's Story

Since we are two girls, we knew from the get-go that having a baby would include some type of proces... Read article

Interview with Hanna Theorin

My name is Hanna Theorin, I’m 30 years old and I live in Småland, in Sweden, with my fiancé Kevin, w... Read article

Embryo Vitrification

When patients undergo hormonal stimulation during the IVF treatment it starts with the collection of... Read article

In vitro fertilization (IVF)

In vitro fertilization (IVF) means that the fertilization between the oocyte and the sperm takes pla... Read article

Fertility Treatment Abroad

Traveling abroad for fertility treatment is increasing as there are benefits. There are people who c... Read article

Fertility Preservation

Preserving your fertility entails the cryopreservation (freezing) of eggs, sperm, embryos, or reprod... Read article

Genetic diseases

If you, your partner or a family member has a serious genetic condition and are concerned about your... Read article

Infertility – A Helping Guide

This guide is created by the Bumpy team to support you and has been reviewed by our medical experts ... Read article

Heterosexual couples

Embarking on the journey of fertility treatment can be a daunting and complex experience, with numer... Read article

Practical tips on how to take care of yourself after experiencing pregnancy loss

Miscarriage is a sorrow and it is ok to be sad and grieve! There is often more than one thing to gri... Read article

Choosing a fertility clinic a critical decision

Finding a great fertility clinic is more than researching success rates, it’s also about empathetic ... Read article

Are fertility struggles getting the better of your mental well-being?

This article is written together with Tilly, a mental health app specifically designed for supportin... Read article

Trying to Conceive Solo

In today’s evolving society, the concept of family has expanded, allowing for more diverse paths to ... Read article

Infertility – an emotional rollercoaster

Emotions are both wonderful and terrible. Without contact with our emotions, both positive and more ... Read article

Secondary Infertility: Unable to have another child

The inability to conceive or carry a pregnancy to term after previously giving birth to one or more ... Read article

Fertility Struggles & the Holiday Season — How to cope

Usually seen as a magical, jolly season, December can also bring to the surface a lot of triggers, p... Read article

4 Strategies to get through the summer

As the summer season unfolds, it's the perfect time to set your vision for joy and fulfillment. Whil... Read article

IVF Lingo

We know that when you’re about to start your journey with IVF, whether it’s to become pregnant or fr... Read article

Understanding PCOS and its impact on fertility

June is International Infertility Awareness Month, a time to highlight the experiences of those faci... Read article

Understanding Preimplantation Genetic Testing (PGT)

In short, Preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) is a sophisticated screening test that can be perfor... Read article