IUI Artificial Insemination | CHA Fertility Center, Los Angeles CA

Sometimes referred to as artificial insemination, Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) is a procedure in which sperm from the male partner or donor are washed, concentrated and placed directly into the woman’s uterus. IUI increases the number of sperm in the fallopian tubes where eggs are released and fertilization takes place, and therefore increases the chances of fertilization. IUI is most often used to treat mild male factor infertility or couples with unexplained infertility.

In order to become pregnant naturally, sperm must navigate all the way up the fallopian tubes in order to fertilize an egg. While this sounds easy, it is anything but. The female reproductive system is actually extremely hostile toward sperm as a natural check and balance. Not only does a single sperm need to navigate this maze, it must also show up right on time. Sometimes a sperm cell must travel the equivalent of nearly 40 miles to reach its destination, only to find no egg at all. Unfortunately, this can be a major hurdle for those trying to conceive.

Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) entails collecting the donor sperm and then processing it specifically for insertion back into the uterus. CHA Fertility Center can facilitate an environment where there are far more sperm cells in the uterus than would normally survive the journey, and shortens the “trip” for those sperm cells.

This is accomplished by retrieving sperm from the donor male, which can be done in a variety of ways, from simple cup collection to surgical removal. The sperm is cleansed and concentrated, giving the sperm a much better chance at fertilizing the egg. During cleansing, the seminal fluid is removed and the most viable sperm are separated. Once everything is prepped, the process is quite short and painless. The woman’s cervix is exposed using a speculum, and the sperm are slowly placed into the uterus via a soft catheter. If, afterwards, the woman experiences a missed period of at least 15 days, then a pregnancy test at CHA Fertility Center is conducted.

When used in conjunction with Ovulation Induction, Intrauterine Insemination can be invaluable for raising your chances of becoming pregnant.