Intrauterine Insemination

Intrauterine insemimination (also known as IUI) is a treatment that is usually used to treat couples where male infertility is a problem or when the female has problems with ovulation (does not produce eggs or eggs of low quality.)  This treatment removes the hurdle of the sperm having to swim through the cervix.  With IUI, the sperm sample is washed and concentrated, then placed in a transfer catheter.  This catheter is then inserted through the cervix and the sperm are injected.  This ensures that the sperm are in the right place.  The sperm are then able to swim up to the fallopian tubes where they may fertilize the egg.  This procedure is not uncomfortable and requires no anesthesia, as the catheter is very small.  Please refer to the illustration below and keep in mind that it is not drawn to scale.

IUI can be done with fertility medications.  Women who do not ovulate regularly, can be monitored and placed on fertility medications, which stimulate the ovaries to produce eggs.  This must be done with monitoring to make sure that the right number of eggs are matured.  This can vary depending on the woman's age.  For a younger woman, only one or two eggs will be matured, but for a woman in her late 30's or early 40's, more eggs will be stimulated to mature.  By monitoring the number of eggs, we are able to keep the incidence of multiple births (twins, triplets, etc) to a minimum.

Generally the success of IUI is anywhere from 10% to 20% depending on the age of the woman and the quality of the sperm.  Many patients try two or thre IUI's and if they have no success, they move to IVF (in vitro fertilization.)  IVF treatment involves more stimulation of the ovaries to produce more eggs and the eggs are then fertilized in our embryology lab.  This ensures that the eggs are fertilized.

Dr. Littman has extensive experience with this fertility treatment and we have a complete lab and embryologist here in Las Vegas to facilitate your treatment.  Please contact us to schedule an appointment or you can come to one of our free seminars to learn more about this treatment.  Insurance frequently covers the cost of IUI, though most insurance companies do not cover the cost of medications.