IUI

What is IUI?

[babyprayers]

intrauterine insemination.. they take washed sperm and use a small catheter insert into the cervix and deposit the sperm directly into the uterus, in which hopefully it will make its way up to the tubes where it will be hopefully be waiting for the egg to be fertilized.

[Stefanie714]

Thank you for answering my question! How come they do that? Is it just for sperm donors? Sorry if that sounds stupid!

[Renogirl]

By the way, the IUI is a relatively painless procedure as well.  The procedure my reproductive endocrinologist uses is - after I start my period, I take five days of Clomid to induce ovulation.  He gives me a date to start using the home ovulation tests.  On the third day, they do an ultrasound to check my ovaries for ovulation - when they determine that ovulation is about twenty four hours away, they will schedule the IUI.  My husband produces a sample at home which has to be taken into the lab within an hour of being, well, made, for lack of a better way of putting it.  They wash the sperm to wash off the gunk on the head of the sperm and make it easier for the sperm to wiggle into the egg, they will also week out any bad sperm.  I go in two hours later, lay on the table like I am getting a pap smear.  They insert huge hot dog tongs (no other way to describe, sorry) that hold open my cervix and then insert a catheter that is about half the diameter of a pencil - if that big - and insert the sperm into the top of my uterus.  I never even feel a thing.  Then they raise the end of the table and I have to lay there for about twenty minutes, get dressed and go on my merry way.  The really nice thing is I actually get a warmed blanket to cover up with for the procedure - very pleasant.  Every other visit, you get the large coffee filter that never quite covers your tushie.  Two weeks later they draw blood and run a Hcg test.  Simple simon and as procedures go, pretty comfortable.  Good luck if this is the route that you go!

[babyprayers]

nope not just for sperm donors, I myself have been thru several IUI's if your not getting pregnant, by doing IUI it increases your chance of fertilization as the sperm is inserted into the uterus rather then them trying to make there way up, they do it for low sperm count. hostile cervical mucous there are a million reasons why they do it. hope this helps. are you trying to conceive now?? do you have kids?

[Stefanie714]

I am actually trying to conceive. I don't have a problem getting pregnant, I have a problem with the baby implanting on the wrong spot! I have had cornual e/p's. My last surgey was a couple of weeks ago and the doctor took out all the scar tissue, so hopefully the baby will implant where it is suppose to. I am going to try one more time. If it doesn't work, I am thinking of getting a surrogate. I have been doing so much research on infertility and when I came up on IUI, I actually didn't know too much about it. That's why I posted here, I knew someone had an answer for me. Thanks to all you wonderful ladies for the replies!
PS. One of my doctors mentioned that I should look into IVF, but I thought that increases your chances of having an ep? So I just put that idea out of my head, I don't want anymoe e/p's!!!
Stefanie