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Definition
By Mayo Clinic staffIntrauterine insemination (IUI) — a type of artificial insemination — is a procedure for treating infertility. Sperm that have been washed and concentrated are placed directly in your uterus around the time your ovary releases one or more eggs to be fertilized. Older types of artificial insemination placed the sperm in the vagina. While this was easier, it was not as successful as the current procedure.
The hoped-for outcome of intrauterine insemination is for the sperm to swim into the fallopian tube and fertilize a waiting egg, resulting in a normal pregnancy. Depending on the reasons for infertility, IUI can be coordinated with your normal cycle or with fertility medications.
- Frequently asked questions. Treating infertility. Gynecological problems FAQ137. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. http://www.acog.org/~/media/For%20Patients/faq137.pdf?dmc=1&ts=20130521T2008087677. Accessed May 21, 2013.
- Reproductive health: Infertility FAQs. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/Infertility/. Accessed May 21, 2013.
- Infertility fact sheet. Womenshealth.gov. http://www.womenshealth.gov/publications/our-publications/fact-sheet/infertility.html. Accessed May 21, 2013.
- Ginsberg ES. Procedure for intrauterine insemination (IUI) using processed sperm. http://www.uptodate.com/home. Accessed May 21, 2013.
- Tournaye HJ, et al. Management of male-factor infertility. Best Practice and Research: Clinical Obstetrics and Gynaecology. 2012;26:769.
- Demir B, et al. Factors affecting pregnancy outcome of intrauterine insemination cycles in couples with favorable female characteristics. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. 2011;31:420.
- Bernstein JA. Immunologic disorders of the female and male reproductive tract. Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. 2012;108:390.
- Coddington III CC (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. May 23, 2013.
- Stewart EA (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. June 17, 2013.
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