My Experience

I had intrauterine insemination (IUI). I’ve had it done several times over the last few years, with two successful pregnancies.

I had the procedure because I was having difficulty conceiving and I really wanted children. I went to my doctor looking for help, and everyone at the hospital was very positive and knowledgeable. They made me feel very comfortable and confident in myself.

The preparation consisted of many different tests to decide which procedure and/or drugs were right for me, lots of meetings with my husband explaining our options and lessons about the different drugs and how to administer them. It is a very demanding schedule and based on your cycle so you never know exactly when you have to be available for bloodwork, ultrasounds or for the actual procedure.

On the day of the procedure the sperm is collected and my husband I deliver it to the hospital. It is then washed: sperm washing is a process to prepare sperm for use in IUI. It allows your partner’s sperm a better chance for survival and fertilization. Sperm washing separates sperm cells from the semen, helping to get rid of dead or slow-moving sperm as well as additional chemicals that may impair fertilization. During this time we leave and come back to the office about 45 minutes later when the actual procedure is done. We enter our room and are told what is happening every step of the way. This is when the IUI is finally done. An IUI — intrauterine insemination — is performed by threading a very thin flexible catheter through the cervix and injecting washed sperm directly into the uterus.The whole process doesn’t take very long; it usually only requires the insertion of a speculum and then the catheter, a process that maybe takes a couple of minutes (60-90 seconds to introduce the catheter, then sperm injection, and another 60 seconds or so to remove the catheter; going slowly helps reduce discomfort). I am then told to lie still for about 10 minutes. Beyond that, there is no recovery, just waiting. We wait two weeks to see if conception was successful or if we need to try again or take another route in trying to get pregnant. These two weeks seem like an eternity.