Medicated cycle IUI can help overcome several barriers to conception

At Texas Fertility Center, our team offers treatments that range from basic to advanced. Intrauterine insemination (IUI) is one of the more-basic options that we offer to our patients. If you don’t ovulate regularly, or you didn’t find success with natural cycle IUI, our team may recommend medicated cycle IUI. You can rely on our Austin infertility doctors to help you learn more about this treatment and whether it’s a good fit for you.

How do you prepare for a medicated cycle IUI?

To get started with your stimulated IUI cycle, you will call our clinic when your period starts. If you will be taking oral fertility medications, our team will schedule you to visit us for a vaginal ultrasound on day 2, 3, 4 or 5 of your cycle. If you’ll be using injectable medications, your ultrasound will be between days 2 and 3.

Monitoring is the next step. You’ll use a urine ovulation predictor kit to monitor your cycle if you’re taking oral medications. In contrast, you’ll come in for ultrasounds and bloodwork if you’re giving yourself injections.

If you’re taking oral medications, you’ll have one IUI on the day after your predictor kit reveals a luteinizing hormone (LH) surge. In contrast, if you’re taking injections, you’ll receive a trigger shot when your largest ovarian follicle is about 20mm. From there, you’ll have two IUI procedures, one on each of the days after the trigger shot.

What happens during the intrauterine insemination?

When it’s time for your intrauterine insemination procedure, your medicated cycle IUI will be the same regardless of the type of medication you have been taking.

• Just like at your annual gynecology appointment, you’ll rest on an exam table and put your feet in the supports.
• After gently placing a speculum in the vagina, your doctor will place a catheter through the vagina and cervix and into the uterus.
• Your doctor will deposit sperm from your partner or sperm donor into the uterus using the catheter. This short process takes about five minutes.

Your doctor will remove the catheter and ask you to relax on the exam table for about 10 minutes. After that, you can resume all your normal activities. While you may notice some light bleeding or cramping after the procedure, it should resolve on its own.

Who should consider a stimulated IUI cycle?

If you don’t menstruate and ovulate regularly, your doctor will recommend a stimulated IUI cycle over a natural one. Additionally, you may want to consider using medication during your IUI cycle to increase your chance of conceiving.

In addition to being a treatment for irregular ovulation, our Austin infertility doctors find that medicated cycle IUI can also help with several other issues.

• A cervix with scarring or an abnormal shape
• Unexplained infertility
• Mild male infertility
• Problems with ejaculation
• Use of donor sperm

During an IUI cycle with oral medications, pregnancy rates are about 8-12% per cycle. In IUI cycles using injectable medications, patients tend to have pregnancy rates of 15-25% per cycle.

Contact us to learn more about welcoming a baby using intrauterine insemination, or artificial insemination. Our Austin infertility doctors are always happy to answer questions and guide patients on their path to parenthood.