Intrauterine insemination (IUI) is a fertility treatment where a woman’s menstrual cycle is tracked to pick her day of ovulation…the most fertile time. At ovulation the partner’s sperm is collected and placed through her cervix into the uterus using a fine plastic tube/straw. The aim is hopefully the sperm will swim to the fallopian tube and fertilize the egg. IUI is generally a fertility treatment used for couples with “unexplained infertility”, that means…. there is no obvious medical reason found.

But if you have PCOS and you are trying to get pregnant, then you may also end up having a diagnosis of unexplained infertility. This can occur in 2 scenarios

1. If you have been trying to conceive for more than 12 months, and you’re ovulating in a regular manner, and all other fertility investigations on you and your partner have been proven normal…. or
2. You have been trying to conceive with ovulation induction fertility treatment like Clomid Tablets or FSH injections, with no pregnancy success despite ovulating on the above 2 treatments, and all fertility investigations are normal.

What is the Intra-uterine Treatment?

For PCOS women hormones such as Clomid Or FSH Injections are given to stimulate the ovaries to produce an egg and help ovulation. On the day of ovulation the actual insemination of sperm takes place. A semen sample is collected from the partner. It is prepared and passed through the cervix and into the womb, using a fine straw.

Again…During IUI, The hope is that the sperm will meet the egg and that fertilisation will take place in the fallopian tube, just as it does in a natural pregnancy

See Picture of Intra-uterine Insemination Below:

Intra-Uterine Insemination