IUI: step-by-step

IUI (IntraUterine Insemination) is a simpler, less invasive fertility treatment than IVF (In Vitro Fertilization) — often the first step couples try.

Here's how it works step-by-step:

1. Cycle Monitoring
   Your partner's natural cycle is tracked via bloodwork and ultrasounds to identify when ovulation is approaching.

2. Ovulation Induction (Optional)
   Some IUI cycles use oral medication (like Clomid or Letrozole) or low-dose injectables to encourage one or two eggs to mature — though some cycles are done fully unmedicated.

3. Trigger Shot (If Medicated)
   Once a mature follicle is confirmed, a trigger shot may be used to time ovulation precisely, usually 24–36 hours before insemination.

4. Sperm Collection & Preparation
   A sperm sample (yours or a donor's) is collected and "washed" in the lab — concentrating healthy, motile sperm and removing seminal fluid.

5. Insemination
   A thin catheter is used to place the prepared sperm directly into the uterus, timed around ovulation. Quick, painless, no sedation — often described as similar to a pap smear.

6. The Two-Week Wait
   Similar to IVF, this is the waiting period (roughly 10–14 days) before a pregnancy test can give a reliable result.

7. Pregnancy Test
   A blood test (beta hCG) or home test confirms whether the cycle was successful.