How Successful is IUI Treatment? Risks Factors to Consider

How Successful is IUI Treatment?

A lot of couples go through an emotional and challenging journey while planning a baby. No wonder! Infertility is hitting hard on many. Thankfully, medical advancements like Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART) are working wonders today! IUI is one such recommended treatment for infertility. It is a popular, non-invasive, cost-effective, simple, and first-line therapy involving the placement of specially washed sperm into the uterus during the fertility window. 

But what are the success rates for IUI treatment, and does it work for every woman? Let’s take a closer look at IUI treatment success rates, factors influencing its effectiveness, and expert strategies to improve your chances of success. 

What is IUI Treatment?

IUI is an artificial fertility process where sperm are injected into the uterus of the woman. Under this process, you have the liberty to choose your donors or a partner’s sperm. Before the placement of sperm into the womb, they are washed and cleaned to remove the concentrated sperm. 

Let us understand the step-by-step process of IUI treatment:

1. Detecting Ovulation Window: The fertility specialist monitors the body to find out the exact time and date of your ovulation. The test generally detects luteinizing hormone to find out the ovulation window. In some cases, hCG injections are also used so that mature eggs get released.
2. Preparing Sperm Sample: On the predetermined date of IUI, your chosen partner will produce a sperm sample to be prepared later in the lab. In some cases, the sperm are retrieved through surgical procedures. Then, the sperm are washed to obtain the concentrated part of healthy sperm. 
3. Artificial Insemination: The concentrated sperm are injected into the womb using a semi-round tip. 
4. Conducting Pregnancy Test: After 2 weeks of the treatment, it is suggested to take a pregnancy test. If the process is successful, the test results turn out to be positive. 

Doctors highly recommend this artificial insemination treatment because of its ease and cost-effectiveness. It is nonetheless a natural accelerator of a smooth and healthy pregnancy. 

Ideal Candidates for Intrauterine Insemination

While planning to experience parenthood, you must consider whether IUI is the perfect option for you. Here is a list of ideal candidates that can benefit from this fertility treatment (intrauterine Insemination). 

• Women who have complications like cervical mucus, as it prevents the sperm from reaching the egg and fertilizing it. 
• Women who are unable to conceive, yet the cause of their infertility remains unknown. 
• Women who experience irregular menstrual cycles.
• Couples experiencing dysfunctional sexual behaviour or problems like erectile dysfunction during sexual intercourse.
• Women who have an allergy to semen.
• Women with mild to moderate endometriosis.
• Couples who experience male infertility, like poor sperm motility or low sperm count.

Let’s look at the success rate of IUI to help you understand better.

Success Rate of IUI: What Do the Numbers Say?

The IUI treatment success rate, on average, is approximately 38% in women aged between 18-24 years. It generally takes 3-4 cycles to get pregnant. It's important to note that the first cycle has a success rate of just 10-20 per cent. 

Women under 40 years of age have more than a 50% chance of a successful pregnancy after six cycles. Moreover, it has a success rate of more than 75% after twelve cycles.  In a survey, it was found that the live birth rate for women aged 40-42 with IUI was approx 10% per insemination.  So, it can be demonstrated that IUI is an appropriate treatment for this age group. 

Here is a detailed table outlining the IUI success rates by age and cycle:

Factors Affecting IUI Success

As the above table suggests, the IUI treatment success rate differs by age. But it is not concentrated on just one factor. There are several other factors affecting IUI success. Here's how different parameters are responsible for this fertility treatment:

1. Number of eggs released: IUI treatment tends to include medications that involve the stimulation of the ovaries, producing more eggs. It significantly increases the chances of fertilization. Studies suggest that having more than one egg sac during ovulation can enhance the chances of pregnancy. You must consider that this process can also increase the chances of having twins or triplets. 
2. Sperm quality: Sperm quality is very crucial in IUI treatment. Men who have normal or slightly low sperm count have higher chances of IUI success. However, if the sperm count is very low, then doctors may suggest other treatments like IVF.
3. Number of attempts: The IUI treatment is distributed in multiple cycles. These cycles are responsible for IUI success. Hence, it is a common practice among couples to undergo multiple sittings before achieving pregnancy. 
4. Fertility issues: Some fertility problems can affect the IUI treatment success rate. For instance, problems in the fallopian tubes of the uterus could be a possible reproductive problem.

Hence, your doctor will conduct tests to assess the treatment's success before proceeding. 

How to Improve Your Chances of IUI Success?

It is normal to fail on the first attempt at IUI. So, you need not worry while undergoing the treatment. There are several factors leading to an unsuccessful IUI cycle. Here are the most prominent reasons:

• Extremely poor egg quality 
• Very low sperm quality 
• Problems with implantation 
• Decline in fertility due to the age factor

While the success rate for IUI without fertility problems ranges from 2-3 cycles, you can do several things to improve your chances of successful IUI treatment. Here are some quick tips for IUI success.

1. Have a healthy diet: Consuming a balanced diet filled with fruits, vegetables, and whole grains will improve your reproductive health overall. Make sure you quit smoking and avoid consuming alcohol. 
2. Exercise moderately: Adopting physical activity and moderate exercises like brisk walking or doing yoga can help you stay healthy without much difficulty.
3. Reduce stress: Try to stay calm by exercising mindfulness, meditation, deep breathing, or journaling, as fertility treatment can be exhausting and stressful. 
4. Follow the doctor’s advice: It is essential to stay in touch with your fertility specialist and follow their instructions on treatment and medications. 

What to Expect After IUI Treatment? 

You may experience mild symptoms after IUI treatment. These include fatigue, mild cramps, loss of appetite, or spotting for a couple of days. At the same time, most women recover in a day or two and get back to their normal activities. However, you should avoid anything that feels uncomfortable to you. Moreover, you should talk to your healthcare provider about how to be vigilant during and after the process.  

The Bottom Line

The two-week window for IUI treatment is full of emotional rollercoasters. You may have mixed feelings, full of anxiety, hope, and impatience. Right from the ovulation phase to implantation & testing, each step towards pregnancy remains crucial to monitor. Therefore, you should consider a specialized healthcare provider to whom you can talk about your reproductive health, the IUI treatment success rate, and much more. Experts from Apollo Fertility are apt to consider IUI treatment. If you need assistance with your fertility plan, make your appointment today!