IUI Success Rates
On average, a single IUI procedure has a 20% success rate. For context, the average rate of conception for cisgender, heterosexual couples is 13%. If they are tracking ovulation and timing intercourse accurately, the average rate of conception jumps to 14-23%. After several unsuccessful IUI attempts, rates of success do drop significantly, so your physician will likely recommend an alternative process such as in vitro fertilization (IVF) if you have attempted conception through IUI more than four times without success.
IUI Costs
The cost of one round of IUI can range from $500 to $4,000, depending on the specifics of the procedure and any additional services involved.
If you’re considering at-home IUI, you’ll need to purchase specially processed sperm (called “washed” sperm) and hire a professional to perform the procedure. These professionals typically charge around $500 for their services.
For those opting to undergo IUI in a medical setting, such as at Main Line Fertility, our providers may recommend additional testing or medications to enhance the likelihood of success. We carefully evaluate factors such as age, reproductive history, underlying conditions, and how long you’ve been trying to conceive. Based on your individual circumstances, we may suggest supportive options to improve your chances of conception.
Ultimately, we prioritize your comfort and autonomy. We’ll empower you to choose the services that align with your goals, ensuring you never feel pressured to pursue more – or less – than you’re comfortable with.
Using Fresh or Frozen Sperm with IUI
There are benefits and drawbacks to both fresh and frozen options.
Fresh Sperm
If you’re working with a partner or known donor, such as a friend or someone you have met for the express purpose of utilizing them as a donor, you may be able to use their sperm without it being frozen first. The primary benefit of using fresh sperm is that it can be substantially more potent than frozen sperm. However, there are several drawbacks that come with using fresh sperm for IUI:
- Often, aspiring parents, whether using a partner or donor’s sperm, aren’t aware of the added benefits of additional screening that can help ensure that the sperm sample they’re using is high quality. Many of our patients attempt insemination without realizing that the sample doesn’t have the sperm quality and quantity necessary to achieve a pregnancy.
- Fresh sperm dies quickly, so if using fresh sperm, insemination must happen quickly.
- Fresh sperm has filler material (i.e., semen) that isn’t appropriate for an IUI. Sperm must be “washed” in order to remove this excess material before it can be used in IUI. So fresh sperm can only be used for intravaginal or intracervical insemination – not IUI.
Frozen Sperm
Frozen sperm is often the preferred option, whether you’re working with a partner’s sperm, a known donor who lives far away, or an anonymous donor from a cryobank. In these cases, the sperm is typically collected in a clinic, washed to remove the semen, frozen, and stored at subzero temperatures until it’s ready for use.
One advantage of frozen sperm is that it undergoes a thorough examination under a microscope to assess key factors such as concentration, volume, and morphology (shape). Additionally, it allows for genetic testing to identify variations that could affect compatibility with your genetic predisposition, providing valuable insights during the conception process.
However, there are drawbacks to using frozen sperm. Testing, washing, and freezing a sample from a partner or known donor can be significantly more expensive than using a fresh sample. Transporting frozen sperm also presents logistical challenges. If the sample isn’t shipped directly to the clinic, picking it up and transporting it requires careful planning. The storage canister, though portable, is bulky enough that it just barely fits in a standard backpack.
How Can Partners be Involved in the IUI Process?
At Main Line Fertility, we are eager to include partners at every step of the IUI process. Here are a few ways partners can be integral to your family-building journey:
- Partners are ideal support people before, during, and after any medical procedure. They can be a beacon of strength and encouragement, providing any type of support needed, whether it be physical, emotional, or otherwise.
- Partners can also do a lot of the logistical and emotional labor involved in the IUI process, such as booking appointments, picking up prescriptions, ensuring sperm is transported safely, and more.
- If an aspiring parent’s partner also has a uterus, that individual can do a fertility check-up as well. This can be useful in case the first aspiring parent isn’t able to conceive and carry a pregnancy due to a medical condition; knowing about the partner’s reproductive health ahead of time can help you strategize about other options. Going through a fertility check-up can also help build critical empathy between partners – the partner knows more about what the patient is experiencing and can provide even more effective support along the way.
- Finally, on the day of an IUI procedure, your partner can accompany you in the procedure room and can even be the person to inject the sperm into your uterus, effectively being the person who got you pregnant (if the procedure is successful).
