Intrauterine Insemination

If your pregnancy test is negative month after month, artificial insemination (AI) may be for you. This method is also known as intrauterine insemination (IUI).

AI or IUI is an option if you have problems with sperm quality or poor ovulation. It is also a popular fertility treatment for single women or same-sex couples.

What is artificial insemination or IUI?

With artificial insemination or IUI, we insert the male partner’s (or donor’s) washed and prepared sperm into the uterus. We do this at the time of ovulation to maximise your chances of falling pregnant. Before we insert the sperm, we prepare the sample in our lab. We then isolate the most motile sperm.

Professor Roger Hart: When is intrauterine insemination (IUI) applied?

"We often use this method along with ovarian stimulation. It means the female partner uses medication to regulate ovulation. It enables us to choose the perfect timing to insert the washed and prepared sperm into the uterus. And in doing so, we further increase your chances to fall pregnant."
Dr John Love, Specialist in Infertility, Perth WA

Who is suitable for artificial insemination?

IUI may be suitable if:

You are having trouble falling pregnant

Couples with unexplained infertility can try artificial insemination.

This method is also appropriate if you have poor cervical mucus. There can also be other problems that prevent the sperm from passing through your cervix into the uterus. Your age, for example, plays an important role.

IUI directly transfers the sperm into the uterus. This way, the cervical mucus or reduced sperm motility is no longer an issue.

The male is away or will undergo cancer treatment

If the male partner is away (for example, if he is working interstate or overseas) we can freeze and store his sperm.

We can also freeze the sperm before he undergoes chemotherapy or radiation treatment.

Once the woman ovulates, the sperm is thawed and then used for insemination.

You are a single woman or in a same-sex couple

Single women or women in same-sex relationships who wish to fall pregnant can use artificial insemination.

In this case, we use donor sperm and/or donor eggs, depending on your individual situation.

Reduced sperm count or motility

Even slightly reduced sperm quality can make it hard to conceive. Both reduced sperm count and reduced motility are important factors to consider.

Finally, if the male has issues with very low sperm numbers, you can also use donor sperm for IUI. Donor sperm is also an option if the male has a heritable genetic disease.

"Through AI, we can optimise your cycle with medications, select the strongest sperm, concentrate it, and place it directly into the uterus. This way, we can bypass many barriers that make it hard for you to get pregnant."
A/Prof Krish Karthigasu,
Specialist in Infertility, Perth WA

Artificial insemination step by step

We are specialists in AI. The fertility treatment can be explained with these simple steps:

Ovulation induction

The woman takes hormones, either as oral medication or daily injections. This optimises the cycle and encourages ovulation.

A semen sample is taken

We analyse, concentrate, and prepare the semen for insemination. We select the strongest, most motile sperm.

Insemination of semen

We inseminate the semen into the uterine cavity. It is usually not painful. The timing of this step varies depending on your menstrual cycle. Following this, you take progesterone to help support the last stage of your cycle and a pregnancy test is performed at the end of your cycle.

Artificial insemination vs IVF

With AI, sperm is placed in the uterus. From there, conception happens naturally inside the woman’s body.

IVF is not necessarily the first treatment option. It depends on many factors and is individualised for you and your partner.

The IVF cost is usually higher than IUI.

"With IVF, we combine sperm and eggs outside the woman’s uterus. An embryo forms and then we place the embryo inside the uterus."
A/Prof Krish Karthigasu,
Specialist in Infertility, Perth WA

What if artificial insemination doesn’t work?

AI may not work for you. Luckily, there are many more options to consider should AI or IUI not work. Talk to our experts at the clinic specialising in artificial insemination and IUI (Perth, WA) to learn more about your options.

Useful links

IVF

When it's difficult to fall pregnant, our Perth fertility specialists may be able to help. If you have been trying to fall pregnant for a long time without success, IVF might be the answer for you.

IVF

Ovulation induction

Our Perth fertility specialists will guide you through the Ovulation induction procedure to encourage or improve ovulation. You will take medication that encourages the production of oestrogen, which improves the growth of the follicles in your ovaries.

Ovulation induction

Fertility drugs

You will take medication during your treatment. Our Perth fertility specialists will advise you which medications will induce ovulation, and can be used in an OI cycle or as part of IVF or IUI treatment.

Fertility drugs