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Insemination: Intra-Uterine Insemination (IUI)

What is insemination (intrauterine insemination, IUI)?

If a couple with a desire to have children is unable to conceive by conventional means, a so-called insemination (intrauterine insemination, IUI) can be performed if the man's sperm quality is good and the woman's fallopian tubes are functional. In this procedure, the man's semen, prepared in the IVF laboratory, is flushed into the patient's uterine cavity with a catheter.

Insemination (IUI) - procedure, requirements and advantages

When does insemination make sense?

Insemination with partner sperm (homologous insemination) can be used if

the sperm quality of the man is good or only slightly limited

the couple cannot have sexual intercourse

There are organic causes in the woman, such as a narrowed cervix.

How does insemination work?

1. Determine the right time

It is important that the injection of the sperm into the uterus takes place shortly before ovulation or immediately on the day of ovulation. Your attending doctors at the TFP centre determine when the time of ovulation is with ultrasound examinations and hormone checks. Since the egg is only capable of fertilisation for 12-24 hours after ovulation, optimal timing plays an important role.

2. Semen delivery and preparation in the laboratory

On the day of insemination, the partner's sperm is delivered to our institute. In special cases, it is possible to take sperm with you or to cryopreserve sperm at our centre beforehand. The sperm is then specially processed in the IVF laboratory.

3. Insemination

The processed semen is flushed into the uterine cavity by one of our IVF specialists using a thin catheter. The treatment takes only a few minutes and is painless.

What are the chances of success with insemination?

The advantage of insemination is that a very large number of sperm cells can be brought close to the egg. Whether a pregnancy occurs after insemination depends on several factors - such as the age of the woman, the quality of the egg, the sperm quality of the partner and any accompanying hormone treatment.

Are there any risks or side effects with insemination (IUI)?

The risks of insemination without hormonal stimulation are very low. The use of ultra-soft and very flexible catheters means that injury to the uterus through insemination can practically always be ruled out.

What are the costs of insemination?

The costs for insemination depend on whether hormonal stimulation is carried out beforehand or not. Please refer to the TFP cost overview for the current costs.

Your personal initial consultation with TFP

You probably still have some questions about the procedure of intrauterine insemination (IUI) and/or your individual chances of pregnancy. Just give us a call and arrange an initial consultation with one of our experts at your TFP clinic of choice in Wiesbaden, Frankfurt, Düsseldorf or Berlin.

We look forward to seeing you!