Tell me about IUI...

[DallasLady]

Have any of you done IUI? DH is having an SA done this week (we have reason to believe he has sperm quality issues due to a previous illness) and we are wondering if that means we will have to move to IUI.

If you have looked into or have done IUI, what was the experience like? What were your reasons for doing it? Did it work?

[Scooter]

We've done 3 so far, this week will be #4. Ours are for unexplained IF.

Basically, you can either take medication or not, then go in for an ultrasound around cd10-12, they check the follicle development, and you either wait to ovulate on your own or get an hCG shot (to trigger ovulation when the follicles are big enough).

That morning your DH will have to provide his "specimen," and they'll tell you if it can be "collected" at home or has to be in the office. They give a specific time for that. Then it's given to the andrologist, who analyzes it, looks at everything in great detail, and "washes" it--aka separates out the sperm from the seminal fluid.

Then you come in (a few hours after your DH made the drop off), and the Dr or NP will come show you the syringe with your name on it to make sure it's the right one. You'll go up on the table, she'll use the speculum, dab at your cervix to clean it off, insert the very small, very flexible catheter, and slowly inject the sperm. It is about as painless as these things can be, sometimes it hurt to have the catheter inserted but this last time I didn't even feel it. There will probably be some mild cramping after the IUI, and they'll have you lie still there on the table for 10-20 mins after the procedure. And then you should take it easy the next day or two. That's the whole thing, hope it answered your questions!

[karlatta]

Scooter did a fantastic job of explaining. DH and I have done two IUIs. Both just because it is a very efficient way to make sure the spermies are where they need to be at the proper time.

The only time that was painful for me was when they actually deposit the sperm. I get some pretty strong AF-like cramps right when that happens, but they're short-lived.

Good luck!

[devil_kitty_1]

Yup, she did an excellent job of explaining.

We only did one and it took the first time. That was in December. We decided to do it on our 3rd round of injectible drugs, after doing the HCG trigger to make me ovulate, to increase our chances of getting pregnant. We'd had two miscarriages and wanted the best quality egg and sperm and to get that we opted to do the IUI and wash out the bad boys.

I was a little crampy during it and had a bit of spotting afterwards. When we got home I was a bit crampy and just laid down for a little while and felt better, after taking a couple Tylenol.

GOOD LUCK!!!!

[Heather719]

My experience is very similar to Scooter's. I just had my second IUI last week- we did the IUI in conjunction with injectables and an HCG trigger shot. The procedure itself (for me) was completely painless the first time. This second time around I did have a little cramping- but nothing terrible.

Best of luck!

[Ole Miss Bride]

I've had three IUI's, all hand-in-hand with injectables cycles, and they've all been easy-peasy. The IUI is timed right around ovulation, so your cervix should be slightly open, making the insertion of the catheter easy and relatively painless. For me, it was no more uncomfortable than a pap.

All three of my IUI's resulted in pregnancy, but unfortunately, the first two ended in m/c. The m/c's had nothing to do with the IUI's, though -- my DH and I are dealing with a chromosomal abnormality that causes m/c. My last IUI resulted in my current pregnancy, and I'm 14w5d as of today. :)

Hope that helps a little bit.

-Betsy

[Tandis]

DH and I just did our IUI #2 last Friday. This is how it worked for me, but I think each RE does it slightly different.

CD3 - sonogram to check for cysts, etc. on overies
CD5-9 - 50mg Clomid
CD13 - sonogram to check follicle size; HCG injection at 10 pm; relations that night
CD 15 - 7:30 am, DH makes his "deposit"; have it to office at 8 am. 9 am is the actual IUI; relations that night and the next

Now for the first IUI I had to go back in 5dpiui for a progesterone test, but they appear to have stopped that, since I don't have to go back this time.

As for the actual IUI, I didn't feel the threading of the tube, but I definitely felt the insertion of the "cleansed" sperm. It produced mild-strong AF-like cramping, but then that might be due to my pelvic adhesions.

The first time the nurse informed me of what the numbers were for the sperm after the wash, but this time it was a different nurse and she didn't say anything.

Good luck!