IUI — Intrauterine insemination

Intrauterine insemination (IUI), also called artificial insemination, is a relatively simple, non-surgical fertility procedure in which specially prepared sperm is placed directly into a woman's uterus at the time of ovulation. By shortening the distance sperm must travel to reach the egg, IUI improves the chances of fertilization occurring. It is considered a primary first-step approach at Chelsea Fertility NYC and takes only a few minutes to perform.

IUI may be recommended for a variety of situations including: women who do not ovulate regularly and take medications to help ovulate, women with poor cervical mucus that prevents sperm from entering the uterus, male partners with a low sperm count or reduced motility, males with erection or ejaculation difficulties, and individuals or couples using donor sperm — including single women and same-sex female couples. Your physician will recommend IUI or IVF based on your specific diagnosis and goals.

To be a candidate for IUI, the woman being inseminated must have open fallopian tubes and must ovulate (with or without medications). The sperm specimen must contain at least one million motile sperm per cc. Your physician will evaluate these factors during your initial infertility testing appointment.

IUI is a moderate treatment that places sperm in the reproductive tract and relies on natural fertilization. IVF ensures the egg and sperm are combined in the laboratory to create an embryo, which is then placed directly in the uterus — bypassing the fallopian tubes entirely. IVF is significantly more comprehensive and effective. Importantly, an IUI failure does not make a patient a poorer candidate for IVF. Economic considerations also play a role — some insurance covers IUI but not IVF. Your physician will counsel you on the right path for your individual situation.

IUI does carry a 25% risk of ectopic pregnancy since the patient's fallopian tubes are used, while IVF carries only a 1% risk of ectopic pregnancy. This ectopic risk is standard for any woman experiencing infertility regardless of her fallopian tube condition. From this perspective, IVF is always considered protective against tubal pregnancy risk. Multiple births are not inherently increased with IUI — they are more commonly associated with fertility drug use, not the IUI procedure itself.

The number of cycles needed varies by patient and depends on age, diagnosis, and sperm quality. In general, six cycles of any given treatment without success is considered to be exhausting that option, at which point your physician may recommend moving to IVF. For women over 38, Dr. Gindoff or Dr. Hartog may recommend proceeding directly to IVF to avoid delays. Every patient receives a customized plan.

IUI monitoring at Chelsea Fertility NYC — whether natural cycle or medicated, including the IUI procedure — is $3,250. IUI is generally more likely to be covered by insurance than IVF under some plans. Our financial counselors can review your specific coverage and discuss all payment options. Full pricing is available on our pricing and insurance page.