Natural cycle IUI with donor sperm is a great option for women who ovulate regularly
If a woman or a couple is trying to conceive with help from intrauterine insemination (IUI) and donor sperm, the team at our San Antonio fertility clinic may recommend a natural cycle IUI with donor sperm. For women who ovulate regularly and do not have any fertility issues, this fertility treatment can help hopeful parents achieve pregnancy as naturally as possible.
A closer look at a natural cycle IUI with donor sperm
To begin the process, you will select a sperm donor. This man can either be an anonymous donor from a sperm bank, or a friend or a family member who has agreed to donate. Once you have selected your donor, you will use an ovulation predictor kit prior to the time that you normally ovulate. When the kit detects the LH surge, you will call our San Antonio fertility clinic to schedule your natural cycle IUI with donor sperm for the following day.
The insemination procedure is very simple. The frozen donor sperm will first be thawed in our laboratory. It will then be washed to remove the cryoprotectant, and it will be loaded into a small medical-grade plastic tube (IUI catheter) for insemination. During a routine pelvic examination, your fertility doctor will gently guide the catheter through the vaginal opening and into your uterine cavity where she will deposit the sperm. We will then ask you to lay still for 10 minutes before you can resume your normal activities.
What does a medicated cycle IUI with donor sperm look like?
Some women may not benefit from a natural cycle IUI with donor sperm. If you do not ovulate regularly, or if you would like to increase your chance of becoming pregnant through the use of medications, you will call our San Antonio fertility clinic at the onset of your menstrual period. If you are planning on taking oral fertility medications, our staff will schedule you to come in for a baseline vaginal ultrasound on Day 2, 3, 4 or 5. If you are planning on taking injectable medications, you will come in on Day 2 or 3.
Our team will monitor your cycle with an ovulation predictor kit if you are taking pills, or with transvaginal ultrasounds and blood work if you are taking injections. For patients taking oral medications, our physician will perform a single IUI with donor sperm on the day after the LH surge. For patients taking fertility injections, our physician will administer a trigger shot to cause ovulation once the largest follicle reaches approximately 20mm in size. Our team will then schedule inseminations for each of the following two days after the trigger shot.
The reason that we recommend two inseminations in injectable cycles is based on our research. Our studies show that patients who took injectable fertility drugs had significantly higher pregnancy rates when they had IUIs on each of two consecutive days compared to patients who only had a single IUI. This finding did not apply to patients who took oral fertility medications or who had IUI in a natural cycle.
If you are interested in moving forward with a natural cycle IUI with donor sperm, or a medicated cycle, contact our San Antonio fertility clinic. Our experienced and caring team members can answer all of your questions and work with you to help you achieve your dream of parenthood.