What is IUI?

I thought about doing this post after my IUI(intra-uterine insemination)but I wasn't sure if anyone would really be interested. Well, yesterday I asked and actually, a lot of people asked me to do a post because they didn't know very much about it! 

So here it is!

But before I get into the gritty details I want to put a little disclaimer out there: This is not how everyone's process is...every woman is different and different circumstances calls for different treatments. So if you talk to another woman about her IUI...her process might be different and that is ok :)

OK! If you are squeamish..you may not want to read any further.

The start of a woman's cycle is the first day of her period. So since I started my period yesterday..today is cycle day 2 for me. On cycle day 3(tomorrow) I have an ultrasound to check and make sure there aren't any follicles left over in my ovaries. Follicles are the sacks that eggs are stored in in the ovaries until ovulation when the follicle will release the egg into the fallopian tubes to be fertilized. They like for my ovaries to be clear of left over follicles before they start the new IUI process. Honestly, I don't know why they want it clear....Im assuming because they like to have a clean slate. 

So after my ultrasound of my ovaries, assuming everything is clear, I will start my fertility medication called Clomid. Some women use Femara or even other medications to make them ovulate but my doctor likes Clomid for me. 

I will take Clomid cycle days 3-7 of 150mg. This will cause my new follicles to grow and hopefully ovulation will take place. They monitor this very closely because they need to do the IUI at the exact time of ovulation to make sure the sperm meets the egg at the right time. 

On cycle day 12 I will go in and they will do another ultrasound to check the size of the follicles. They like to see at least one follicle at a size 20mm. Last time I had to come back on cycle day 15 because on cycle day 12 my follicles were not quite mature(big enough) yet. Once they have one follicle at at least 20mm then they will tell me when to do my HCG injection. Last cycle Wesley gave me my injection on cycle day 16. This will make my body ovulate within 34-36 hours. Then I come in within a certain time frame and have the actual IUI. 

This is where is gets fun...NOT! It's completely painless but it's just...uhmm...not exactly an intimate way to get pregnant..lol 

My nurse is the one that actually does the procedure since it is relatively simple. But she takes a syringe filled with sperm that has been washed and places it up through the cervix and next to the fallopian tube that the egg will be "traveling" in. That simple. Then she will place a plastic bag next to my cervix so that if any sperm decide to swim down, once they reach the cervical opening, they will be blocked and swim back up. I remove this myself later in the day.

And that is basically the entire IUI procedure. 

If you don't already know, IUI is our best bet right now because the Clomid actually kills my cervical fluid which is what carries the sperm up toward the egg. It would be like trying to do a slip-n-slide but on concrete instead of lubricated plastic. Double-edged sword if you will...

The IUI bypasses where the cervical fluid would carry the sperm and deposits it exactly where it needs to be in order to meet the egg at the right time.

Round #2...AND GOOO!!!!

I have inserted a video to show you the IUI. Sorry its so "High school health class". But it describes the process very well :)