Intrauterine insemination (IUI) – a type of artificial insemination – is a procedure for treating infertility. Sperm that have been washed and concentrated are placed directly in your uterus around the time your ovary releases one or more eggs to be fertilized.The hoped-for outcome of intrauterine insemination is for the sperm to swim into the fallopian tube and fertilize a waiting egg, resulting in pregnancy. Depending on the reasons for infertility,IUI can be coordinated with your normal cycle or with fertility medications.

IUI is used to treat many types of infertility and is often done in multiple cycles until pregnancy is achieved—or another treatment is tried. IUI is often the first procedure tried before moving on to more invasive options, such as in-vitro fertilization (IVF).

Cycles of IUI may be recommended to treat any of the following infertility situations: