Pregnancy is sometimes just not easy. Even fertile men and women sometimes take multiple attempts to make a family. Don’t worry though. As it is a common dream between couples to have families of their own, we have made great strides in helping out the process of conception and you have your pick of the procedures that can help you. If you are having fertility issues, one of the procedures you may want to check out is the IUI.

An IUI is an intrauterine insemination. It is a process that introduces male sperm directly into the female uterus. It is often used when the male has issues with fertility like low sperm counts, unhealthy sperm, an inability to perform sexually, or for whatever reason the male’s sperm can’t get into the uterus. It is also used when certain conditions arise in the female reproductive organs that inhibit sperm survival like a hostile cervix. If you are looking to boost your fertility, always consult a doctor first and get proper evaluations to make sure of the nature of your problem.

The process begins with an examination of the woman. An ultrasound or something similar will usually be employed. This is to make certain that the woman can produce her own eggs. Sometimes if a problem is discovered here, she can be given medication to increase her chances of producing healthy eggs. Care must be taken here though. Fertility medication is often a cause for a multiple pregnancy. Though the prospect of twins or triplets may not sound too bad, it often leads to complications like unhealthier babies and miscarriages. If only male factor infertility is considered, studies have shown that fertility medication does not significantly boost fertility so you may want to avoid using it should the woman be found to be healthy and fertile.

Timing is very important in this process so if the woman is expected to ovulate, sperm will be readied for injection. The male will usually have to give a sufficient sample for this. After being collected, the male sperm is first processed through a "wash". This makes sure that any unwanted chemical and unhealthy or infectious sperm will not be inserted into the uterus of the woman. Before this process was introduced, male sperm introduced directly into the uterine cavity sometimes had negative effects like infections and painful cramps. This washing reduces the sperm count however, so males with extremely low sperm counts will have low success rates with this process.

With the sperm ready, a catheter is used to insert them into the uterus, bypassing the vagina as well as the cervix. A catheter is a tube-like device that goes into the uterus through the cervix. The process is very simple, quick, and painless, usually taking no more than half an hour.

The chances for success with this kind of insemination are about 15%-20% per cycle. This may not seem like a lot, and may seem not to boost the fertility rate since normal insemination through intercourse is usually successful around 25% of the time, but remember that this process is used in cases of fertility problems. This 15%-20% rate is sometimes an already great boost in fertility for couples struggling to conceive and is often good enough to get a woman pregnant in around 4 or 5 attempts.

IUI does not come cheap however. The procedure itself may cost around $300 and the entire process, including evaluations, tests, and medications, can reach around $1,000. But keep in mind that other procedures can cost far more. An in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedure averages $12,000 per cycle. IVF will get a higher success rate per cycle (around 40%) but it is quite limiting due to its cost. If you are a candidate for intrauterine insemination, it’s a very good option over the other more expensive procedures.

If you need that boost to your fertility to start your family, an intrauterine insemination may be for you. With its greater accessibility, relative ease and low cost you may have that dream family of yours without too much fuss. Consult your doctor if you are interested and find out if you are a viable candidate for the procedure.