The intrauterine insemination (IUI) success rate is 10-20% per cycle, and increases to as much as 80% with multiple cycles. This is similar to the success rates of fertile couples who get pregnant without intervention!

That said, there are a few factors that influence the success of IUI:

Maternal age

Age affects fertility and, therefore, IUI success rate. Under the age of 35, the IUI success rate is between 10-20%. Between the ages of 35-40, the success rate for one cycle is 10%, and, after 40 the success rate of one cycle is 2-5%.

Fertility issues

IUI may be used to have a child without a partner or IUI may be considered as an intervention for infertility issues, and such issues can affect success rates. Unexplained infertility, ovulation disorders, male infertility, and some cases of endometriosis can be overcome with IUI. However, depending on the severity of these issues, they may affect success rates.

Sperm sample

Whether it’s your partner’s or a donor’s sperm sample, it’s important to ensure sperm quality. While IUI can overcome some male infertility issues, such as motility, it is important to ensure the sperm are able to penetrate and fertilize an egg to maximize success.

Fertility medications

Fertility medications are often prescribed alongside an IUI procedure. These medications encourage ovulation and produce multiple eggs per cycle. Medications that often accompany IUI include clomiphene citrate (Clomid, Serophene), aromatase inhibitors (Letrozole), and gonadotropins, including hMG (Repronex, Menopur), FSH (Follistim, Gonal-F, Bravelle), and hCG (Pregnyl, Novarel, Ovidrel).

Using medications during IUI is likely to increase your chances of success. Learn more about these types of medications by searching Glow Pages, either in the Glow app or online.

The success of infertility interventions varies greatly depending on the factors above, as well as the number of IUI cycles attempted. If pregnancy isn’t achieved through IUI, your doctor may recommend a different combination of medications or a different assisted reproductive technology, such as IVF or ICSI.

For more information and advice, you can talk to one of our Glow Fertility Program coaches today by calling 1-866-456-9669 (1-866-GLOW-NOW).

We're doing our first IUI cycle soon, any tips?