Women’s Health Care Resources

With IUIs, we can bypass most of this by placing sperm into the uterus and closer to the fallopian tube which increases the chances of fertilization. IUI can be done with a “fresh” sample from your partner or with frozen donor sperm. IUIs are typically timed around ovulation based on ultrasound or a positive reading on a digital ovulation predictor kit (OPK). IUIs can be helpful for couples with male infertility (erectile dysfunction, retrograde ejaculation, etc), lack of access to sperm (same sex couple or a single woman), or unexplained infertility. IUIs can be done with or without medication for ovulation induction.

IUI Procedure

For an IUI with a fresh sample, the man will collect his sample into a sterile cup that is provided by our office. The sperm is then washed to separate active sperm from the other fluid in semen. For a frozen sample, the frozen vial is thawed according to the specific instructions from the cryobank. The prepared sperm is placed in a syringe connected to a thin catheter (narrow tube).

The IUI procedure is relatively simple and only takes a few minutes once the semen sample is ready. A speculum is placed in the vagina. The catheter is inserted through the cervix into the uterus and the washed semen sample is slowly injected.

Usually this procedure is painless, but some women may experience mild cramping and/or spotting.

Donor Insemination

In cases of severe male infertility or for same sex couples as well as single women, there is the opportunity to choose a donor semen specimen. This is a safe, completely anonymous process with specimens free of sexually transmitted diseases and inherited genetic diseases. We work with various sperm banks to facilitate IUIs with donor sperm. If you are interested in using a known donor, you will need to seek counsel from a reproductive health attorney prior to coming to our office.

We are registered with the following sperm banks although we are more than happy to work with any cryobank you prefer.

Fairfax Cryobank
California Cryobank

In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)

IVF is a process in which the sperm and egg are combined outside of the body in a lab. We no longer perform IVF at Women’s Health Care but we refer our patients to various reputable centers in the area. We are also able to do the necessary satellite monitoring needed for IVF to save you travelling time if needed.