What Is IUI? How It Works and What It's Really Like
Written by Sydney Brickey, founder of WeFertility
Last updated: October 14, 2026
IUI (intrauterine insemination) is a fertility treatment where washed sperm is placed directly in the uterus around ovulation. The procedure takes minutes. The month around it is the hard part.
What happened to us
IUI was our first step, and with a known donor, it took more than one appointment to get there. We met with our fertility clinic, established care, and put our known donor agreement in place before our first cycle.
Then came the cycle itself: monitoring appointments to check Gina's follicles and figure out the next steps, while our donor had steps of his own. For Gina, every round also meant acupuncture, meditation, and sound baths to take care of herself.
Gina says the procedure itself was fairly easy. You lie back with your legs in stirrups, and the speculum is the most uncomfortable part. The sperm is essentially in a syringe. Afterward, you set a timer, wait 10 to 15 minutes, and then you're back to whatever else you had that day. Sometimes she had some spotting in the days after, from the speculum.
All of that for one chance a month, followed by two weeks of anxious waiting. We did three rounds. None of them worked, and every letdown was hard.
How does IUI work, step by step?
| Step | What happens |
|---|---|
| 1. Consult and testing | You meet your clinic, do bloodwork and testing, and make a plan |
| 2. Monitoring | Ultrasounds and bloodwork track your follicles. Some cycles use medication, some don't |
| 3. Timing | The IUI is timed to ovulation, sometimes with a trigger shot |
| 4. Sperm prep | The sample is washed in the lab to separate the healthiest, most active sperm |
| 5. The insemination | A thin catheter places the sperm in the uterus. It takes a few minutes |
| 6. The two-week wait | Then a pregnancy test |
How many rounds of IUI should you try?
Many clinics suggest about three before reassessing. Your age, diagnosis, and insurance can change that. Here's how we knew it was time to switch.
Does insurance cover IUI?
It depends on your plan. Ours covered IUI for Gina, but not the donor sperm thawing, freezing, and donation pieces. Here's what was covered and what wasn't.
How does WeFertility help during IUI?
Put every monitoring appointment on your WeFertility calendar, and it syncs to the calendar you already use. With a known donor, assign him his own steps and choose what he can see. Log every bill as it comes in, from monitoring to sperm thawing, and track what's pending reimbursement.
Learn more
Frequently asked questions
Does IUI hurt?
For Gina, it was fairly easy. The speculum was the most uncomfortable part, and sometimes she had some spotting in the days after. Then you wait about 10 to 15 minutes and go on with your day.
How successful is IUI?
It depends on your age, your diagnosis, and whether medication is used. Baylor Scott & White reports about 20% of IUI cycles with medication result in pregnancy. Success also builds over several cycles.
Can you do IUI with a known donor?
Yes. We did. Our clinic required a known donor agreement and counseling before we could start.
This is our experience, not medical or legal advice. Talk to your clinic, attorney, or tax professional.
How WeFertility helps
WeFertility remembers, so you don't have to. Every monitoring appointment, every step on your donor's side, and every bill, with someone's name on it. Try it free for 30 days, then it's less than a coffee a month. Download WeFertility on the App Store.
About the author
Sydney Brickey is the founder of WeFertility. She and her wife, Gina, went through IUI and IVF with a known donor and built WeFertility to make the process easier for other families. Read our story.