Artificial Insemination

A couple with a problem conceiving a child may resort to artificial insemination if, for instance, the male partner has insufficient good quality sperm or, for example, the female partner has cervical mucus that prevents active sperm from entering her reproductive tract. Most commonly the intrauterine insemination (IUI) procedure is used. In IUI sperm is placed directly in the uterus by passing it through a sterile catheter. It is a simple procedure done in a doctor's office. Alternative procedures may place the sperm in other parts of the woman's reproductive tract, depending upon the nature of the difficulty in achieving conception.