Intra uterine insemination is when sperm, either from a male partner or a donor, is placed directly into the uterus. It’s usually a quick and painless procedure, with the most common side effect being cramps in the hours afterwards.

IUI simply puts sperm in the vicinity of an egg – there are no guarantees that the egg will be fertilised.

You would typically do a pregnancy test 14 days after the procedure to see if it has worked or not. IUI is sometimes done in conjunction with ovarian induction (OI), to maximise the chances of a viable egg being present in the uterus at the right time.

Ovulation induction is an umbrella term for several medications and techniques designed to stimulate the ovaries to produce mature eggs that are viable for fertilisation. OI might be used if you have trouble ovulating naturally or regularly, for example if you have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

Ovarian induction might include:

• Testing to see how regular your natural ovulation cycle is
• Taking an oral contraceptive (the pill) to regulate your cycle for a few months so that treatment can be properly planned and scheduled
• Taking tablets to increase the body’s production of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) which in turn stimulates the ovaries to produce a mature egg
• Having FSH injections to directly stimulate the ovaries to produce a mature egg

The risk of multiple births (e.g. twins or triplets) is higher with OI than with natural conception, as the medications may over-stimulate the ovaries to produce more than one egg at a time.