What happens on the day of your IUI?
On IUI day, the husband gives a semen sample, and the laboratory washes and concentrates it, which usually takes about an hour. The prepared sperm are then placed inside the womb through a thin, soft tube. This takes only a few minutes, needs no anaesthesia, and most women carry on with their normal day afterwards.
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In this detailed video, Dr Mayur Pai goes through IUI treatment from start to finish. This guide focuses on the part couples ask about most: the day of the IUI itself. Knowing what will happen, and in what order, takes away much of the worry.
How are the day and time of the IUI decided?
The date is not chosen in advance from a calendar. It is set by the egg. In the days before, a few short scans follow the growing follicle, the small sac of fluid in the ovary that holds the egg. When it reaches the right size, you are given an injection, often called the trigger, which completes the egg's final ripening and sets its release in motion. The IUI is then planned for roughly a day to a day and a half later, at a time the doctor gives you.
Because the timing is so precise, make sure your husband is free at that time. If either of you has to travel, tell the team early, so the plan can be made around it. You can read how follicle scans set the timing.
What should the husband do before giving the sample?
Most couples are advised to avoid ejaculation for a short gap before the IUI, usually two to five days. Too short or too long a gap can make the sample less good, so follow the exact advice you are given when the date is fixed.
On the day, the sample is usually given at the clinic, in a private room, by masturbation into a sterile container that we provide. Do not use any lubricant, oil or saliva, and do not collect the sample in an ordinary condom, because these can harm sperm. If giving a sample on demand is difficult for you, which is common and nothing to be embarrassed about, tell us in advance so that we can discuss what is possible.
Both of you sign consent forms before the treatment, as the law requires, and the container is labelled with your names and checked with you, so there is never any doubt about whose sample it is.
What happens to the sample in the laboratory?
A fresh semen sample is thick at first and becomes more watery after a short while. Once that has happened, it is prepared in the laboratory. The seminal fluid, the slow or dead sperm and other cells are separated away, and the active, well-moving sperm are gathered into a small volume of clean fluid. The prepared sample is checked for the number and movement of the sperm, so we know what is going in.
From giving the sample to the prepared sperm being ready usually takes about an hour, sometimes a little longer. The methods are explained in our guide to sperm preparation for IUI.
What happens during the procedure?
When the sample is ready, the wife lies on the examination couch in the same position as for a routine internal check-up. The doctor gently places a speculum, the same instrument used for a Pap smear, to see the neck of the womb, called the cervix, and cleans it.
The prepared sperm are drawn into a thin, soft, flexible tube. The tube is passed gently through the cervix into the womb, and the sperm are released slowly. The tube and the speculum are then removed. The insemination itself takes only a few minutes. There is no cut, no stitch, no anaesthesia and no admission. From there, the sperm swim up into the tubes on their own, and fertilisation, if it happens, takes place inside the body in the normal way.
Does IUI hurt?
Most women feel very little. The commonest description is a feeling of pressure, like a routine internal examination, and some women feel a mild, period-like cramp for a short while afterwards. A few drops of spotting from the cervix can happen and are not a cause for worry.
If you are anxious, tell the doctor before starting. Breathing slowly and keeping the muscles loose makes it easier. If your womb is tilted, which is common and harmless, the doctor may simply adjust your position or the angle of the tube.
What should you do after the IUI?
After the procedure you rest for a short while, and then you can go home. There is no need for long bed rest. The sperm reach the tubes within minutes, and getting up, walking or passing urine will not make them come out. Normal activities, including going to work, are fine the same day, unless the doctor advises otherwise for your situation.
Continue any medicines you have been given exactly as advised, for example tablets or vaginal pessaries that support the lining of the womb. Eat normally, drink enough water, and keep away from smoking and alcohol.
Call us if you have a fever, heavy bleeding or strong pain. If you had injections during the cycle and notice your tummy swelling, feel breathless or are passing much less urine, contact the team the same day. These problems are uncommon after IUI, but they should always be checked.
What happens during the wait?
The pregnancy test is usually done about two weeks after the IUI, on a date the doctor gives you. It is tempting to test at home earlier, but please wait. An early test can easily mislead, and the trigger injection itself can show up as a false positive for several days.
The two weeks of waiting are often the hardest part. Keep your routine, stay busy with things you enjoy, and lean on each other. If this cycle does not work, it does not mean IUI can never work for you. The doctor will review the cycle with you and plan the next step, and our guide on how many IUI attempts are sensible before IVF explains how that decision is made.
Where treatment happens
This guide is by Dr Mayur Pai, MBBS, MS (Obstetrics & Gynaecology), a fertility and laparoscopy specialist. Pai Hospital in Goa has its own operating theatre and its own IVF laboratory, and the same team looks after your scans, the preparation of the sample and the procedure. If you would like the basics first, read what IUI is and how it works.
Questions, or ready to book?
If you have a question, send a WhatsApp message to +91 95185 02773 with your situation and any reports you already have. Consultations are by appointment, so please call Sheetal at our fertility reception on +91 95459 20817 to book a time. Consultations are held in Panjim, Margao, Mapusa and Vasco. This article is for education only and is not personal medical advice; please consult your doctor about your own situation.
Your questions
How long does the whole IUI visit take?
Plan for a few hours. Giving the sample and preparing it in the laboratory usually takes about an hour, the insemination itself takes only a few minutes, and you rest briefly afterwards before going home.
Is IUI painful?
Most women feel only pressure, like a routine internal examination, and perhaps a mild cramp for a short while. No anaesthesia is needed. A little spotting afterwards can happen and is not a cause for worry.
Do I need to lie down for a long time after IUI?
No. A short rest is enough. The sperm reach the tubes within minutes, and getting up, walking or passing urine will not make them come out. You can usually return to normal activities the same day.
How many days should my husband abstain before giving the sample?
Usually two to five days. Both a very short gap and a very long one can make the sample less good, so follow the exact advice the team gives you when the date is fixed.
When can I do a pregnancy test after IUI?
About two weeks after the IUI, on the date the doctor gives you. Testing earlier can mislead, and the trigger injection can cause a false positive result for several days.
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This page is for general education and is not personal medical advice. Treatment depends on your own examination and reports, so please speak to a doctor about your situation. We do not carry out or offer sex determination of any kind.