Intrauterine insemination (IUI) is the technique in which prepared sperm are directly deposited into the uterus through the cervix. This procedure places the sperm closer to the fallopian tubes where fertilization takes place. The actual IUI procedure will be performed at your physician's office around the time of ovulation. However, prior to the IUI procedure, the Andrology Laboratory at Virginia IVF and Andrology Center will specially prepare the semen sample used for this procedure in one of the following ways listed below.

Semen Wash
Semen washing is a procedure in which a semen specimen is prepared for therapeutic insemination. The main purpose for washing semen is to remove the seminal plasma from the ejaculate and concentrate all of the sperm into a small volume for insemination into either the cervix or uterus.

Sperm Isolation
Sperm isolation is a procedure in which the motile sperm is separated from the seminal plasma by using a special medium to isolate sperm from the seminal plasma. This procedure will usually produce a sample enriched with motile sperm and minimal particulate contamination. The specimen is then concentrated into a small volume for insemination into either the cervix or uterus.