What to expect: iui consultation & appointments for couples

If you and your partner are considering or starting intrauterine insemination (IUI), you’re not alone—and you’re not expected to know exactly how it works. IUI is often one of the first clinical steps couples take on the path to pregnancy, and while it’s less invasive than IVF, there’s still a fair amount of coordination, prep, and emotional energy involved. Whether you’re the one carrying or the one supporting, here’s what the setup and appointments typically look like, and what you might want to prepare for along the way.

What is IUI again? 

IUI stands for intrauterine insemination. It’s a fertility procedure where sperm is washed, concentrated, and placed directly into the uterus around the time of ovulation. It’s commonly used by couples experiencing mild male factor infertility or unexplained infertility—and it’s also a path for LGBTQ+ couples and single parents by choice using donor sperm.

1. Consultation with a Fertility Clinic

This usually starts with a fertility consult—either with your OB-GYN or a reproductive endocrinologist. Expect a medical history review, some initial labs (hormone levels, infectious disease screening), and possibly an ultrasound for ovarian and uterine assessment.

What to expect - birthing partner:

• Bloodwork for hormone levels (i.e. AMH, FSH, E2, and genetic screening) 

• HSG (hysterosalpingogram) to check if fallopian tubes are open (especially if post cesarean birth)

• Discussion about sperm source (partner vs. donor)

What to expect - male non-birthing partner:

• Bloodwork, especially for genetic screening  

• Semen analysis 

2. Cycle Planning

Depending on your cycle and fertility history, your provider may recommend a natural cycle (no meds), a letrozole or clomid cycle (oral meds to induce ovulation), or a gonadotropin cycle (injection meds). You’ll receive a calendar with your anticipated monitoring and IUI dates.

Appointments: What the Process Looks Like in a Typical IUI Cycle

1. Cycle Day 2–4: Baseline Ultrasound + Bloodwork

This appointment kicks off the cycle. The provider checks hormone levels and performs a transvaginal ultrasound to look at your ovaries and lining. This ensures it's safe to start meds (if you're using them).

Length: ~30 minutes
Partner role: Optional, but helpful for moral support (and to learn what’s coming)

2. Medication (If Prescribed)

If you're on ovulation-stimulating meds, you'll take them starting after the baseline—usually for 5 days. These can be oral (like Letrozole or Clomid) or injectable.

Common side effects: Bloating, headaches, mood swings. Plan some low-stress evenings.

3. MID-CYCLE MONITORING (Generally Days 9–13)

This is where timing gets more precise. You’ll come in for an ultrasound and bloodwork to monitor follicle growth and hormone levels. You may need 1–3 of these visits, depending on how your body responds.

What they’re checking:

• Size and number of follicles (ideally 1–3 mature ones)

• Uterine lining thickness

• +/- Estrogen and LH levels

Your provider will let you know when to do your trigger shot (if needed), which prompts ovulation and helps time the IUI.

Partner role: Being flexible. You might get a call saying “Come in tomorrow morning” on short notice. Typically recommend 2-5 days of abstinence from any ejaculation before the IUI.

4. IUI Day

The IUI is typically timed 24–36 hours after the LH surge or trigger shot.

What happens:

• You or your partner drops off the sperm sample about 1–2 hours before the IUI

• The sample is washed and prepped

• The actual procedure is quick, typically under a minute. A speculum is inserted, and a thin catheter places the sperm into the uterus.

• The cervix is a natural hole that exists in the body and the doctor inserts the catheter through this hole, so the procedure is painless. You might feel some pressure from the placement of the speculum though - similar to a pap smear.

Length: ~5–10 minutes for the appointment, ~30 seconds for the procedure
Partner role: Some clinics let you both be in the room, others limit access depending on protocols. 

Afterward: There’s no improvement in success rate with laying still afterwards. You’re free to get up immediately afterwards and go about your day. No activity or exercise restrictions. 

After the IUI: The Two-Week Wait

This part is quiet...and often emotionally noisy.

• You might be prescribed progesterone to support implantation depending on your menstrual cycle history, but not always

• You’ll return for a blood pregnancy test (beta hCG) around 14 days after IUI

• Some clinics have you come back 7 days later for bloodwork to test your progesterone. Higher progesterone levels can be a sign of an implanted pregnancy, but also are a sign you’ve ovulated - which can be emotional either way

• No early testing is usually recommended - it can be unreliable (the trigger shot has synthetic hCG in it and can trigger a false positive) and stressful

• Partner tip: This is a good time to offer support. Be patient, ask how they’re feeling, and help manage the wait however you can.

Key Things to Keep in Mind

• It might not work the first time: success rates for IUI vary by age and cause of infertility, but average 10% per cycle. 

• Timing is everything: there’s a narrow window for ovulation and insemination, so expect last-minute calendar shifts.

• It’s okay to have feelings: even in a relatively “simple” procedure like IUI, there’s a lot to process. Hope, frustration, anticipation, it is all valid.

Before your insemination appointment

Tips and recommendations before your insemination - but always follow the advice and recommendations from your clinics and healthcare providers:  

• If using partner sperm: Most clinics will recommend you have sex the night you have your trigger shot and abstain before to ensure the sperm is ‘fresh’ but there is enough

• A full bladder is better: yes, it’s weird but it gently pushes the uterus into a more upright position which can help with a smoother insertion of the IUI catheter - check with your clinic on if they want you to have a full bladder

The content presented on Labour the App (whether text, graphics, images, or other material) is provided “as is” and is offered for informational purposes only. The content provided on the App is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. You should always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider. For more information, please refer to our Medical Disclaimer and to our Terms of Use.