My Intrauterine insemination (IUI) Experience

This is a delayed post.


I didn't think that we would reach the stafe of IUI. But we did.

After five cycles of Clomiphene citrate (Clomid and Ova-mit brands) and no pregnancy, we decided that we should now do an IUI.

Cycle day 3-7. I took 50mg of Ova-mit for five consecutive days.

Cycle day 7. I went to Dra. Aguilar for follicle monitoring. The TVS showed a maturing follicles (size: 11mm) in my left ovary.

Cycle day 11. My maturing follicle was 18mm. Dra. Aguilar prescribed Ovidrel, a drug that "stimulates the release of the egg during ovulation," to be injected between 7-9 that night. Good thing my Hubby has a cousin who is a nurse at a the town's hospital. We went there and had my injection of Ovidrel at the left side of my tummy.

IUI Experience
Cycle day 13. IUI day. Hubby and I said our little prayer at the EDSA Shrine before we went to Cardinal Santos Hospital. We arrived at the hospital at 6:45 am. After 30 minutes, the secretary told Hubby to collect semen sample. Good thing the comfort room was beside Dra. Aguilar's room. Hubby was able to produce 2.6ml. The secretary placed the specimen bottle in Dra.'s room.

Around 8 am, Dra. Aguilar arrived. She let us see the sperms under a microscope. Under the microscope, was a grid and inside, we saw miniscule transparent-looking sperms. The sperms were actively moving, flicking under the microscope.

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As per Dra. Aguilar's count, Hubby was able to produce a good amount of sperms. We were told to wait after 40 minutes before the IUI procedure. I prayed the rosary to calm my nerves. We haven't eaten breakfast yet so I asked Hubby to buy food at the canteen. Tip: Bring your own food. Hospital food is expensive. A small bottle of mineral water costs P50.

The time came for the IUI. Dra. Aguilar called me back in her room. After "washing" the sperms, she showed me the post-washed sperms under the microscope. I changed into a hospital gown and Dra. advised me not to pee in the comfort room.

I laid down the exam table and put my feet in the stirrups, just like when having a pap smear test. She put some gel on my tummy and using an ultrasound, Dra. showed me my uterus in the small monitor. Sadly, I wasn't able to distinguish it in the black and white display in the monitor. She let me hold the hand-held device (transducer) the she started with the IUI procedure.

I felt pelvic pain and discomfort during and after the IUI. Dra. positioned the transducer at the left side of my tummy and pointed at the ultrasound monitor. She said the white spot (less than an inch in size) in the monitor represents the injected sperms. She removed the IUI apparatus and told me to lay down and not move for 30 minutes.

My pelvic area felt like there was a big and heavy rock inside me. My body jerked as response to the pain I was experiencing. I tried to meditate and prayed Hail Marys to take my mind off the pain. I kept thinking that the pain was way less and cannot be compared to the pangs in giving birth. I believed in mind over matter. I was able to feel minimal pain during my HSG, I could do it again for my IUI. As I was praying, the pain ebbed. But when I though about what I went through, I felt intense pain. Seriously. The mind is a very powerful tool.