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Average waiting time until intake
Intrauterine insemination with donor sperm (IUI-D or KID) is a fertility treatment in which donated sperm cells are placed directly into the uterus through a thin tube (catheter) around the time of ovulation. This is also known as artificial insemination.
IUI (intrauterine insemination) is a form of artificial insemination in which donor sperm is placed directly into the uterus around the time of ovulation. This increases the chance of fertilisation. IUI with donor sperm uses sperm from a known donor¹ (a friend, relative, acquaintance, etc.) or a donor from a sperm bank.
¹Please note: if you have your own donor, treatment can only take place at our Elsendorp and Wolvega locations.
You have had unprotected intercourse for a year without becoming pregnant. The semen analysis and the conclusion of an andrologist-urologist show that sperm quality is so low or absent that the chance of a natural pregnancy is ruled out.
When, in a heterosexual couple, the male partner is a carrier of one or more genetic conditions.
When you wish to have a child as a single woman by choice.
When you wish to have a child as a female couple.
When your male partner was assigned female at birth.
Based on the results of the fertility assessment , you and your doctor will decide whether to start in a natural or a stimulated cycle.
Your request for donor sperm will also be discussed during the intake consultation, and the doctor will explain the different options for donor sperm .
During the counselling session with the psychologist or psychosocial counsellor, we discuss and explain the options and considerations around donor sperm in more detail. We also take time for any remaining questions, the wishes of the intended parent(s) and the choice of donor sperm.
The psychologist will assess whether one or two sessions are needed. After this session, you will have a follow-up appointment with the doctor, at which the choice of donor sperm is confirmed.
To perform the insemination at the right moment, we monitor your cycle closely.
Read more about how the medication works.
Good timing of the insemination is crucial for a successful pregnancy, as the chance of pregnancy is highest when the insemination is performed around the time of ovulation.
Ovulation tests
We schedule the donor insemination using LH tests.
Follicle monitoring
Depending on your treatment schedule, you will have ultrasound scans during the treatment. With a scan, we look at the number and size of the follicles and the thickness of the endometrium (lining of the uterus). We schedule a follow-up scan or an insemination after trigger medication. Or you continue to track your ovulation with ovulation tests at home.
Determining or triggering ovulation
When the follicle is large enough, the hormone LH rises. You can measure this with LH tests, also called ovulation tests. Once you have detected your LH surge, we can schedule the IUI-D. In some situations, we trigger ovulation with an hCG injection so that we can then perform the insemination. Read more about medication.
We discuss the options regarding donor sperm with you during the intake and counselling sessions.
Your own donor
If you are using your own donor and the donor has successfully completed all procedures, the sperm is released for use.
Nij Clinics sperm banks
Nij Clinics has its own sperm banks at our Wolvega and Elsendorp clinics. If you would like to use these donors, we try to find a match based on a number of selection criteria. As soon as there is a match, the treatment can start.
International sperm banks
Once you have been given the go-ahead, you can order the donor sperm yourself. When doing so, you need to take into account the donor code, mother code and pregnancy slot. Once you have ordered and paid for the straws, the sperm bank concerned sends them to our clinic. On arrival, our donor bank department registers and logs the straws, so that your straws are guaranteed to remain yours. You pay storage costs for this, which are not covered by insured care.
More information about: legal aspects and sperm banks
Preparation
On the day of the insemination, it is important not to use any fragranced products, such as deodorant, perfume, aftershave or body lotion, because of the substances in them that are harmful to eggs, sperm and embryos. Please also make sure you have a full bladder. Just before the insemination, we thaw the straw of donor sperm.
During the insemination
Before the insemination, we check once again that the correct semen sample is present. You then sit in a gynaecological chair and we insert a speculum, after which the donor sperm is placed into your uterus through a thin catheter. The procedure takes about five minutes and is generally not painful. The insemination is performed by a fertility nurse, fertility doctor or gynaecologist.
After the insemination
You can get up straight away after the insemination; scientific research shows that lying down afterwards does not affect the chance of pregnancy. Some women need to start additional medication the day after the insemination. After the insemination, you can go to the toilet, have sexual intercourse and carry on with your daily activities as normal. It is normal to experience some cramping or light bleeding on the day of the IUI.
15 days after the IUI, you do a pregnancy test at home using morning urine. An exciting moment! Please let us know the result as soon as you have it.
Positive test – Pregnant
Congratulations! If the test is positive, we schedule an ultrasound scan at around 7 to 8 weeks of pregnancy. If the scan shows a well-growing embryo with a beating heart in your uterus, the treatment has been successful. We then refer you to a midwife of your choice for further pregnancy care. In some cases, a referral to a gynaecologist is needed. We would love to hear how your pregnancy and the birth go. Read more.
Negative test – Not pregnant
A negative test, scan or the start of your period is of course disappointing. Together with the doctor, you will discuss the next steps. If your period starts, please contact us on the first day of your period to discuss the next step. This may be a new IUI treatment or an evaluation appointment with a doctor. If you are unsure about your situation, especially if things are going differently than usual, please get in touch with us. This applies in particular to stopping or restarting medication.
The chance of pregnancy is determined by the woman's age and lifestyle and the quality of the sperm cells used for insemination (applicable when using your own donor). Naturally, at least one of the woman's fallopian tubes must be functioning normally.
²Not all clinical pregnancies lead to an ongoing pregnancy, as some end early in a miscarriage.
³The statistics shown are averages per insemination. No rights can be derived from them.
Source: Nij Clinics, national statistics.
The costs of IUI treatment with donor sperm consist of the appointments with specialists, the treatment and the medication. Additional costs are the purchase and storage costs of the donor sperm.
For an indication of the costs, please consult our list of fees .
If there is a medical indication, health insurers usually cover a number of treatments. Please check the conditions with your health insurer.
If you are single or in a lesbian relationship and there is no medical indication for donor insemination, your treatment is funded through the national subsidy scheme. If there is a medical indication (which can be established after the intake), the treatment is claimed from your health insurer.
Intrauterine insemination (IUI) is a fertility treatment in which sperm cells are placed directly into the uterus around the time of ovulation using a thin tube. This increases the chance of fertilisation, because the sperm cells are brought closer to the egg. Before the insemination, the most motile sperm cells are selected and prepared in the laboratory.
There are various options when it comes to choosing a sperm donor.
Your own donor
At our Elsendorp and Wolvega locations, you can use your own donor. Your own donor attends an intake and must successfully complete the screening process.
Nij Clinics sperm banks
Nij Clinics has its own sperm banks at the Wolvega and Elsendorp clinics. If you would like to use these donors, we try to find a match based on a number of selection criteria. As soon as there is a match, treatment can start.
International sperm banks
Nij Clinics works with the international donor banks Cryos, ESB and Born. With these, you need to take a number of administrative matters into account.
You can read more about choosing a sperm donor here: sperm banks.
Using donor material, such as donor sperm or donor eggs, involves important legal aspects. It is essential to be well informed about your rights and obligations as a donor, intended parent or person using donor material. You can read more about these legal aspects here.
You pay a one-off personal contribution. In addition, the donor straws and storage costs are at your own expense. You cannot claim these from your health insurer either. Interim evaluations, medical tests and a pregnancy scan also fall outside the subsidy scheme. You can, however, claim these from your health insurer. Read more about the costs and the subsidy scheme.
15 days after the IUI, you do a pregnancy test at home using morning urine. Exciting! Let us know the result as soon as you have it.
