Couples undergoing fertility treatments are usually advised to take extra care before and after completing the procedure. In that case, following these precautions after Intrauterine insemination is crucial to improve the success of IUI.
So, this blog comes with detailed information about the precautions to be followed after the intrauterine insemination procedure. Consider these safety measures as your partner to get successful pregnancy outcomes.
Important Precautions After IUI Treatments
Ensure Adequate Rest After the Procedure
After inserting the washed sperm, your body will undergo several changes and hormonal adjustments. So, sufficient rest is essential to prepare your body for pregnancy and well-being.
You must lie down for 20 minutes as soon as sperm insertion is over. Consider taking one to two days or at least 8 hours of sleep rest after reaching your home.
Avoid Intense Physical Activities for a particular period
No doubt that women’s day is filled with chores. But if they are undergoing an IUI procedure, then they must avoid intense activity after completing Intrauterine insemination.
Never do strenuous activity or exercise at least for 24 hours post-IUI. It includes running, lighting heavy-weight objects, jogging, aerobics, and extremely playful sports.
Maintain a Balanced Diet and Stay Hydrated
Dehydration and poor diet contribute to uterine contractions, which could negatively impact the implantation process. So make sure to maintain a balanced diet and include foods that improve reproductive health and support fetal growth.
You can consider food items such as:
- Consume more fresh and organic food items, fruits, vegetables, and omega-3-rich fish.
- Spinach, lentils, chickpeas, broccoli, tofu, and turkey are rich in Iron content.
- Complex carbohydrates such as brown rice, oats, whole grains, barley, and quinoa.
- Berries, avocados, walnuts, sunflower seeds, salmon, chia seeds, almonds, black beans, chicken breasts, cucumber, turkey, fortified plant-based milk, and herbal teas.
Reduce Stress to Support Hormonal Balance
Surely, intrauterine insemination is an emotionally and physically challenging journey. In that instance, pampering yourself and prioritizing your happiness is not a crime. Thus, engage in positive activities that boost your mood and reduce stress.
Women can do these activities after IUI, including:
- Reading soothing books.
- Going for a slow walk with your loved one.
- Painting or doing arts and crafts.
- Spend quality time with friends, family, or spouse.
- Make sure you take quality sleep and do meditation or yoga.
- Do mild exercises or ask for suggestions from your fertility doctor about doing exercises.
- Write a journal or express your thoughts through writing, so you can feel stress-free and happy.
Strictly Follow Your Medication Plan
Following fertility medications after and before the IUI procedure is essential for successful pregnancy outcomes. Patients often need to intake clomiphene citrate and aromatase inhibitors to stimulate ovulation.
So, doctors can insert the sperm at the right time, improving the success rate of IUI.
Limit Alcohol, Caffeine, and Specific Food Items
Patients must avoid alcohol, smoking, and using drugs. Never think about processed foods, sugary treats, high trans fat foods, raw seafood, uncooked or semi-cooked meat, excessive spices, and high mercury fish.
This is one of the most important precautions that everyone should take. Because food plays a crucial role in providing energy and required nutrients to the body every day. So, avoid these foods and improve the success rate of IUI.
Be Alert for Any Unusual Symptoms
IUI failures do happen, so keep observing your body after the Intrauterine insemination process. If you experience any alarming symptoms post-IUI, then visiting the fertility expert is mandatory.
- A menstrual cycle or bleeding similar to periods is a strong sign indicating IUI failure.
- Severe cramping or lower back pain after IUI treatment.
Key Factors That Affect IUI Success Rates
1.) Age:
As the age increases, the quality and production of both sperm and egg start decreasing. Particularly, IUI treatment is highly recommended for women from 20 to 40.
2.) Procedure timings:
Inserting washed sperm during ovulation leads to successful pregnancy outcomes. Following a woman’s ovulation period is quite important to increase the chance of success.
3.) Total Motile Sperm Count:
The required TMS count is around 20 million for the IUI procedure. It also boosts the success rate of Intrauterine insemination.
4.) Lack of Ovulation and Fallopian Tube Disorders:
Patients should be free from ovulation and fallopian tube problems. Ovulation issues like irregular periods, PCOS or PCOD, and other disturbances in egg production.
Blockage in fallopian tubes and bacterial infections in these tubes can affect IUI’s success.
5.) Dosage and type of medications:
Intaking the right dosage of fertility medications and ovulation-stimulating drugs can influence the success of intrauterine insemination.
6.) Sperm abnormalities:
Men with sperm abnormalities aren’t eligible for the Intrauterine insemination process. Therefore, consider semen analysis or sperm function tests to determine your reproductive health status.
7.) Follicles Size:
The length of follicles should be 20mm for IUI treatment. It comes under the facilities of fertility clinics, so you can check twice before initiating the process.
Conclusion
Intrauterine insemination IUI is a less invasive assisted reproductive technology that most young couples choose for a successful pregnancy. The listed precautions will help you improve successful pregnancy outcomes and keep you healthy.
Make sure to discuss these things with your fertility expert as they can offer you personalized care tips.
Patients can intake chicken breasts, lentils, black beans, tofu, eggs, almonds, and Greek yogurt to get sufficient protein. Staying hydrated is quite important, so drink adequate amounts of water and consume cucumber watermelon, strawberries, and coconut water.
Other than these items, you can add sweet potatoes, brown rice, barley, kale, spinach, chickpeas, fortified plant-based milk, walnuts, hemp seeds, sunflower seeds, and salmon to improve the success rate of IUI.
After inserting the washed sperm into your uterus, you may experience mild cramping, spotting, missed periods, and some other early signs of pregnancy.
But, if you experience any of the following alarming signs, then it is essential to visit the hospital.
Severe bleeding or cramps.
No change in cervical mucus.
Negative pregnancy test results.
Lower back pain similar to menstruation.
No changes in Basal Body Temperature.
Fertility experts suggest waiting at least two weeks that is 14 days after the IUI procedure. It’s because your body takes a certain period to prepare for pregnancy.
And, taking pregnancy tests as soon as the completion of the IUI procedure may provide you false results. So, wait 2 weeks and get accurate results.
Yes, based on your fertility expert’s prescription, you can take prenatal vitamins or supplements that will improve the success of IUI.
Age is a pivotal factor when it is IUI treatment. It may have an impact on the precautions you need to take after IUI.
