Have you recently undergone an IUI procedure? Then, first, congratulations on completing the procedure and coming this far. You are just a few days away from having your happy pregnancy.
IUI (Intrauterine insemination) is an effective fertility treatment option that has helped many couples achieve their dream of parenthood. It is a minimally invasive procedure and is simpler and less complicated than IVF, making it a better choice for couples with minor infertility issues.
If you are in your 2-week waiting period after IUI and don’t know what to expect, this article can be helpful for you. In this article, we’ll discuss in-depth what you can expect and what will happen for a few days after IUI.
What Happens After IUI Day By Day
After the insemination procedure, where healthy sperm is injected into your uterus, your fertility doctor will ask you to wait for about 2 weeks (10–14 days) before taking a pregnancy test.
They would have said that these two weeks are to give your sperm and eggs time for fertilization and implantation. This is the general idea of what happens after insemination.
Now, let’s get into it deeper and understand what happens in your body each day after IUI insemination.
After 1–3 Days Of IUI Procedure
Let’s consider the day of insemination as Day 1. After this procedure, you might feel slight discomfort or abdominal cramps. This is natural and will disappear after some rest.
During these days, your sperm will travel to the fallopian tubes and fertilize the mature egg waiting there. After fertilization, the fertilized egg will move toward the uterus to implant into the uterine lining. Implantation will roughly happen around day 5 of insemination.
After 6 Days Of IUI Procedure
The embryo will implant and bury itself deeply into the uterine lining. You might feel some lower abdominal or pelvic pain during this period.
During implantation, the embryo might damage some minor blood vessels running through your uterus. This can also cause minor spotting or bleeding from your vagina. This is one of the most common symptoms of a positive pregnancy. Don’t confuse this bleeding with menstrual bleeding and panic.
Your body will also recognize the pregnancy and release hCH hormones into your bloodstream. These hormones are necessary to sustain your pregnancy and support the baby throughout pregnancy.
After 14 Days Of IUI Procedure
After 15 days, your blood will have enough hCG hormones to be recognized by a pregnancy test. You can take a urine pregnancy test at home, or you can visit your fertility doctor for a blood pregnancy test or ultrasound to confirm pregnancy.
You will also start experiencing certain pregnancy symptoms, which will get intense in the next few days.
After 15–28 Days Of IUI Procedure
After you have confirmed your pregnancy, you can discuss it with your doctor and take the necessary measures and precautions to protect the baby and carry it till childbirth.
You will also start getting some intense pregnancy symptoms, like, nausea, bloating, mood swings, vaginal discharge, cravings, aversions, etc. These symptoms will mostly last only till the first trimester. So bear with it and navigate your pregnancy smoothly without any complications.
How Long Does Implantation Take After IUI
After IUI, your egg will take around 5–6 days for implantation. After insemination, your sperm will travel to the fallopian tubes and fertilize the egg there. The fertilized egg then has to travel to the uterus and implant into the uterine lining.
This will take around 5–6 days to complete. The most common sign of implantation is implantation bleeding. This bleeding or spotting will be light pink or brown in color compared to the bright red menstrual blood. So, don’t confuse implantation bleeding with menstrual bleeding.
Conclusion
IUI is an effective procedure that can help you get pregnant and have your own baby. Though IUI has a higher success rate, it does not always result in a positive pregnancy. When you consider the differences between naturally conceived babies and IUI babies, it’s important to remember that both methods aim to achieve the same goal: a healthy baby.
So, don’t feel down or depressed if you get a negative result. You can discuss with your fertility doctor and understand the next step in your fertility treatments.
White discharge after IUI can be a normal occurrence and is often a sign of hormonal changes or cervical mucus. However, if you have any concerns, it’s always best to consult your fertility doctor.
You can always go for another IUI cycle or opt for advanced fertility treatments like IVF, ICSI, etc. Your fertility doctor will ensure you have a baby in your arms when you end your fertility treatments. So, don’t worry and stay hopeful.
Here are some positive signs you can look forward to after an IUI procedure.
- Implantation bleeding
- Abdominal or pelvic cramps
- Nausea & vomiting
- Bloating
- Mood swings
- Changes in the vaginal discharge
After insemination, your sperm will travel to the fallopian tubes and fertilize the mature egg waiting there. The fertilized egg will move toward the uterus to implant into the uterine lining. Implantation will roughly happen around day 5 of insemination.
IUI is an effective fertility treatment that can help you become pregnant. However, if the procedure does not work for you, you can always opt for advanced fertility treatment options like IVF, ICSI, etc.
