Remembering My First IUI

a blog by Melinda Davis, July 27, 2011

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I think I was more excited than nervous when I ventured into fertility treatments. I finally felt like things were happening, and looked forward to seeing those two pink lines. I had been diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), and it had been over six months since my last period so my Ob/Gyn prescribed progesterone to take for 10 days as a way of starting my period, and then Clomid to take on days five through nine once I began my new cycle.

My husband and I thought the fertility drugs would be all we needed, and with it I began charting.

The first month we took it easy ... just me charting my temperature while I took my fertility medication. When that didn’t work we added me elevating my hips, and I started checking my cervical mucus. After that, I started using ovulation test strips and began standing on my head. But nothing seemed to be working. When we finally decided to see a fertility doctor, he ran another series of tests and we moved on to our first intrauterine insemination (IUI).

When the fertility doctor did my initial ultrasound to see where I was in my cycle, things looked better than expected. He noticed I had a follicle growing, and suggested I come back in two days so he could take another look. When I returned, I was delighted to learn my follicle had grown, and I was ready to ovulate. He had me take an HCG shot that night, and we returned two days later for our first IUI. I remember thinking this was it.

My husband drove me to our appointment, and sat in the waiting room while I went in for the artificial insemination. The nurse had me review a vial with my husband’s semen, confirm his name and initials, and initial that I had confirmed everything was correct. The doctor then came in and completed the IUI. The procedure itself was pretty painless. He inserted the catheter, injected the sperm, and it was done. He had me lay on the table afterward with my hips elevated.

When I was given the OK, I walked out with my husband thinking I would soon be pregnant.