What Happens After IUI: Day by Day
When you and your partner decide to try IUI (intrauterine insemination) after a frustrating experience with infertility, it can leave you feeling excited, hopeful, and curious about what to expect in the days that follow.
Here is an IUI timeline to help you understand the typical day-by-day experience of IUI, how long it takes, when implantation typically occurs, and what symptoms to watch for 2-14 days post-IUI.
How Long Does IUI Take?
IUI is a fertility procedure that typically takes 5-10 minutes. Before the procedure, your doctor will need to collect and prepare a sperm sample from your partner or a donor.
The procedure itself is like a Pap smear and involves inserting a small, thin, flexible tube filled with sperm concentrate into the uterus through the cervix.
IUI is an outpatient procedure at Pacific Resource Center and is performed right in our fertility clinic.
How Long After IUI Is Implantation?
Implantation after IUI usually occurs 6-12 days after ovulation and a well-timed procedure.
Typical IUI Timeline
Here are general timelines for IUI with and without Clomid, a fertility medication used to help induce ovulation, so you know what to expect.
Natural Cycle IUI Timeline
- Cycle day 11
Begin testing for a surge in the luteinizing hormone (LH), which indicates ovulation. - Cycle day 12
Conduct an ultrasound to confirm the preovulatory follicle and evaluate the uterine lining. - After ultrasound
Take a “trigger shot” to prompt ovulation. This is an injectable fertility medication that contains hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) and is used to trigger ovulation. - After ovulation
Your doctor will manage the collection, preparation, and insemination of sperm from your partner or a donor.
Clomid Cycle IUI Timeline
- Cycle day 3
Take Clomid for 5-7 days. - Midcycle
Conduct bloodwork to test estradiol and progesterone levels and an ultrasound to measure uterine lining thickness and follicles. - When follicles reach 18 mm
Take a “trigger shot” to prompt ovulation. - Days 1-2 following ovulation
Your doctor will manage the collection, preparation, and insemination of sperm from your partner or a donor.
IUI Success Symptoms Day by Day
Some women experience post-IUI symptoms that may indicate pregnancy success:
- 1-2 Days After IUI
Symptoms may include mild cramping as the body adjusts. - 2-3 Days After IUI
Symptoms of pink or light brown spotting after IUI are possible as a result of the catheter insertion. - 3-4 Days After IUI
Symptoms may also include breast or nipple tenderness, fatigue, and mood swings. - 4-7 Days After IUI
Watch for pink or light brown implantation bleeding, increased urination, or nausea. - 7-9 Days Post IUI
Continue watching for implantation bleeding, increased urine output, and feelings of nausea. - 12-14 Days After IUI
Pregnancy tests may begin to show positive results.
A Word About Spotting and Bleeding After IUI
Signs of implantation after an IUI procedure, such as light spotting or bleeding, are common and may occur anywhere from 6-12 days after the procedure as the embryo implants (connects) into the uterine wall.
Implantation bleeding is usually light pink or brown and is very minimal. If you experience heavy, bright red bleeding, contact your doctor or fertility specialist right away.
Supporting Your Family-Building Dreams With Safe, Effective IUI
Navigating the days following an IUI can be a blend of hope and anticipation—knowing what to expect can help make this journey a little easier.
If you are ready to take the next step in your fertility journey with a safe and minimally invasive IUI procedure, please schedule a consultation with Pacific Reproductive Center. We are ready to help you turn your dreams of a family into a reality.
