IUI is a fertility treatment which places washed sperm directly into the uterus around the time of ovulation, to increase the chance of conception. A speculum is used to visualize the cervix, and a thin, flexible catheter is passed through the cervix in order to deposit sperm near the fallopian tubes.  The procedure only takes a couple minutes.  

If you are using frozen or overnight-shipped sperm, have a fresh semen sample with a lower sperm count, or unexplained or age-related fertility challenges, IUI is much more effective than trying on your own.  

The answer to this question is - it depends….. Success rates are related to many factors, including age of the people providing sperm and eggs, quality of the sperm and whether it has been shipped or frozen, known fertility challenges such as PCOS or endometriosis, and more.  Generally speaking, inclusive of all groups, IUI success rates are between 5%-20% per cycle. 

We bring the fertility clinic to you. We arrive with all necessary equipment and supplies for insemination and sperm wash (if needed).  You benefit from the reduced stress of being in your own comfortable environment, with no need to rush around in traffic, or work around limited clinic appointment availability and long wait-times. 

• Midwife-led fertility care offers a more holistic, personalized approach, specific to you and your unique situation.  

• We are trauma-informed and dedicated to true informed consent. 

• Our gentle technique, combined with your feedback helps make procedures as comfortable as possible.  We hear from client after client how pleasantly surprised they are to experience a pain-free IUI.

• Appointments are not rushed and can be scheduled at your convenience, which reduces stress.  

• We have specialized expertise in fertility care for those whose only real fertility challenge is the use of frozen, shipped, or low-count sperm samples.  Fertility clinics specialize in medications and IVF - if that’s not what you need right now in your family-building process, you can benefit from our expertise to help you conceive faster.  If you do need fertility medications and you’re working with a clinic, you can still benefit from our guidance for a more effective, nuanced approach to medicated cycles, and the ability to do more than one insemination per cycle if your clinic only allows one, or is closed when you need insemination services.

Yes, we work with all types of sperm samples.  If your sperm is fresh or shipped chilled overnight, we will need to do a sperm wash prior to IUI, and additional STI testing is required for your donor/partner. 

Sperm washing separates motile (swimming) sperm from a semen sample for use during an IUI.  This is a necessary step prior to IUI, because inserting unprocessed semen into the uterus can cause painful cramping and infection.  If your sperm is not IUI-ready, we provide industry-standard density gradient sperm wash at your location immediately prior to your IUI.  We can also provide you with a basic semen analysis (sperm count + motility) after the specimen is prepared.  We can wash fresh, overnight-shipped and frozen raw samples.  

We do not receive shipments or store sperm.  Specimens can be shipped directly to you, and we can advise on proper timing of shipments based on your ovulation indicators.

Timing is everything! Everyone’s body works differently, and we aim to understand how your unique body works so that we can help you get the timing just right.  We can recommend a variety of tools to gain deeper insights, such as ovulation tests, basal body temperature, ultrasound monitoring, ovulation sensation, and more.  We work closely with you between cycles, reviewing your fertility data and our notes from any previous cycles, to pinpoint the optimal window for insemination.

No, Licensed Midwives in California do not have prescriptive authority.  We can advise you on fertility medication use if you are concurrently receiving care at a fertility clinic or with a doctor.

Having supported diverse family structures for decades, we are uniquely equipped to assist those building families through traditional surrogacy.  We start with thorough evaluation and counseling for all parties, order required tests, develop an individualized insemination plan, process the sperm donation if needed, and provide insemination and post-procedure follow up.  We will work with your attorney to supply all necessary medical documentation.

We do not contract with any insurance companies, so fees are due in full at the time of service.  We accept most forms of payment.  If you have fertility benefits, we will provide you with a super bill you can submit for reimbursement consideration.