IUI Clinic in Shrewsbury, NJ | Damien Fertility Partners
For most couples with unexplained infertility, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) recommends starting with three or four cycles of ovarian stimulation with oral medication and intrauterine insemination (IUI). IVF follows for those who do not conceive.
IUI is often the first active treatment patients try, but it is not right for every diagnosis. For Monmouth County patients, the questions that matter are whether IUI fits their diagnosis, which medication to use, how many cycles make sense, and what New Jersey insurance will cover.
Damien Fertility Partners has provided fertility care in Monmouth County since 1989, when we began as East Coast IVF, the first successful IVF program in Monmouth and Ocean County. Our Shrewsbury office handles monitoring, sperm preparation, and insemination in one building. Our lab is accredited by the College of American Pathologists (CAP), the FDA, and the NJ State Department of Health, with zero deficiencies.
Request a consultation, or schedule a virtual consultation with Dr. Barry Perlman.
IUI at Our Shrewsbury Office
One Location for Every Step of the Cycle
Our Shrewsbury office at 655 Shrewsbury Avenue offers intrauterine insemination, ultrasound monitoring, and an on-site lab. Sperm samples are prepared in the same building where the insemination takes place.
Early Appointments Fit Around Work
The office opens at 7:00 a.m., Monday through Friday, with parking directly beside the building. Most monitoring visits and inseminations are brief, so many patients complete them before the workday.
Patients Across Monmouth and Ocean Counties
We see IUI patients from Shrewsbury, Red Bank, Middletown, Freehold, Long Branch, Toms River, and surrounding towns. Spanish-speaking providers are available, and our full site is available in Spanish.
Conditions IUI Can Treat
IUI places washed sperm directly into the uterus around the time of ovulation. That shortens the distance sperm must travel to reach the egg.
Unexplained Infertility
ASRM’s 2020 guideline on unexplained infertility finds strong evidence that clomiphene with IUI produces higher live birth rates than natural-cycle IUI or no treatment. The guideline does not recommend IUI in natural cycles for this diagnosis.
Ovulation Disorders and PCOS
Patients who do not ovulate regularly, including many with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), often begin with ovulation induction. IUI may be added to time insemination precisely with ovulation.
Mild Male Factor and Cervical Factors
Sperm washing concentrates motile sperm and bypasses the cervix. That may help when sperm counts are mildly reduced or cervical mucus is a barrier.
Donor Sperm for Singles and Same-Sex Couples
IUI is a common first step for patients using donor sperm. We provide services for singles, dedicated LGBTQ+ family building support, and LGBTQ+ patient education. We place no BMI-based limitations on care.
Factors That Determine Whether IUI Is a Good Fit
Being a good IUI candidate does not depend on passing one specific test. Your physician weighs several results together before recommending IUI.
Age Is One Part of the Assessment
Female fertility declines with age, so age shapes both the timing and the plan. ASRM’s 2021 committee opinion on fertility evaluation recommends evaluation after 12 months of trying for women under 35. It moves that to 6 months at 35 and older, and supports more immediate evaluation after 40.
Ovulation, Open Tubes, and a Healthy Uterus
The egg and sperm still meet in the fallopian tube, so IUI requires that you ovulate and that at least one tube is open. ASRM recommends hysterosalpingography (HSG) or saline sonohysterography to check tubal patency.
The uterus is evaluated as well. ASRM reports that 16.2% of women presenting for infertility evaluation have a uterine abnormality, most commonly polyps.
Semen Analysis and Motile Sperm Count
When sperm will come from a partner, a semen analysis measures sperm number and motility. A 2020 peer-reviewed review of predictive factors for IUI found that higher total motile sperm counts are generally associated with better outcomes.
No single count guarantees success or automatically rules out IUI. Some studies, including one in Urology, found pregnancy rates fall significantly below about 10 million motile sperm after processing. Your physician interprets your result in the context of your full workup.
Ovarian Reserve Testing Adds Context
Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) and antral follicle count help predict how the ovaries will respond to stimulation. ASRM’s committee opinion on ovarian reserve cautions against reading AMH alone as a measure of whether you can become pregnant. Results should be considered alongside age, diagnosis, and prior treatment response.
Diagnosis Shapes Expected Results
IUI is used most often for unexplained infertility and ovulatory dysfunction. Research suggests outcomes are less favorable with significant tubal disease or advanced endometriosis. Patients with blocked tubes or severe male factor infertility are typically better served by IVF.
Your Physician Combines Every Result
For unexplained infertility, ASRM describes the standard evaluation as confirming ovulation, at least one open fallopian tube, and an adequate number of motile sperm. Patients using donor sperm also benefit from a fertility evaluation before treatment.
The IUI Cycle, Step by Step
An IUI cycle follows the menstrual cycle and takes approximately two weeks from the start of medication to insemination.
Baseline Evaluation
The process starts with a fertility evaluation covering the factors above. New patient paperwork is on our forms page.
Ovarian Stimulation
Most medicated IUI cycles use an oral medication, either clomiphene or letrozole, taken for five days early in the cycle. Some patients use injectable gonadotropins instead, which carry a higher multiple pregnancy risk.
Monitoring and Trigger Timing
Ultrasound monitoring tracks follicle growth. When a follicle reaches the target size, an hCG trigger injection prompts ovulation.
Insemination is typically scheduled 24 to 36 hours later. ASRM recommends a single IUI within 36 hours of the trigger.
Sperm Preparation
A partner usually produces a sample the morning of the insemination, within about one hour of the scheduled drop-off time. Donor sperm is prepared in our lab. Our team washes the sample to concentrate the motile sperm.
The Insemination
The insemination is performed in the office and does not require anesthesia. A thin catheter passes through the cervix to place the sperm in the uterus, and the procedure takes only a few minutes. Some patients feel mild cramping.
The Pregnancy Test
A pregnancy blood test is typically scheduled about two weeks after the insemination.
Choosing a Stimulation Medication
Clomiphene and Letrozole Are First-Line Options
ASRM recommends clomiphene with IUI for unexplained infertility and supports letrozole as an alternative with similar efficacy. Letrozole is not FDA-approved for this use, but ASRM considers it effective and well tolerated.
Gonadotropins Raise Both Pregnancy and Multiple Rates
The AMIGOS trial, published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2015, randomized 900 couples with unexplained infertility to up to four IUI cycles with one of three medications. Live birth rates were:
- 32.2% with injectable gonadotropins
- 23.3% with clomiphene
- 18.7% with letrozole
The tradeoff was multiples. Among ongoing pregnancies, 32% in the gonadotropin group were multiples, including 10 triplet pregnancies. All multiple pregnancies with clomiphene or letrozole were twins.
Letrozole Has an Edge in PCOS
For patients with PCOS, the results differ. A 2014 trial of 750 women in the New England Journal of Medicine found a cumulative live birth rate of 27.5% with letrozole versus 19.1% with clomiphene. That trial used timed intercourse rather than IUI, but it informs medication choice for PCOS patients.
IUI Success Rates and the Move to IVF
Results Depend on Age and Diagnosis
IUI success varies with age, diagnosis, sperm quality, and medication. Your physician estimates your chances from your own results rather than a single published figure.
Most Benefit Comes in the First Three or Four Cycles
ASRM concludes that the best initial approach for most couples with unexplained infertility is three or four cycles of oral-medication IUI. Couples who do not conceive then move to IVF. Continuing IUI beyond that point adds time without a proportional gain for most patients.
IVF Is the Next Step After Unsuccessful IUI
In vitro fertilization fertilizes eggs in our lab. Embryos develop in time-lapse incubators monitored by CHLOE by Fairtility, an AI system that tracks embryo growth without disturbing the culture environment.
In 2023, we reported an 81.8% live-birth rate per new IVF patient under 35, according to SART data. Clinic-to-clinic comparisons should be interpreted with caution due to differences in patient populations; see our success rates.
Insurance Coverage for IUI in New Jersey
The Mandate Lists IUI as a Covered Service
New Jersey’s infertility mandate (N.J.S.A. 17B:27-46.1x) names intrauterine insemination among required covered services. It applies to fully insured group plans covering more than 50 employees. Self-funded employer plans are exempt, according to ASRM’s summary of New Jersey law.
The 2024 Expansion Broadened Eligibility
A law signed in January 2024 adopted ASRM’s definition of infertility. Under it, coverage cannot be denied or delayed based on relationship status or sexual orientation, and age-based restrictions are prohibited. This matters for single patients and same-sex couples using donor sperm.
Verifying Benefits and Financing
Our bilingual Insurance Verification Specialist confirms your coverage before treatment begins; see our insurance and financial resources page. For self-pay patients, CapexMD financing offers pre-approval within 24 hours.
Physicians Who Manage Your Care
Board-Certified Reproductive Endocrinologists
Both of our reproductive endocrinologists hold ABOG board certification in reproductive endocrinology and infertility. Dr. Miguel Damien has been named a Castle Connolly Top Doctor in the NY Metro Area six times (2005, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2017, 2018) and is fluent in Spanish.
Dr. Barry Perlman completed his REI fellowship at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. His clinical focus includes PCOS.
One Physician Throughout Treatment
The same physician manages your evaluation, monitoring, and inseminations, and stays with you if you move to IVF.
If testing shows polyps, fibroids, or tubal problems, Dr. Nina Seigelstein performs minimally invasive gynecologic surgery within our practice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Am I a good candidate for IUI?
IUI generally requires ovulation (natural or medicated), at least one open fallopian tube, and an adequate number of motile sperm. Your physician weighs these results with your age and diagnosis during your fertility evaluation.
How many IUI cycles should I try before IVF?
ASRM recommends three or four cycles of IUI with oral medication for most couples with unexplained infertility, followed by IVF if pregnancy does not occur.
What is the difference between IUI and IVF?
IUI places washed sperm in the uterus so fertilization happens in the fallopian tube. IVF retrieves eggs and fertilizes them in a lab, then transfers an embryo to the uterus.
Is IUI painful?
Most patients feel only mild cramping. The procedure takes a few minutes and requires no anesthesia.
Does insurance cover IUI in New Jersey?
New Jersey requires fully insured group plans covering more than 50 employees to cover IUI; self-funded plans are exempt. See our insurance and financial resources page.
Where can I get IUI with donor sperm in Monmouth County?
Our Shrewsbury office offers IUI with partner or donor sperm, with sperm preparation in our on-site lab.
IUI Consultations in Shrewsbury and Monmouth County
We provide fertility care at three offices: Shrewsbury (Monmouth County), Newark (Essex County), and Jersey City (Hudson County). For Monmouth and Ocean County patients, our Shrewsbury office handles monitoring, sperm preparation, and insemination in one location.
Dr. Damien and Dr. Perlman manage each IUI cycle personally, and virtual consultations are available with Dr. Perlman. Our How to Begin page outlines the first steps.
Request a consultation with Dr. Damien or Dr. Perlman to discuss your options and take the first step toward building your family.