Risks and successes

Risks

While complications of intrauterine insemination (IUI) are infrequent, they can include:

• Infection
  
• Brief uterine cramping
  
• Transmission of venereal disease (with AID/TDI unless appropriately screened)

Risks of the controlled ovarian hyperstimulation can include:

• Multiple pregnancy
  

• Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS) OHSS is a serious medical problem that can happen when the ovaries are overstimulated. In the rare case, it has caused death. OHSS causes fluid to build up suddenly in the stomach and chest areas.
  
  Call your healthcare professional right away if you get any of the following symptoms: 

  · Severe pelvic pain (lower stomach area)
  ·Nausea
  ·Vomiting
  ·Sudden weight gain
  ·Reduced urine output

In cases where three or more follicles develop to a size greater than 14 millimeters, there is a risk of multiple pregnancy, which could mean abandoning treatment or in some cases, changing the treatment from IUI to an IVF cycle. Multiple pregnancies are associated with higher rates of pregnancy loss and lower birth-weight babies, as well as babies with greater social difficulties. Drug treatment is always monitored, because too high a dose of a drug can cause excessive stimulation of the ovaries, which may be noticed as pain in the abdomen.