Hi Loupy,
Do a search for the White Protocol on the internet - it's the process my clinic used to support IUI.
The procedure is quite simple - it's no more complicated that a Pap smear. You'll attend the clinic and
DH will head off and provide a sample (my
DH never did this as we used a donor). The scientist will "wash" the sample. This is to remove any dead or less than ideal sperm (the majority of the sample contains rubbish so there's nothing unsual about this). They do this by putting the sample into a culture medium and allowing the best guys to swim to the top into a gelatinous substance which will be transferred into the uterus along with the good sperm. Think of it as lube if you like.
The actual insemination involves getting you onto the examination table and setting you up with a speculum.
DH can be with you the whole time (but obviously not at the business end!). The doctor or midwife will draw the sperm into a catheter which is basically a long skinny wire-like tube. This is then passed through the opening of the cervix and positioned at the top of the uterus. The sperm is released with a little injector and the catheter is removed. All this should take about five minutes if you have a healthy cervix.
Many clinics then ask you to remain lying down for 20-30 minutes, but plenty tell you to get up immediately. My clinic liked me to stay lying down. The IVF clinic I went to liked me to get up and get out pronto. Time is money!
Then you wait. IUI day is counted as ovulation day aka Day 14. Most clinics ask you to come back on Day 21 for a progesterone test (this is industry best practice and if it's not offered to you, you should request it). The primary purpose for this is to confirm ovulation took place. I am of the opinion this can also indicate fertilisation MAY have occured (but only if the figure is abnormally elevated). The more follicles that popped, the higher the progesterone reading will be.
You'll then do a
PG blood test on day 28-32 depending on your clinic's individual approach. If it's BFN they'll ask you to start the process all over again on day four after
AF arrives. Even if
AF has arrived before you do you BT, you should do it anyway. It gives them a chance to see if anything DID actually happen (they'll be looking for elevated levels of beta hCG) and adds to data on how to help you better next time.
It's gorey detail I know - sorry to those that didn't want to hear any of that! But that's basically IUI in a nut shell (stim part excluded).
Cheers,
OP.