Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) & Ovulation Induction (OI)
Ovulation induction (OI) is where treatment is given to induce ovulation. It can be used to help a patient ovulate or release an egg, when this is not happening naturally, such as with irregular periods. It can also be used to help a patient create more than 1 egg (typically 2-3 eggs) to increase the chance of conception, even when ovulation is naturally occurring. The treatment consists of a short course of oral tablets, or of subcutaneous injections. The treatments have low level side effects, but do increase the risk of twins.
Intrauterine insemination (IUI) is where the sperm from a partner or a donor is washed and prepared, and then released at the appropriate stage of the cycle, or after release of the egg(s) with a trigger injection, into the upper part of the uterine cavity with a special catheter. On its own, this is a useful treatment for patients with sexual difficulties, or mild male factor infertility. Added to OI treatment, it can further increase the chance of conception following ovulation induction treatment.
OI and IUI are often greatly under-utilized fertility treatments, due to lack of patient and clinician awareness, and lower pregnancy rate than IVF.
However, Dr Weston has strongly advocated for greater use of less invasive fertility treatments such as OI / IUI for decades. The reason for this is the greater convenience, as IUI in the vast majority of cases does not need an anaesthetic or sedation, combined with the much lower cost, and more natural and less invasive nature of the treatment. In suitable cases, such as unexplained infertility with a reasonable sperm analysis and patent fallopian tubes, at least 4 cycles of OI / IUI are recommended before considering more invasive and more expensive IVF treatment.
Dr Weston founded Citybabies in 2012, a low cost private clinic dedicated to providing OI and IUI. Our unit is unique in Melbourne, as the only dedicated solely OI/IUI clinic with full government accreditation. The clinic, located in Richmond, Melbourne, is a nurse run, doctor supervised service. More details of this clinic are available on the Citybabies website.
Affordable, Low-Intervention Care
Founded by Dr. Weston, City Babies is a boutique clinic in Richmond dedicated to providing accessible fertility solutions. Specialising in simpler treatments like Ovulation Induction and IUI, it offers a streamlined, cost-effective pathway to parenthood for those who may not require high-level IVF.
> Learn More about City Babies