IUI

IUI cost and success rates

Intrauterine insemination is the first-line fertility treatment most couples try before IVF: much cheaper, much less invasive, and with lower per-cycle odds. Here is what it costs and how often it works, each figure cited, with an honest comparison to IVF.

Re-checked monthly · checked 3 wk ago
$500–$4,000per cycle
15–20%under-35 success
3 to 4cycles before IVF
100clinics post a price

Intrauterine insemination (IUI) costs about $500 to $4,000 per cycle depending on the medication used, far less than a $23,000 to $30,000 IVF cycle. It also succeeds far less often: 15–20% per cycle under 35, versus about 49.7% for IVF. Most couples try 3 to 4 medicated cycles before moving to IVF.

Cost

What IUI costs per cycle

The medication protocol is the biggest swing in an IUI bill. A natural cycle is little more than the procedure and light monitoring; injectable gonadotropins can multiply the total. Each range is a cited national figure.

  • Natural cycle IUIlowest

    Insemination, sperm wash, and light monitoring, with no fertility medication.

    Per cycle$500–$1,500
  • IUI with oral medication

    Adds letrozole or clomiphene and the monitoring a medicated cycle needs.

    Per cycle$1,000–$2,000
  • IUI with injectable medication

    Injectable gonadotropins plus intensive monitoring: the most effective and the most expensive protocol.

    Per cycle$2,500–$4,000+

With insurance, per-cycle out-of-pocket often falls to $300–$1,000. Coverage varies by plan and state. How to pay for fertility care.

What each cycle is made of

  • Monitoring and bloodwork

    The ultrasound scans and hormone bloodwork that time the insemination (typically 2–4 visits).

    Range$300–$1,000
  • Oral medication (letrozole or clomiphene)

    The cheap oral option to stimulate ovulation.One protocol OR the injectable below, not both. Prescribed off-label for fertility.

    Range$50–$150
  • Injectable medication (gonadotropins)

    The stronger, injectable stimulation, when a bigger response is needed.The single biggest swing in an IUI bill, and why an injectable cycle costs several times a natural one.

    Range$1,500–$2,500
  • Trigger shot (hCG)

    A single injection that releases the mature egg on schedule for the insemination.

    Range$50–$250
  • Sperm wash and preparation

    Lab processing that concentrates the most motile sperm for the insemination.

    Range$150–$400
  • Insemination procedure

    The IUI itself: placing the prepared sperm into the uterus, a quick in-office procedure.

    Range$150–$400
  • Donor sperm (if used)if used

    A vial of screened donor sperm, for single parents, same-sex couples, or severe male-factor cases.Per vial, plus shipping (about $200 to $500 per order). Some cycles use more than one vial.Every sperm bank's vial prices, side by side

    Range$675–$2,500

A cycle includes only the lines its protocol calls for (oral OR injectable medication, and donor sperm only if used), so the by-protocol totals above are the honest all-in, not the sum of every line here.

Clinic prices

What US fertility clinics post for IUI

We read every CDC-reporting clinic's own website on Oct 8, 2026. Each amount is that clinic's own price, shown with what it buys; amounts are never averaged or ranked, because one clinic prices the insemination alone and another a whole monitored cycle.

100 of the 457 CDC-reporting US clinic locations post an IUI price on their own websites (read on Oct 8, 2026); 176 post none, and we could not confirm a price for 181. Posted prices for a cycle run from $530 to $5,300, depending on the clinic and on what the price covers: some are the insemination alone, others a monitored cycle with medications.

Every clinic's IUI price, city by city
Atlanta2Austin2Boston1Charlotte1Chicago5Dallas-Fort Worth4Denver4Detroit2Houston3Jacksonville1Las Vegas1Los Angeles8Miami1Minneapolis-St. Paul2New York City11Orlando1Philadelphia3Phoenix2Portland2Provo2Raleigh1Sacramento1San Antonio2San Diego1San Francisco6San Jose3Seattle5Spokane1St. Louis2Stamford and Bridgeport1Syracuse1Tampa1Tucson2Virginia Beach-Norfolk1Washington, DC3

Alaska (1 clinic posts a price)

Arizona (4 clinics post a price)

California (19 clinics post a price)

Colorado (5 clinics post a price)

Connecticut (1 clinic posts a price)

Delaware (1 clinic posts a price)

District of Columbia (1 clinic posts a price)

Florida (4 clinics post a price)

Georgia (2 clinics post a price)

Idaho (1 clinic posts a price)

Illinois (5 clinics post a price)

Louisiana (1 clinic posts a price)

Massachusetts (1 clinic posts a price)

Michigan (2 clinics post a price)

Minnesota (2 clinics post a price)

Mississippi (1 clinic posts a price)

Missouri (2 clinics post a price)

Nevada (2 clinics post a price)

New Jersey (3 clinics post a price)

New York (9 clinics post a price)

North Carolina (3 clinics post a price)

Ohio (1 clinic posts a price)

Oregon (1 clinic posts a price)

Pennsylvania (2 clinics post a price)

Tennessee (1 clinic posts a price)

Texas (11 clinics post a price)

Utah (2 clinics post a price)

Virginia (4 clinics post a price)

Washington (8 clinics post a price)

A price counts only when the clinic's own website states it as its price; a general figure such as "IUI typically costs $500 to $4,000" does not. What each price includes and charges on top is on its city page and on the clinic's page. Clinics change prices, so confirm in writing before you book.

Success rates

How often IUI works, by age

IUI success is modest per cycle and falls with age. Bars are drawn on the same absolute 0-100% scale as our IVF success chart, so you can see how much lower IUI's per-cycle odds are than IVF's.

Success per treatment cycle
  • Under 35

    Medicated cycle, good prognosis. A natural (unmedicated) cycle runs lower, roughly 3–5% per cycle.

    15–20%
  • 35 to 40

    Both egg quality and ovarian reserve begin to decline after 35, which lowers IUI success.

    About 10%
  • Over 40

    Success falls sharply after 40. Many specialists advise moving straight to IVF, or to donor eggs, when time and age are against the odds.

    5% or less

Per-cycle figures for a medicated cycle with a good prognosis. For comparison, one published study of 237 IUI cycles at a single clinic found a clinical pregnancy rate of 7.59% overall and 12.74% for women 35 or younger with a good prognosis (JBRA Assisted Reproduction, 2018). IUI is not tracked by the CDC ART program, so there is no single federal registry as there is for IVF success rates. Not a guarantee for any individual.

What the medication choice is worth (patients under 35)

  • Natural cycle (no medication)

    The insemination is timed to your own ovulation, with no drugs to grow extra eggs.

    Per cycle3–5%
  • Oral medication (letrozole or clomiphene)

    Cheap oral pills that nudge the ovaries to release one or two mature eggs.

    Per cycle8–10%
  • Injectable gonadotropins

    Injectable hormones that stimulate a stronger response, monitored closely to limit multiples.

    Per cycle12–15%

Success is front-loaded: about 88% of IUI pregnancies happen within the first 3 cycles and 95% within four, which is why specialists advise moving to IVF after 3 to 4 cycles. Medication also raises the chance of twins, a real medical consideration, not just a cost.

IUI vs IVF

Which one to try, and when

The two treatments trade cost against odds. IUI is a fraction of the price and far less invasive, but IVF succeeds several times more often per cycle. General clinical guidance follows; the right first step depends on your diagnosis, which only your clinician can judge.

Cost per cycle

IUI runs $500–$4,000+, against $23,000–$30,000 for an all-in IVF cycle: roughly a tenth of the price.

Success per cycle (under 35)

IUI is 15–20% per cycle, against about 49.7% for IVF: several times higher, which is what the added cost buys.

IUI is often tried first when
  • Unexplained infertility with a normal workup
  • Mild male-factor infertility
  • Ovulation problems (paired with oral or injectable medication)
  • A single parent by choice or a same-sex couple using donor sperm
  • A cervical-factor issue that IUI physically bypasses
Specialists advise IVF when
  • Blocked or absent fallopian tubes (IUI cannot work without an open tube)
  • Severe male-factor infertility
  • Age 38 or older, where IUI success is low and time matters
  • A need to screen embryos for a genetic condition (PGT)
  • After 3 to 4 medicated IUI cycles have not worked

If IUI is your path, estimate your full IVF budget in case you move on, compare IVF success by age, and find a fertility clinic near you when you are ready.

FAQ

Common questions about IUI

What do US fertility clinics charge for IUI?

100 of the 457 CDC-reporting US clinic locations post an IUI price on their own websites (read on Oct 8, 2026); 176 post none, and we could not confirm a price for 181. Posted prices for a cycle run from $530 to $5,300, depending on the clinic and on what the price covers: some are the insemination alone, others a monitored cycle with medications.

How much does IUI cost?

A single IUI cycle typically runs $500 to $1,500 for a natural (unmedicated) cycle, $1,000 to $2,000 with oral medication, and $2,500 to $4,000+ with injectable medication. The medication protocol is the biggest swing in the bill. With insurance, per-cycle out-of-pocket often falls to $300 to $1,000.

What is the IUI success rate by age?

Per cycle, IUI success is about 15–20% under 35, about 10% from 35 to 40, and 5% or less over 40. These are per-cycle figures for a medicated cycle with a good prognosis; a natural cycle runs lower, and results vary by diagnosis and sperm quality.

Is IUI cheaper than IVF?

Yes, by a wide margin. IUI runs about $500 to $4,000+ per cycle, against roughly $23,000 to $30,000 for an all-in IVF cycle. IVF succeeds far more often per cycle (about 49.7% under 35 versus 15–20% for IUI), so the two treatments trade cost against odds.

How many rounds of IUI should you try before IVF?

Most fertility specialists advise moving to IVF after 3 to 4 failed medicated IUI cycles. The reason is that success is front-loaded: about 88% of IUI pregnancies happen within the first 3 cycles and 95% within four, so the odds of a later cycle working drop off.

Does medicated IUI work better than a natural cycle?

For patients under 35, a natural cycle runs about 3–5% per cycle, oral medication (letrozole or clomiphene) about 8–10% per cycle, and injectable gonadotropins about 12–15% per cycle. Medication raises the odds but also the cost and the chance of twins, so the choice is a real trade-off to make with your clinic.

When should you skip IUI and go straight to IVF?

Specialists generally advise going straight to IVF for blocked or absent fallopian tubes (IUI cannot work without an open tube), severe male-factor infertility, age 38 or older where time matters, or when embryos need genetic screening (PGT). This is general guidance, not advice for any individual; decide with your own clinician.

IVFcost.co is an informational data platform, not a clinic or medical provider. IUI success and cost figures are cited national ranges that vary by diagnosis, sperm quality, clinic, and cycle, and none is a personalized quote or a guarantee. Decide your treatment path with a licensed fertility specialist.