Finding the right intrauterine insemination catheters (IUI) can be a challenging part of the fertility field. Whether you are a vet or a human specialist, knowing the suppliers of intrauterine insemination catheters and other IUI equipment is key to finding the best products at the most reasonable prices.

There are suppliers of IUI equipment across the country that offer rigid or flexible intrauterine insemination catheters. Knowing the difference and the pros and cons of each can help you make a final decision.

To find the right IUI products and providers for you:

1. Seek IUI product and IUI equipment suppliers based on human or vet needs.

2. Decide for yourself if a flexible or a rigid intrauterine insemination catheter is the way to go based on research.

3. Stay informed on the latest field and trade research available on intrauterine insemination instruments.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Purchase standard intrauterine insemination catheters

Buy standard rigid intrauterine insemination catheters from a variety of suppliers.

I recommend: Look at the 5Fr. IUI polyethylene catheter from Zavos Diagnostic Laboratories. It is 17cm in length. Fertility Technology Resources offers the Morton IUI Catheter with Memory, the IUI Memory Catheter from CCD, Tom Cat Catheter 4.5 and the Seminor IUI Catheter. Purchase the InnTec IUI Catheter designed by Dr. Mitchell-Leef with Reproductive Biology Associates. Choose Uni-Sem, Select IUI, TheCurve, Insemination Cannula or MiniSpace catheters from CooperSurgical.

Consider flexible intrauterine insemination catheters

Look at flexible intrauterine insemination catheters as another choice available for your practice.

I recommend: Check out the flexible-bodied Tom Cat IUI catheter sold through ZDL. Another option is the flexible cath sold by Conception Technologies.

Stay on top of IUI equipment research

Keep informed as to the latest studies on IUI equipment. Decide for yourself on the rigid vs. flexible IUI debate, keep up with the latest trade information, and learn more from various experts in the field.

I recommend: Check out "Technical aspects of intrauterine insemination catheters" by Abou-Setta, Al-Inany, Hornstein and Davis, as found in The Cochrane Library. The paper looks at evaluating if firm IUI catheters improve pregnancy outcomes over soft IUI catheters. You'll need to pay a fee to review the complete article through Wiley InterScience. The article "Intrauterine insemination catheters for assisted reproduction: a systematic review and meta-analysis" by Abou-Setta, Mansour, Al-Inany, Aboulghar, Kamal, Aboulghar and Serour can be purchased in its entirety from IngentaConnect by credit card or institutional payment account. Miller, Acres, Proctor, Higdon and Boone also look at the comparison between rigid and flexible intrauterine insemination catheters in "Flexible versus rigid intrauterine insemination catheters: A prospective, randomized, controlled study," as found through the Elsevier Article Locator.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Flexible intrauterine insemination catheters that you can preshape can help reduce patient discomfort.