Blue Sky Fertility is excited to bring a new fertility treatment to the Kansas City region. Intratubal Insemination (ITI) helps shorten the long-standing gap between IUI and IVF, offering patients another option on their fertility journey.
“One of my favorite parts about ITI at Blue Sky is that this treatment was introduced to our clinic through a patient! A patient found this treatment, brought it to us asking if we knew more about it, and thus our journey to discover ITI began. At Blue Sky Fertility, patient voices matter. When our patients share unmet needs or express a desire for additional options, we listen. And when possible, we are happy to act. ITI at Blue Sky is a direct result of those conversations and our commitment to patient-centered care.”
Riley Bailie, NP, has been spearheading this treatment at our clinic and answers many of the most frequently asked questions, who ITI is for, how it works, and how it compares to IUI and IVF.
Intratubal Insemination (ITI) Explained
ITI is a more targeted and advanced form of traditional intrauterine insemination (IUI). In traditional IUI cycles, the sperm is placed into the uterus.
During ITI, sperm is placed at the opening of one or both fallopian tubes, shortening the distance they must travel to the egg and increasing the number of motile sperm reaching the fallopian tube.
The Process of ITI
The ITI process is designed with your comfort and success in mind. It is a streamlined procedure that builds upon the foundations of a standard IUI cycle.
Step 1:
The sperm sample is washed and prepared just as it would be for a traditional IUI. The goal of this step is to weed out a sperm that is dead or doesn’t move well so that only the sperm that has the best chance of reaching an egg is used for the procedure.
Step 2:
Using abdominal ultrasound guidance, an ITI catheter is gently inserted through the cervix into the uterus.
Step 3:
The tip of this specialized catheter is directed toward the intended fallopian tube, and a small balloon at the end of the catheter is inflated to help prevent backflow of sperm into the uterus. Once we have confirmed that the catheter is in the correct location, sperm is slowly deposited into the opening of the fallopian tube.
Repeat Step 3 (if needed):
The process can then be repeated on the other tube using the same catheter that is already in the uterus. This would only be done if ovulation was expected for both ovaries.
Step 4:
Once complete, the ultrasound probe and ITI catheter are removed.
“Is this right for me?”
A personalized approach ensures that each stage is designed to for your medical needs. Just like all fertility treatments, there are criteria that make some patients better candidates than others. These include:
- Moderate male factor infertility
- Unilateral tubal occlusion (where only one tube is blocked or scarred)
- Unilateral Salpingectomy (where one tube has been surgically removed)
- Unilateral Oophorectomy (a surgical procedure to remove one ovary, preserving the other)
- Donor sperm cycles
- Unexplained infertility
- Those not interested in IVF but want another option
Blue Sky Fertility has set our clinical requirements for ITI based on current research and what we believe offers patients the best possible outcomes. These two requirements are at least 1 million, post wash, total motile sperm (TMC) and at least one open fallopian tube.
Success Rates & What to Expect
As with any fertility treatment, success depends on several factors, including age, egg quality, sperm quality, and diagnosis.
Clinical research trials show that ITI generally has higher success rates than IUI. For comparison, an IUI with 3 million motile sperm can expect approximately a 3% success rate. While an ITI with the same sperm count can expect 21.5% success rate, per clinical trial data.
It is important to note that the original clinical trail excluded couples with any female factor infertility diagnosis so success statistic are based on male factor infertility alone. At Blue Sky, we are not excluding couples with a female factor infertility diagnosis as candidates. We are excited to see how our in-clinic success rates will compare to clinical trial data.
“Are there any risks?”
One of the most frequently asked questions about this procedure is, “Does this increase the risk for ectopic pregnancy?” There is no increased risk of ectopic pregnancy observed in clinical trials.
This is likely because fertilization always happens in the tubes. This treatment helps to ensure more sperm have a chance of getting there. There was also found to be no increased risk of infection, tubal damage, or uterine perforation compared to traditional IUI cycles.
ITI is a meaningful option between IUI and IVF. It could also be a reasonable starting place in certain situations and potentially shorten overall time to pregnancy.
If you or your partner is interested in trying ITI, please reach out to discuss candidacy with a Blue Sky Provider. Call our office to your schedule your consultation!
Riley began her undergraduate studies at the University of Arkansas before returning to Kansas City to complete her BSN at Graceland University, graduating in December 2019. She started her nursing career at The University of Kansas Health System in Urology and Gynecologic Oncology. In June 2023, Riley joined Blue Sky Fertility as a pre/post-procedural nurse while finishing her MSN at the University of Missouri, which she completed in December 2023. She became a full-time nurse practitioner at BSF in July 2024. Riley loves the strong sense of teamwork at BSF, the friendships she’s built, and the patients she gets to care for each day. She’s always called fertility her “dream job” and feels lucky to do such meaningful work.
