Q: What can be done for Cervical Stenosis and Intrauterine Insemination (IUI)?
A: Cervical stenosis is a narrowing of the cervical canal which can make it difficult for the doctor to insert the catheter and carry out IUI. This can sometimes happen after an infection or after surgical procedures on the cervix.
When cervical stenosis makes it impossible to thread the catheter through the cervix, surgery can be done to dilate, or open up, the cervix. This procedure can be done as an outpatient, usually with local or regional anesthesia. For most women with cervical stenosis, cervical dilation usually allows IUI to be performed without difficulty. It involves the dilatation of the cervix with a series of metal dilators. Each one is slightly larger than the previous one. This procedure gradually stretches open the cervical canal. Complications of the procedure are rare, and may include perforation of the uterus or re-closing of the cervical opening.