Question about IUI and IVF?

How many IUI's do you have to go through before moving on to IVF. This is my 3rd IUI but first clomid cycle. I tested today 12dpo and BFN I haave my appt with my RE tomorrow morning and was thinking of asking him about this.

TIA girls

Re: Question about IUI and IVF?

it depends

My first RE wanted me to do 6 IUIs (1/2 medicated) before even considering IVF.

Hope you get your BFP!

Good luck!

Re: Question about IUI and IVF?

I did 6 before we moved to IVF, I guess it depends on what you and your RE decides.

Re: Question about IUI and IVF?

My RE is only recommending 3 cycles for us because of sperm issues.

Like the ladies above said, it depends on each individual and their situation.

Re: Question about IUI and IVF?

I am not at those stages yet IUI/IVF. I am eagerly waiting til after my surgery.

But, I have been told by women that if they would of known then what they know now......they would of gone straight to IVF. I guess their reasoning is because they have spent so much money on IUI's without a pregnancy. Are you guys going through IUI's because your insurance requires you that you have to go through the IUI's first before IVF?

I am also curious to know if anyone went straight to IVF?

Re: Question about IUI and IVF?

Unless your insurance requires a certain amount, I think it's personal preference.

If you read the book How to Get Pregnant by Dr. Silber, you will have a greater understanding of why IUIs have such a low success rate. He actually encourages natural bding over IUIs...

Re: Question about IUI and IVF?

Re: Question about IUI and IVF?

My RE suggested we do 6 before moving onto IVF. The first 3 were on clomid. He said I should stick to the same medication/protocol for 3 tries before ruling it out completely. #4 and #5 was injectables. I got my BFP on IUI#5, and the dosage of meds was signifcantly higher on cycle #5 than it was on #4.

I think I learned, as well as my RE learned what works for me and my body and what doesn't. Also...DH called the RE and screamed bloody murder after IUI#4 failed and I think that helped a little because my main RE made sure he took all my visits after that (rather than the regular on-call doctor) each morning for monitoring.

Re: Question about IUI and IVF?

Thank you girls for all your responses. I think I'm going to discuss the possibility of IVF tomorrow at my appt. I feel like these IUI's are such a waste of time and mental energy. Did it get timed right? Didn't it? So frustrating!

Re: Question about IUI and IVF?

Are IVFs timed differently? Don't they run the same risk?

Re: Question about IUI and IVF?

IuIs are done with washed sperm...washed sperm only lives for about 24 hours some Re's say even less than 24 hours.

It takes the sperm some time to travel to the tubes even when placed into the uterus. The egg only lives for about 12-24 hours. I believe they travel about one inch an hour.

Basically the timing of an IUI has to be perfect...in order for the sperm to get to the egg. If the sperm gets to the tubes before the egg is released the sperm will flow right through the tubes.

If you bd naturally, it's a whole other process because the sperm is mixed in with cervical fluid.....and can live for days.

Also with bding naturally and with IUI, although a man can have a 100 million sperm, only about 100 thousand of them make it to the tubes. The book I was reading yesterday, written ..The A.R.T of Making Babies...by Dr. Geofrey Sher, he explains how the journey is like swimming from Los Angelos to Tahiti..Only a few survive. So if count is low and motility is low,...it lessens the chance as well.

When you are dealing with IVF the sperm is placed in a petri dish with the egg...and that's how fertilization can take place or through ICSI where they are injecting the sperm directing into the egg.

Message edited 5/16/2006 5:21:58 PM.

Re: Question about IUI and IVF?

I am on my 11th IUI , maybe 12th , I lost track. My Dr suggested IVF after our 5th failed IUI but we are not finacially or mentally ready for IVF yet and we hadnt done medicated injectable IUI's yet and wanted to do them first. We will probably do this month and next IUIS and then IVF after the summer if it fails.