ANOTHER ?--- Diff b/t IUI and IVF?

As far as meds, procedure and cost...?

I'm just trying to figure out if DH ever agrees to this (now that we won't be insured) if we'll be able to afford it if the time comes. Also, %wise, what's the difference b/t the 2? TIA.

Please see bottom for new question.

Message edited 12/29/2007 9:38:40 AM.

Re: Diff b/t IUI and IVF?

from what i have heard iui costs approx $1500 - $3000 and ivf costs $12,000 - $15,000. I don't know exact figures, but if you do a search on here it has been discussed b4. good luck! I hope that you work it all out, you don't need the added stress.

Re: Diff b/t IUI and IVF?

My Iuis ( procedure only ) was $250. The meds were costly, insurance covered them, but they were about $2K for IUI's depending on what meds I was on. A little less maybe..

The IVF at Nsuh were I was going was about $ 20K. Added costs were for embryo storage, Sperm storage, and retrieval hospital costs, anesthesia costs ....

We received a NYS grant for the IVF for some of it, and we paid about $8-9K out of pocket total based on our income.

An iui success rate is low for anyone, usually around 12%.... IVF depends on your situation. Based on our issues, we had a 40% success rate and we did get PG.

The difference time wise between the two was staggering. The IUI's were not that hard on me physically, and so-so mentally.

The IVF was hard...It was 8-12 weeks of preparation, medications for me and for DH ( Dh's need to take antobiotics and meds for quality sperm) , testing and procedures. The amount of medication and shots triples and visits to the Dr. Triple.....

But the chances are so much higher and I wouldnt change the stress for anything based on our outcome.



ETA- it also depends on what meds your on. I used lower costing meds b/c of being on the grant, some meds cost $5,000-$7000 where others cost $3000 for a similair product.

Message edited 12/28/2007 8:57:37 PM.

Re: Diff b/t IUI and IVF?

We were told generally speaking that IUI would cost $2,000 - $3,000 out of pocket (with meds) and that ivf would cost around $12,000 out of pocket (with meds). That didnt include things like ICSI, or embryo storage (both of which we needed/used). The chances we were given were 10% for IUI and greater than 40% with IVF.

ETA - Im in NC, not sure if that would drastically change the amounts.

Message edited 12/28/2007 9:02:46 PM.

Re: Diff b/t IUI and IVF?

As far as cost is concerned, I'm not 100% sure - I think the others are right with approx. 2K for IUI vs. 15K for IVF.

As far as chances - IUI is statistically proven to increase your chances from trying naturally by anywhere from 6 - 10% whereas IVF increases your chances up to 50%.
Basically that means that the same person could take 5-8 IUI's to get PG whereas they should get PG in 2-3 IVF cycles. Plus, generally if you have PCOS, they get a good amount of eggs, so you have some to freeze and don't have to do the stim cycles continuously...you can just do FET's which are much easier on the body.

Re: Diff b/t IUI and IVF?

Does anyone know how much the meds cost for IVF vs IUI? I know for my IUI I needed 3 gonal f pens and they were $1200 each (insurance covered it and I paid $25 each). No idea how much the ovidrel should cost though. I paid $25 for that also.

I'm just trying to figure out if I should ask him for prescriptions for IUI meds or for IVF meds. I'm sure he wouldn't give me both and if he did the medical insurance might flag it and only let me fill for one procedure.

I have a feeling that IVF may very well be a route that we end up taking... it's so frustrating that none of the insurance plans that I'm being offered cover it. I may find myself back at my old job next year just for the benefits. It offered IVF totally covered for 3 cycles to be used in a lifetime. I'm so frustrated that I didn't get to take advantage of any of them.

Re: ANOTHER ?--- Diff b/t IUI and IVF?

I had nothing covered when I started doing injections, we paid about $4,000 a cycle (this included the IUI) I may be in the minority but IUI really worked for me. I got pregnant 3 out of the 4 times I did them(miscarried twice), this last cycle I dropped 4 eggs and got pregnant with twins.

I paid $100 for the Ovidrel. We did discuss going down the IVF route but my problem wasnt getting pregnant it was staying pregnant. We found out that it would of cost us between $20,000-$30,000, we werent sure if we would even get the grant.

Message edited 12/29/2007 10:04:51 AM.

Re: ANOTHER ?--- Diff b/t IUI and IVF?

its really like comparing apples to oranges. In addition to what everyone else said above...IVF has a much greater success rate, for me it was a breeze physically, just a little uncomfortable at times, but compared to IUI it is MUCH MORE taxing on your body. for example if for IUI they aim for 3 eggs, for IVF they stim you to make 15. IUI may be one shot a day, IVF could be 4 shots a day, IUI no progesterone supplements or vaginal ones, IVF intramuscular injections of progesterone daily. IUI no bed rest, IVF 3 days of bed rest, IUI 3-4 office visits, IVF 15-20 office visits.

Re: ANOTHER ?--- Diff b/t IUI and IVF?

You generally are taking about double the meds for IVF cycles, so the cost would probably be double that of an IUI cycle.

Re: ANOTHER ?--- Diff b/t IUI and IVF?

Re: ANOTHER ?--- Diff b/t IUI and IVF?

Our Meds alone for the IVF were about $6500.....And I was not on Lupron and not on Estrace which some are, and that didnt inlcude the antibiotics or the other oral meds, which I forget what they are..that was just injectables.

Message edited 12/29/2007 1:17:11 PM.

Re: ANOTHER ?--- Diff b/t IUI and IVF?

We were in your shoes about a year ago and while I can't advise you what to do (since that has to come from you and DH), I can tell you what our thought process was.

First of all, as others have said, statistically, IVF gives you the highest chance of success. That much is true. But, really, when you think about it, statisics do not equal a guarantee.

Alot of people here are undermining IUI's as a low success rate. While that is true statistically - we're living proof that it can and does work. (4th IUI - PG with twins - 4 months).

At the end of the day, you have to base your decision on what is comfortable and acceptable for YOU - not because the statistics favor one procedure over the other.

You have to ask yourself:

1. What are the exact components of your IF? Is IVF the only way to go? In our case, our issue was that she did not ovulate without injections. There was no male factor. Tubes were clear, no genetic disorders. So, we thought about it and concluded that since the only issue was getting the egg to drop - IUI was the best bet. Of the 4 IUI's we did, she got PG three times. Now, if we had miscarried this last time, then we would have done further testing on the eggs. But you really have to think long and hard before jumping to IVF, which is financially, physically and emotionally taxing.

2. Financials. If we're talking purely OOP with no insurance - a standard IUI, with meds and 2 procedures usually ran me between $3 and $4,000 a wrap. IVF - from beginning to end runs anywhere from $12 - 18,000. You need to think long and hard about the following. How many IUI's can you afford? How many IVF's can you afford. The way we saw it was that for the cost of one chance via IVF, we could do 3-4 chances via IUI. You also need to consider this - even though the stats are good - all they are are numbers. A failure hurts no matter what the circumstance. But, we always felt that as bad as it was, it would be worse with a price tag of $12 - 18,000 for a failure vs. a failure for $3 - $4,000. If the IVF failed, could you proceed further?

Again, statistics aside, it really depends on your individual case and what you feel comfortable in doing. And, if progesterone is an issue, talk to your RE. With us, they gave her progesterone suppositiories at the end of the IUI - all during the 2WW and for the first 10 weeks of the PG.

Best of luck

Re: ANOTHER ?--- Diff b/t IUI and IVF?

My IVF WITH ICSI was 8K.

ETA - I got most of my meds from friends and on freegaragesale.com so it wasn't near the 8K on meds ALONE that I was originally quoted - I think we spent about 2K.

Message edited 12/29/2007 4:07:31 PM.