how many iui's did you have before moving onto ivf?

I'm still not out for the month but I'm starting my research. Does anyone know if insurance companies require a certain amount of iuis before moving onto ivf? How many iuis did you have before moving on? Research keeps me sane because after 16 months I really don't have much hope left. Sometimes I just really feel like giving up but I really want a baby.

Re: how many iui's did you have before moving onto ivf?

9 iui's all BFN.

everyone's insurance is different. I had only iui coverage, no ivf.

Finally I was able to participate in a free trial and ivf number 1 worked.

I would have moved to ivf a lot sooner, probably after iui 6 or 7, but financially couldn't.

Re: how many iui's did you have before moving onto ivf?

Our insurance requires 6 iuis before ivf however depending on your diagnosis they can be waived but it's up to your RE to determine that & then your insurance to approve it

Re: how many iui's did you have before moving onto ivf?

4 (3 medicated, 1 non-medicated)
I jumped ship because I didn't think that it was worth the emotional train-wreck that I was becoming.

Also a factor: age and the danger of having another MS flare-up.

My ins doesn't have a minimum # of iui's before covering IVF.

Re: how many iui's did you have before moving onto ivf?

So far I've done 2 clomid IUIs and now I'm in my 2ww for an injectable cycle. If this doesn't work, we'll probably try 1 more IUI for a total of 4 before IVF.

My insurance company doesn't cover IVF at all so there's no minimum since I'll have to pay entirely OOP.

ETA: Most REs say you should try the same thing 3 times before moving on. So if you did Clomid this cycle, try 2 more (at the most), then try 3 injectables. Unless there are other reasons. For me, I only produced 1 follie on clomid so after the 2nd month I asked for injectables.

Message edited 5/24/2012 4:14:29 PM.

Re: how many iui's did you have before moving onto ivf?

I was going to move onto IVF after 6 IUIs. I ended up getting pregnant with the 6th.

Good luck!

Re: how many iui's did you have before moving onto ivf?

I did 6 total IUIs before moving onto IVF. I got pregnant after my 3rd but had a loss at 17wks. On my 6th IUI, I had a chemical. My insurance (GHI) actually requires 12 IUIs before moving onto IVF, but my doctor had enough medical proof to override it.

Honestly.... You've done 1 IUI..... and I think it's WAAYYYY too soon to be thinking about next steps yet. 80% of people who will get pregnant from an IUI will get pregnant in the first 3. I think you should at least give it 3 before deciding it's time to move on to something as significant as IVF. Your options with IUI are pretty broad. All you have done is clomid, right? You could use injections to increase the number of follies you produce. But really, you have to put it in perspective. An IUI has a 30% chance (AT VERY BEST) per cycle of working. You can't write off IUIs after ONE failed cycle. Also, IVF (although increases your chances) is not a guarantee.

I know you probably hate this advice and you feel like you'v been trying so long already.. but infertility treatments require a lot of patience. IVF is a big deal emotionally, financially, etc. After one IUI, (in my opinion) you should not be at all in the IVF mindset yet.

Message edited 5/24/2012 4:46:48 PM.

Re: how many iui's did you have before moving onto ivf?

Re: how many iui's did you have before moving onto ivf?

Message edited 5/24/2012 6:17:37 PM.

Re: how many iui's did you have before moving onto ivf?

I'll be honest with you because you sound a lot like me. You should definitely do at least 3 IUIs because it is basically the same as trying naturally and it may take a few times to work. This is what my doctor recommended. Once I hit 3 and had the option to continue or move on I really struggled. I did not want to continue doing something that failed three times already, but knew how huge IVF is and felt like I didn't want to jump into it too quickly.

After a lot of thought, moving on was what I chose to do. I am in the middle of my first IVF cycle and I am so happy with my choice (happy is a funny thing to say at the moment because IVF is hard and I am having some uncomfortable side effects, but nonetheless I am glad that I went with what felt right) I was always one step ahead of everything because emotionally that is how I cope with things which sounds kind of like what you are explaining. I understand completely and while some people's emotions keep them away from IVF for a while, mine led me there.

Sorry that was long, but I thought it might help. Take your time if you need, follow the steps as your doctor recommends, but don't spend any extra time on a step if it doesn't feel right for you.

Re: how many iui's did you have before moving onto ivf?

MY HONEST OPINION:

I tried for 1 year, did 9 medicated IUI's and on my 3rd IVF...We just found out after doing a DNA Fragmentation Analysis that based on the results we should have jumped to do IVF/ICSI immediately and/or considered using donor sperm.

SCSA is a semen analysis test that cost $400. thats it!!! Based on your husbnads results will determine wether or not IUI's will even work for you. Had we done this test sooner we would have saved $$$$$$ in insurance money and our insurance wouldnt have made us exhauset the 6 IUI's before going to IVF.

Its just a suggestion but in retrospect I wish I would have done this sooner then later :)

Re: how many iui's did you have before moving onto ivf?

we did a total of 8

at first our ins made u do 12 but i believe they lowered it to 6 now

we had the doc request approval bc we needed ivf