Tell me about IUIs?

[Anonymous]

In general, IUIs are a young person’s game. Expect low percentage of success given your background. If you’re totally anti IVF you could always do IUI but be prepared it is often a crap shoot, age aside.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I got pregnant with my son after my first and only IUI. I’d had several miscarriages previously so my RE had me take clomid first and then the IUI before ovulation. A shot to induce ovulation and progesterone after until 12 weeks. It was very easy and didn’t involve too much work. Good luck.

My experience was simiar to this. I got pregnant on my second IUI (but miscarried early) and again on my third IUI (twins - beware of that risk with IUI).

NP - thanks, I was not aware of that.

As far as what actually happens in a standard IUI can you describe it a little more? How much leave time from work does it take? What about medications if it’s my husband and not using an anonymous donor?

I'm the PP you quoted. I guess I should clarify, risk of multiples is higher when you're doing medicated IUI (I was on Letrozole, some do Clomid, I was told Letrozole was lower risk for multiples). The meds stimulate egg production, and then they just shoot the sperm up there, so - these things can happen. REs try to prevent multiples and they monitor follicle growth via ultrasound and most wouldn't do an IUI if it looked like a risk of high order multiples, but it's an increased risk for sure. I didn't end up trying for a 3rd after my twins, but I always said I would not to IUI in that situation becuase I didn't want to risk #3 becoming #3 & 4.

There was minimal leave required - daily monitoring appointments when you're ovulating (so about 5? mornings per month, I did these before work) and then you come in for a super quick procedure where they do the IUI (less than a half an hour, all-in). You may have to give yourself a trigger shot the day before, but that was my only injection and it was just once/cycle. They'll either have your partner come in at a scheduled time to do his part, or you can also choose to freeze (we did this bc my DH was traveling a lot for work at the time).

Thanks! We are both short on leave time; the other issue is child care since we don’t have family in the area. The trigger shot is not a major issue (and of course worth it if it works).

I feel like scheduling might be the tricky part because - ideally - would prefer to avoid the freezing option. I know they will probably say it has no effect on fertility but would rather not risk it.

Freezing sperm definitely has an effect on fertilizer! I’m the donor sperm PP so I’m kind of obsessively aware of the differences: fresh sperm can live up to 5 days within you (so if the IUI is on the earlier side wrt your ovulation there’s still a chance of fertilization) whereas frozen sperm on lasts 24 hours so it‘S very important to get the timing right. I haven’t been involved in the make side of things but if you’re doing IUIs with a big clinic you should be able to work around it with minimal PTO/impact to childcare. Unless your workday starts very early monitoring appointments will be before work, so you’ll have to take a few hours for the insemination and that should be when your children are with your normal childcare. The challenge there is you can’t schedule it for work so you’ll have to take it as unexpected sick time. I fully confess I didn’t want to tell my office I was doing fertility treatments so I just lied and said I had a migraine when it came up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I got pregnant with my son after my first and only IUI. I’d had several miscarriages previously so my RE had me take clomid first and then the IUI before ovulation. A shot to induce ovulation and progesterone after until 12 weeks. It was very easy and didn’t involve too much work. Good luck.

My experience was simiar to this. I got pregnant on my second IUI (but miscarried early) and again on my third IUI (twins - beware of that risk with IUI).

NP - thanks, I was not aware of that.

As far as what actually happens in a standard IUI can you describe it a little more? How much leave time from work does it take? What about medications if it’s my husband and not using an anonymous donor?

I'm the PP you quoted. I guess I should clarify, risk of multiples is higher when you're doing medicated IUI (I was on Letrozole, some do Clomid, I was told Letrozole was lower risk for multiples). The meds stimulate egg production, and then they just shoot the sperm up there, so - these things can happen. REs try to prevent multiples and they monitor follicle growth via ultrasound and most wouldn't do an IUI if it looked like a risk of high order multiples, but it's an increased risk for sure. I didn't end up trying for a 3rd after my twins, but I always said I would not to IUI in that situation becuase I didn't want to risk #3 becoming #3 & 4.

There was minimal leave required - daily monitoring appointments when you're ovulating (so about 5? mornings per month, I did these before work) and then you come in for a super quick procedure where they do the IUI (less than a half an hour, all-in). You may have to give yourself a trigger shot the day before, but that was my only injection and it was just once/cycle. They'll either have your partner come in at a scheduled time to do his part, or you can also choose to freeze (we did this bc my DH was traveling a lot for work at the time).

Thanks! We are both short on leave time; the other issue is child care since we don’t have family in the area. The trigger shot is not a major issue (and of course worth it if it works).

I feel like scheduling might be the tricky part because - ideally - would prefer to avoid the freezing option. I know they will probably say it has no effect on fertility but would rather not risk it.

Freezing sperm definitely has an effect on fertilizer! I’m the donor sperm PP so I’m kind of obsessively aware of the differences: fresh sperm can live up to 5 days within you (so if the IUI is on the earlier side wrt your ovulation there’s still a chance of fertilization) whereas frozen sperm on lasts 24 hours so it‘S very important to get the timing right. I haven’t been involved in the make side of things but if you’re doing IUIs with a big clinic you should be able to work around it with minimal PTO/impact to childcare. Unless your workday starts very early monitoring appointments will be before work, so you’ll have to take a few hours for the insemination and that should be when your children are with your normal childcare. The challenge there is you can’t schedule it for work so you’ll have to take it as unexpected sick time. I fully confess I didn’t want to tell my office I was doing fertility treatments so I just lied and said I had a migraine when it came up.

I also didn’t want to tell my supervisor, who was difficult when people could call out, but my PCP was kind enough to write a generic “X is undergoing treatment that will require half day work absences. If you have any questions please reach out.” PCP assured me that if anyone called they would just confirm I’m under a doctor’s treatment.

[Anonymous]

I was successful on my fourth IUI when I was 33. I did not use any hormones, but on the last successful try I used a "trigger shot" that's supposed to induce ovulation. I also went in for ultrasound monitoring I think every few days in the lead up so they could get a sense of how close I was to ovulating. In addition, I read the book "It Starts with the Egg" and took about every recommended supplement in the book.

[Anonymous]

You don’t really have anything to lose except time and money and your emotional investment. However if the next step we’re to be ivf, I wouldn’t bother with an IUI

[Anonymous]

I did 6 IUIs with Clomid and all we’re unsuccessful.

So I’m not a huge fan. It’s worth a try, because some people do conceive doing it.

Clomid gave me crazy hot flashes, but that was my only really noticeable side effect.

[Anonymous]

Huge waste of emotional investment for me. It was basically the same as IVF but didn’t work. I did three rounds. The clomid thinned my lining and had to take a month off. What’s your Amh?