Are multiple IUIs as effective as one IVF?

[Anonymous]

We also did ICSI. At SG my doctor recommended it, actually when we had our 2nd consultation he had written ICSI in our plan. I think it's more routine these days because you want the highest possible success rate, especially when you are already here forking out all this $$.

It's not just for male factor infertility. I have low ovarian reserve @ age 36, and my husband's sperm results came back normal (not the BEST, but normal).
I have heard even in normal looking sperm, there are times where the sperm cannot fertilize the egg. Especially as you age, your eggs outer shell become tougher. So to maximize your chance, ICSI (taking the BEST sperm) makes certain the sperm reaches the egg for chance for fertilization.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In your scenario, I would guess the biggest drawback with multiple IUIs is time -- IUI doesn't work all that well (especially if you have male factor problems, which I'm guessing you do because ICSI?). So you could just cut to the chase and do DE now, versus waiting 6 months to do several cycles of IUI.

OP here. We have no male factor issues. The only issues are with me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In your scenario, I would guess the biggest drawback with multiple IUIs is time -- IUI doesn't work all that well (especially if you have male factor problems, which I'm guessing you do because ICSI?). So you could just cut to the chase and do DE now, versus waiting 6 months to do several cycles of IUI.

OP here. We have no male factor issues. The only issues are with me.

Whoops, sorry -- ICSI was recommended to us specifically because of my husband's low sperm count, I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions.

[Anonymous]

I still don't see the problem with ICSI. Are you afraid it will damage the eggs somehow, or do you just want to avoid the cost?

If you do PGS, they'll do PICSI anyway.

[Anonymous]

My doctor told me it's about a 12-14% chance I'll get pregnant in an IUI cycle and about 45-50% chance in an IVF cycle. So in theory enough IUIs should be about the same chance as an IVF. More if you're doing IUI and injectables I'm guessing (we have too high a risk for multiples so wouldn't do that). But my understanding is there are some conditions that are hard to identify (such as endometriosis) for which IVF is just a better method.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My doctor told me it's about a 12-14% chance I'll get pregnant in an IUI cycle and about 45-50% chance in an IVF cycle. So in theory enough IUIs should be about the same chance as an IVF. More if you're doing IUI and injectables I'm guessing (we have too high a risk for multiples so wouldn't do that). But my understanding is there are some conditions that are hard to identify (such as endometriosis) for which IVF is just a better method.

Each attempt has those chances. Doing 3-4 IUIs would not equal the IVF percentage because each new attempt reverts back to the same percentage. This was how it was explained to us. We did 7 IUIs. 3 natural and 4 medicated before moving on to IVF. Best of luck OP!

[Anonymous]

From what I read, after 3-4 IUIs, you have about a 45-50% change of being pregnant, so similar to one IVF cycle. If the 3-4 did not work, IUI is most likely not going to work for you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My doctor told me it's about a 12-14% chance I'll get pregnant in an IUI cycle and about 45-50% chance in an IVF cycle. So in theory enough IUIs should be about the same chance as an IVF. More if you're doing IUI and injectables I'm guessing (we have too high a risk for multiples so wouldn't do that). But my understanding is there are some conditions that are hard to identify (such as endometriosis) for which IVF is just a better method.

Each attempt has those chances. Doing 3-4 IUIs would not equal the IVF percentage because each new attempt reverts back to the same percentage. This was how it was explained to us. We did 7 IUIs. 3 natural and 4 medicated before moving on to IVF. Best of luck OP!

whoever explained this to you does not understand probability. before all those cycles start, probability of several IUIs equals that of a single IVF. after failing IUI the probability is lower... but if you fail your one IVF the probability drops to zero while you might still have a few IUIs left.

the point is, unless you have some issue that makes odds of IUI lower, several IUIs does equal a single IVF.

as for me, i had both kids through IUI.

[Anonymous]

You can use a calculator like this to examine this question: http://www.calctool.org/CALC/math/probability/3_events

I plugged in a 15% chance of each IUI succeeding for three IUIs. The result was a 38.6% chance of at least one of the three succeeding. Compare that to whatever odds you were given for IVF.