15% success rate for IUI seems very low

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:IVF is a lot of meds. Medicated IUI uses a small fraction of that amount.

This is not necessarily true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:IVF is a lot of meds. Medicated IUI uses a small fraction of that amount.

Not so in my case, at all. I believe I had two more medications with iui than Ivf. Both required multiple injections daily, as well as vaginal inserts.

[Anonymous]

Sorry, meant two more with Ivf than iui.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:15% chance with IUI is really good, OP. What did your doctor say were your chances with ivf? Even with donor egg, which has the highest chances of success, you only have a 45% chance each time.

An IUI cycle takes one month. Ivf takes two. The med doses are a lot lower on IUI and fewer injections, blood draws, and monitoring appointments. IUI is unquestionably easier.

In my opinion, doing two IUIs would be easier than one ivf, but that's super subjective.

I think the differences in docs and protocols are facinating. My Ivf took one cycle, not two. I had no idea anyone did Ivf cycles that took two months. What do they do during the first month? I had almost identical meds and my schedule of appts were the same, except for one single visit.

[Anonymous]

I think most people start an IVF cycle with BCP, so that adds time. When I did a fresh transfer, it was about two months between starting BCP and beta day. Then going immediately to an FET, it was another two months till my next beta. I got the impression my protocols were pretty standard for SG.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Should add my iuis were very expensive, just around 10,000 each due to the amount of meds I required. However, my insurance didn't cap on the amount just simply covered three iuis and all required meds/testing/scans. So financially, it's not always a cheap option.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Should add my iuis were very expensive, just around 10,000 each due to the amount of meds I required. However, my insurance didn't cap on the amount just simply covered three iuis and all required meds/testing/scans. So financially, it's not always a cheap option.

+2 That's a lot of meds. I'm going to guess that none of your IUIs were successful?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:IVF is a lot of meds. Medicated IUI uses a small fraction of that amount.

Not so in my case, at all. I believe I had two more medications with iui than Ivf. Both required multiple injections daily, as well as vaginal inserts.

what did you have as extra meds?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Should add my iuis were very expensive, just around 10,000 each due to the amount of meds I required. However, my insurance didn't cap on the amount just simply covered three iuis and all required meds/testing/scans. So financially, it's not always a cheap option.

+2 That's a lot of meds. I'm going to guess that none of your IUIs were successful?

They were not, but my first Ivf was successful at age 41. Yup, I need a lot if meds to rev up my system and to have follicles ready before my endo layer gets too thick. I'm incredibly laid back and always joke that there is no reason my ovaries wouldn't be chill, too.

The two extra meds were progesterone shots for 12 weeks and synthroid. No thyroid issues, all in normal range, but they wanted it super low. So no big changes in protocol at all. All my cycles were nearly identical, except for retrieval.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Should add my iuis were very expensive, just around 10,000 each due to the amount of meds I required. However, my insurance didn't cap on the amount just simply covered three iuis and all required meds/testing/scans. So financially, it's not always a cheap option.

+2 That's a lot of meds. I'm going to guess that none of your IUIs were successful?

They were not, but my first Ivf was successful at age 41. Yup, I need a lot if meds to rev up my system and to have follicles ready before my endo layer gets too thick. I'm incredibly laid back and always joke that there is no reason my ovaries wouldn't be chill, too.

The two extra meds were progesterone shots for 12 weeks and synthroid. No thyroid issues, all in normal range, but they wanted it super low. So no big changes in protocol at all. All my cycles were nearly identical, except for retrieval.

Why would you be trying to produce the same number of eggs for your IUI as for your IVF? If a doctor aimed to get you more than 3 follicles for an IUI, that is basically malpractice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Should add my iuis were very expensive, just around 10,000 each due to the amount of meds I required. However, my insurance didn't cap on the amount just simply covered three iuis and all required meds/testing/scans. So financially, it's not always a cheap option.

+2 That's a lot of meds. I'm going to guess that none of your IUIs were successful?

They were not, but my first Ivf was successful at age 41. Yup, I need a lot if meds to rev up my system and to have follicles ready before my endo layer gets too thick. I'm incredibly laid back and always joke that there is no reason my ovaries wouldn't be chill, too.

The two extra meds were progesterone shots for 12 weeks and synthroid. No thyroid issues, all in normal range, but they wanted it super low. So no big changes in protocol at all. All my cycles were nearly identical, except for retrieval.

Why would you be trying to produce the same number of eggs for your IUI as for your IVF? If a doctor aimed to get you more than 3 follicles for an IUI, that is basically malpractice.

I grow long and slow. My Ivf cycle was a few days longer than my iui, which allowed a few more to grow. I always had 3-4 follies for my iuis, and had 7 at retrieval. Three fertilized and all transferred at day five.

[Anonymous]

My RE said IUI might not work for us (unexplained), but my insurance mandated 3 rounds of IUI first. We assumed we were going to need to go to IVF but my first IUI worked. It is a crapshoot....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Should add my iuis were very expensive, just around 10,000 each due to the amount of meds I required. However, my insurance didn't cap on the amount just simply covered three iuis and all required meds/testing/scans. So financially, it's not always a cheap option.

+2 That's a lot of meds. I'm going to guess that none of your IUIs were successful?

They were not, but my first Ivf was successful at age 41. Yup, I need a lot if meds to rev up my system and to have follicles ready before my endo layer gets too thick. I'm incredibly laid back and always joke that there is no reason my ovaries wouldn't be chill, too.

The two extra meds were progesterone shots for 12 weeks and synthroid. No thyroid issues, all in normal range, but they wanted it super low. So no big changes in protocol at all. All my cycles were nearly identical, except for retrieval.

Why would you be trying to produce the same number of eggs for your IUI as for your IVF? If a doctor aimed to get you more than 3 follicles for an IUI, that is basically malpractice.

I grow long and slow. My Ivf cycle was a few days longer than my iui, which allowed a few more to grow. I always had 3-4 follies for my iuis, and had 7 at retrieval. Three fertilized and all transferred at day five.

I am kind of shocked your RE was comfortable doing an IUI with four follicles:/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Should add my iuis were very expensive, just around 10,000 each due to the amount of meds I required. However, my insurance didn't cap on the amount just simply covered three iuis and all required meds/testing/scans. So financially, it's not always a cheap option.

+2 That's a lot of meds. I'm going to guess that none of your IUIs were successful?

They were not, but my first Ivf was successful at age 41. Yup, I need a lot if meds to rev up my system and to have follicles ready before my endo layer gets too thick. I'm incredibly laid back and always joke that there is no reason my ovaries wouldn't be chill, too.

The two extra meds were progesterone shots for 12 weeks and synthroid. No thyroid issues, all in normal range, but they wanted it super low. So no big changes in protocol at all. All my cycles were nearly identical, except for retrieval.

Why would you be trying to produce the same number of eggs for your IUI as for your IVF? If a doctor aimed to get you more than 3 follicles for an IUI, that is basically malpractice.

I grow long and slow. My Ivf cycle was a few days longer than my iui, which allowed a few more to grow. I always had 3-4 follies for my iuis, and had 7 at retrieval. Three fertilized and all transferred at day five.

I am kind of shocked your RE was comfortable doing an IUI with four follicles:/

He was and was willing to transfer up to four, based on my hx. He reviewed any related concerns. In fact, overall I'd techincally have more than 3-4 for the iuis but one tube is destroyed. That was counting one side only.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:IVF is a lot of meds. Medicated IUI uses a small fraction of that amount.

This is not necessarily true.

Yes, it is true. You may have used similar combo of meds, but trust me, the dosages are vastly higher in IVF. To the tune of 3 900 unit vials of Follistim/Gonal AND 15+ vials of Menopur AND 5 syringes of Cetrotide/Ganilerix all this before the trigger injection.
I am not even talking about lupron and additional meds for those doing an immune protocol (antibiotics, steroid and blood thinner shots).

FYI everybody uses progesterone after transfer in IVF/FET, either as inserts or injections + estrogen pills.