Shady Grove - How Many IUI before IVF?

[Anonymous]

I'm wondering if anyone can share experiences regarding Shady Grove and how many IUIs they normally will do before recommending you move to IVF? I'm sure it varies, but am still curious to see what people have done/been told.

By way of background, I'm 34 (will be 35 a month from today) and this is my second Clomid/Ovidrel/IUI cycle. The first I was on 50 mg of Clomid and only produced 1 follicle, and that was obviously a BFN. I'm on 100 mg of Clomid this month and go for CD12 monitoring tomorrow. We are so far unexplained although DH's post-wash count at our first IUI was only 4.1 million and his morphology at his last sperm analysis was only 6% (but they termed it 'normal' because his count had been high). I have also been doing acupuncture and TCM/herbs since January with no success.

[Anonymous]

I did 3 clomid IUIs at another clinic and then went straight to IVF w/SG. We skipped IUIs with injectibles because we really want to avoid having twins, otherwise I think our RE would have suggested that. I am 32 and in a similar situation to you -- unexplained IF, but with some morphology issues (although we were also told that b/c of the high sperm count we shouldn't worry about it). If you want to go to IVF, my guess is that they would let you. I think the biggest question is whether to to do IUI w/injectibles. This study migt be of interest www.slate.com/id/2178377

Good luck!!!

[Anonymous]

I did one clomid 100mg/IUI cycle and one gonal-f/IUI cycle w/SG. Unfortunately, neither IUI worked for us. Right now we are leaning towards IVF since the success rates are so much higher than IUI, and since my body responded so well to the gonal-f (which is what they will use for the IVF cycle). I want to be on as few drugs as possible, while embarking on this journey. I am 31, with unexplained infertility. I am also doing acupuncture and herbs.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

I am in the middle of IUI #4 at SG with Clomid + injectibles. I will most probably move to IVF if we don't succeedd after IUI #6. My MD was willing for me to do this many IUIs because it took six IUIs in the past to conceive my DS.

[Anonymous]

We did three IUIs at Dominion and then moved to IVF. We got lucky the with the first IVF. I'm a bit older so IUI was kind of a long shot. Trust your instincts and be your own advocate with your doctors. I've seen too many friends waste a lot of $ on multiple IUIs. Good luck.

[Anonymous]

16:00 - did IVF work for you?

[Anonymous]

I did 3 IUIs and the doctor gave us an option of trying up to three more or going straight to IVF. We opted for IVF and it worked the first time.

[Anonymous]

Op, I know you didn't ask about MFI but your history reminds me of my own.... my husband's tests always came back normal because he had to abstain 3 days before providing the sample. Well, for my first IUI SHADY Grove told us to have timmed intercourse on trigger night (about 36hrs before IUI) and when was time to provide the sample for the IUI he was able to provide only 2.1 million.

It failed of course... next cycle we were told to NOT have timmed intercourse and actually abstain for 3 days before IUI and it worked It ended in m/c due to some chromossomal abnormality and after waiting 2 months I had my 3rd IUI cycle when we did the same thing as previous (abstain before) and also worked. Now I am just waiting to get out of the 1st trimester hell.

[Anonymous]

We did one IUI and decided to move straight to IVF after it didn't work. I am really glad we did as it turned out we had a fertilization problem (learned with IVF #1 - something we never would have learned with IUI). We did ICSI with #2 and got pregnant.

[Anonymous]

OP here - thanks for all of the answers! Seems like it's very varied ... from 1 to 6! We had #2 yesterday and, as if the poster from 6/27 at 12:27 said, we abstained and his count was over 6 TIMES as high - 26.1 million. So needless to say I'm feeling a little bit better, and I hope that I am joining you in first trimester hell (which I'd give my right leg for) soon. Still thinking that 3 IUIs and I may be ready to move on, but am glad we don't necessarily have to do that because of MFI issues.

[Anonymous]

Good luck OP! I'm 34 and my first IUI (clomid 50mg/gonal-f/ovidrel) worked for me and DH's count was about 8 million. And we're only having 1... produced 3 follicles and I was worried I'd have triplets in there!

[Anonymous]

I am single and was 40 when I started trying to conceive via IUI and no drugs. I did two cycles with my sperm bank, and they suggested I see a repro. specialist to get checked out in case there were issues associated with my age. i then started seeing Dr. Widra @ Shady Grove. He recommended a total of 6 attempts, so I did 4 more tries all unsuccessfully. At the end of the 6th try, I ran into a friend who was pregnant via IVF who suggested that I try that next rather than continuing on to IUI and drugs. Dr. Widra was fine with that, and I got pregnant on my first IVF attempt. DS is 14 months and thriving. GL OP!!

[Anonymous]

My issue is a little different- 33yo, two blocked tubes and DH is perfect. We tried one IUI cycle with Clomid and Gonal-F with Dr. Widra at Shady Grove ended in an ectopic pregnancy. Dr. did not suggest nor did we want to do anymore IUIs. Went to first IVF cycle and got a BFP...now in the first trimester anxiety but happy we went to IVF. Dr. Widra seemedn completely open though initially to us trying IVF from jump...we just tried less invasive first but knew we would only do one round of IUI given my blocked tubes or semi blocked tubes.