Intrauterine Insemination

[HKP71]

My parter and I have been trying to conceive since February 2010. We discovered last month that my partner's sperm dies after a couple of hours due to anti-bodies destroying the sperm, so the possibility of us getting pregnant naturally is pretty remote. Luckily, the 'washing' treatment of the sperm before IUI saves the sperm.

Last month I received my first IUI treatment, but I started my period today. I'm remaining optimistic though, as it was only our first attempt. I'm feeling pretty blue, but I know it'll happen for us.

Has anybody else gone/is going through IUI?

[SlightlyBabyCrazed]

Hi.

I am waiting to start IUI - missed the past two cycles due to my cycle being altered by medication then last weekend due to the bank holiday aahhhhhhhh!

I'm sorry to hear your first round wasn't successful. I know the odds are not fantastic I was given a 5-8% success rate But I have heard lots of success stories so I am very hopeful that if we don't manage it ourselves that the exact science of IUI will help.

Are you being medicated or not?

SBC

[HKP71]

Hi SBC, many thanks for your reply.

I've got my second round of IUI tomorrow, so fingers crossed. I'm not on any medication, as all fertility tests/scans have come back that I'm okay. However, I do have to inject myself a couple of days before the IUI, which ensures that I've ovulated to correspond with the procedure. Are you on medication for fertility?

Unfortunately, the chances of me and my partner getting pregnant naturally is pretty much zilch (see first post), so we are relying pretty heavily on IUI working. I'm remaining optimistic.....

Sorry to hear that you've had to miss two cycles - bank holiday's eh, what a nuisance!

Here's hoping that we'll both be success stories. Please keep me posted as to how it all goes for you. I'll be keeping fingers and toes crossed.

[SlightlyBabyCrazed]

Hi, keep me posted - am due my first go in two weeks. FX for you!

[MrsTittleMouse]

If you want a success story, both of my DCs were conceived with IUI. :)

I found the "things aren't working but we have no idea why" stage far more stressful that the "doing something about it stage", so hopefully the worst is over for you. It took a while to get pregnant the first time around, but our doctor was happy to keep going, as long as all there were no bad results from any others tests that they did. And sure enough, it worked out.

Good luck. :)

[SlightlyBabyCrazed]

Thank you MrsTittleMouse, am just on day one again so am incrdibly pleased to hear some positive news x

[womanlytales]

Hi, I am on my second cycle of IUI - started my injections today (CD2 of cycle). I am on a medicated cycle which means that I get to take these injections every day till the first scan (typically CD9-12) and then we progress from there based on how my ovaries have responded.
I am not sure what did not work with the first cycle... so it's a case of while the treatment is on there's a definite sense of 'doing something about it..' and then comes the 2ww when you start to doubt everything and anything...
Fingers crossed for you slightly - - good to hear you have started too -- Are you on a medicated cycle? I am booked in for May 23 scan.

It's just the three of us but might help to start a list perhaps?
DoI - Day of Injection (if applicable)

WomanlyTales #2 medicated IUI, DoI1

[HKP71]

Hi all,

Sorry it's taken so long to get back on here!

I received my third IUI last Thursday (9th June), so I am currently in the 'waiting' phase, which I really hate. I'm not on a medicated cycle as I'm producing eggs regular as clockwork. I do however have one injection just before, to make sure that ovulation coincides with insemination.

I'm over the moon to hear about your success story MrsTittleMouse! Have you had your first treatment yet SlightlyBabyCrazed?

May I ask the cheeky question as to how old everybody is? I'm 39, and will be 40 in November. I spent most of my life not wanting children, first it was the career, then it was the travelling. It's only since I've become settled and happy that I've felt ready. I never in a million years though that 18 months down the line I'd still be trying to get pregnant!

XX

[womanlytales]

Hi,
My 2nd cycle of IUI did not work - so here I am waiting it out till my next period when I start my third -- fingers crossed I'll be third time lucky :)
Best of luck HKP71 - the 2ww is tough - so hope you have plenty to do and stay wonderfully distracted.
I am 35 - will be 36 in Sept.

[Cally35]

Hi HKP - best of luck with this cycle. Just a quick question - out of interest what test did you have done to find out about the antisperm problem and was it tested privately or on the nhs? Is that your antibodies attacking sperm or his?

[Cally35]

Also sorry, as probably going to go down this IUI route, how much is it or can it be done on the NHS?

[womanlytales]

We're getting it down via the NHS.

[HKP71]

Hi all,

One day to go until I know whether or not I'm pregnant. I've suffered from cramps since the IUI was done, so I don't know whether or not I've got period pains!

womanlytales - yes, I'm keeping myself busy. I've got horses, hens, sheep, cats and a fiancee to look after so my days are pretty full. Even so, it's still forever on my mind. I think my two horses are pretty fed up with my listening to my woes! Good luck with your next cycle, I'll be keeping my fingers and toes crossed for you.

Cally35 - we only found out about the antisperm problem at our first IUI. The nurse had checked the sperm before cleaning it, but happened to keep the sample. After she had done the cleaning, she took a peek at the uncleaned sample and found that most of the sperm were dead. It is my fiancee's antibodies killing the sperm. It is apparently quite a common thing to happen, it can simply be that he was kicked in his privates when he was younger, or even cycling can cause the problem to occur. It wasn't picked up a year ago when we first went through the tests simply because at the initial testing the sperm is only checked once, when it's still fresh and therefore still alive. If they had checked an hour later the problem would have been picked up. All of my treatment has been on the NHS. We were referred by our local GP when we first started trying for a baby, due to my age. We didn't wait long, I think it was only a couple of weeks before I had my first appointment at the Fertility Clinic. The nurses at the clinic have been amazing, really helpful.

p.s have you all seen the movie 'The Back-up Plan', with Jennifer Lopez? She gets pregnant using IUI and it's realistically, embarrassingly funny when she goes through the procedure.

[HKP71]

Sigh IUI number 3 - failed :(