IUI OR IVF? Please help

[LondonT2202]

Hi everyone

I'm new here so hello! I'd love some advice. In short my husband and I have been trying for a baby for three years without success. We went tons fertility clinic at the end of last year and both had all the tests done (including hycosy -ouch!) and were told everything is fine. But......it's still not happening!!

The doctor has now said we should consider either IUI or IVF. Emotionally we are worried about IVF as it seems so final and serious (and the the cost is huge as we want to go private) but I've also heard people say IUI is a waste of time and it's better to just go straight to IVF.

Would love some advice on this.

Also I am a COMPLETE WIMP when it comes to pain so if anyone can let me know how painful IUI and IVF is that would be great (honest answers greatly appreciated here.... I'm one of those women who would rather be prepared!!!!

Tank you x

I know 3 ladies who've conceived with IUI so they haven't needed to have ivf.Probably worth a shot if the clinic recommend it first???I don't have any first hand experience of either though. ??Best of luck.

Look at the data for the clinic you would be going to. See what the difference in success is between the two treatments. Personally we never even considered IUI as the results were so crap that our clinic didn't offer it as a treatment.

Re pain and IVF you have to self inject drugs, and I had egg collection under sedation so I didn't feel a thing.

Hi. We weren't offered IUI as we were told the only thing that would work for us was ICSI. We have just had our first try (self funded) which sadly didn't work, but I just wanted to say it's really not that bad! If you end up doing it be reassured it's actually ok and over before you know it. The worst part of the whole thing is the 2ww! Good luck x

Hello, have you the option of nhs? I am currently doing icsi on nhs, I had 3 shots of iui offered on nhs then 2 shots of icsi. I have pcos and kept over responding to iui so has like 3 cancelled as I had too many follicles. Eventually went through with 1 iui and it failed.

Something worth thinking about is if you both have no issues and have been trying for 3 years and it's not happened is iui likely to work. Even though I have pcos tests show I was ovulating and we have no male issues so it seems the egg and sperm just weren't meeting or implanting. (Currently have 9 fertilised eggs in lab just now through icsi) so for me obviously icsi is the best option.

If you have the funds to do iui first then on to Ivf if it fails then you could go for that. As others have said have a look at the stats of the clinic and a good chat with your doctor. Iui is far less invasive than ivf, but to me that doesn't matter,(I'd do anything)

As for pain I had to inject with iui and Ivf, only difference I find so far was the egg collection. I was sedated so don't remember a thing but have been sore and crampy the days after. This is just my experience of it all as others have said people do concieve with iui. Good luck.

Just reading back on your comment I personally found the hycosy the most painful part!!

We've just had three failed IUI attempts and it's now been suggested that I could have endometriosis and that's why IUI hadnt worked as the success rates are actually good with unexplained infertility. I'm really angry that endometriosis wasn't ruled out before we started (I'm 40) - if is known we'd have gone straight to IVF. I was pretty naive about all of it, didn't do much research (didn't really want to think about/accept it).
So I would say - do as much research as you can and be pushy with the doctors - (if I do have endometriosis IUI was probably not the right thing for us but, like you, I was worried about IVF because of the invasiveness etc,).

IUI is a waste of time for unexplained infertility. Chances of it working are just the same as having sex. We went straight to IVF (now 31 weeks pregnant on 1st attempt).

IVF - for me - wasn't the horror show I had built it up to be. Hycosy is about as uncomfortable as any of the related procedures are likely to get.

Just had a look at my clinic's data for IUI - I really have no idea why anyone bothers with it. If you consider that on any given cycle, you have a 20% shot at successful conception, then this is just woeful -

guide.hfea.gov.uk/guide/HeadlineData.aspx?code=44&s=p&pv=SW1A2EG&d=1.3&nav=2&rate=u&rate_sub=STIM

Wow tootsiepops - I can't believe how low those stats are!!!!!

Heidiwine - look on the positive side- at least you now know what the problem could be so the doors can now do the best they can to get you pregnsnt. I agree, it's awful they didn't find it out earlier. It must be so stressful for you

Thank you everyone else for your kind words. I'm going to get an appointment with my doc and really talk through the options.

For those of you who have had IUI, is it painful? My hycosy was TERRIBLE but I think it's bc of the baloon (which I don't think they use in an IUI?)

The actual iui procedure was fine just like a smear, from what I remember only took a few mins. The hycosy was far worse for me. Any procedure I've had since then is nothing compared to the hycosy.

Op how old are you? If you're more than in your early 30s seriously don't waste your time with IUI. IVF is a game of diminishing returns and the sooner you get to a good clinic with reliable high success rates, the better.

I think a 40 year old having IUI is disgraceful, and previous poster I'm angry on your behalf x