Hello ladies (it's me again, sorry about all the questions today!)

We have been given a 4% chance of conceiving naturally each month, so we are considering assisted conception. Our doc has said we would go up to 15% with IUI and up to 30% with IVF.

My question is this : as we are self financing and IUI seems to work out at a little under half the cost of IVF, would anyone definitely say go for IUI over IVF? I am concerned not to waste any more time (and money) and obviously want to go for the highest odds, but IVF is SOOOOOO expensive.

My head is spinning :eek: any advice/opinions welcomed

TB :wave:

I'm not sure about IUI, I never had that done. But I'm about to start my first IVF cycle next week (with ICSI) which was the only recommendation becasue of my DH's SAs. (Luckily for me, my insurance picks up the tab.)

But for you, I would weigh out the pros and cons for each one financially and statistically. Let's say you go through at least 2 IUIs that are both unsuccessful. You could have had one successful IVF done in the mean time. Then if you switch to IVF at that point, you would be paying double the money or more if you're still trying. In the worst case scenerio, you may need more than one IVF, (I knew a co-worker whose daughter needed 7! :eek: ). Or, in the best case scenerio, you may be successful at the very first try of IUI :bouncing: and not have to spend any more money, at least, not until the little one(s) is/are born!!

But the bottom line is, since the mysteries of our bodies, pregnancies and miscarraiges still elude us, there is no way of knowing how and when you'll be successful, even with your odds. I guess it does depend on how deep your pockets are too. Personally, if money wasn't a big issue, I would go with IVF, the one that gives you better odds. I hope this helps! :angel:

My doctor gave me similar odds with IUI...10%. I was excited...until I learned that it was a 10% chance over 4 tries.
My friend just did 3 IUIs with no luck. I think IUI are most sucessful when it's strictly a motility or CM problem. We're dealing with motility, morphology and DNA fragmentation...so we're not going to try IUI.
I don't know if that helps your decision. Do your challenges rest with you or your partner? I know IVF with ICSI gives the best odds...but it's $12000 (in Canada, I don't know where you are) so it's a big decision. I was supposed to start on Feb. 7 but chickened out. My husband just had varicocele surgery and I'm hoping that'll be our ticket.
Sigh. I hate having to think about all this stuff, don't you?

We tried IUI and it didn't work. For me, it was pretty expensive cause I needed a lot of drugs to get my follicles to the right size and the total was around $2500. IVF will be around $10,000. Looking back, I wish I had skipped my IUI and gone for the IVF right away.
PS I am 35 with secondary infertility, dh is fine, I just do not have a period for an unexplained reason...

I do hate having to make such important decisions - its so hard and there is no right or wrong! And there is so much at stake. My head is so full of questions/doubts/what ifs I think I might go mad.

We are unexplained fertility too and DH SA was good, so maybe IUI isn't the way to go for us.

Who knows? Certainly not me at the moment :eek: :eek:

TB :wave: