# IUI or IVF



## doodle (May 16, 2005)

Hello,
I could really do with someone else's opinion!
I've just had my first unsuccessful IUI with injectables. Now I'm wondering, should I stay with IUI or move to IVF? I live in Cairo at the moment and the cost of treatment is about a tenth of the cost in England. I wouldn't be able to afford IVF back home, so should I go for it now while I've got the chance? I won't be here indefinately so should I go for it or stick with the less agressive IUI/injectables?

Doodle x


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## CM01 (Jan 4, 2006)

Hi Doodle,
I'm not an expert, but just wanted to say hi!
You don't say what your infertility is, so it's hard to say what you should do, but I think I would be taking advantage of the low costs & going for IVF if my consultant recommended it.
Good luck, whatever you decide,
xx Clare


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## doodle (May 16, 2005)

Thanks Clare,
I'm 34. I don't ovulate and have PCOS. We've tried 3 months of clomid, 1 month of injectables with timed intercourse and one month of injectables with IUI. 
I know that 3-6 IUI's are recommended before moving on, but I wonder if that's for medical or financial reasons. I'm worried that we'll leave before the IUI's are over and will 'miss the boat'. On the other hand I'm nervous about moving on to IVF if the treatment is unnecessarily aggressive. Don't know what to do for the best. I can afford IVF now. Should I go for it while I've got the chance?
I know that no-one can tell me what to do, but I'd appreciate anyones thoughts or ideas. 
Doodle x


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## CM01 (Jan 4, 2006)

In that case I'd definitely do it - how much is an IVF cycle in Cairo?
xx


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## doodle (May 16, 2005)

Hi Clare,
I'm not sure about the exact cost. To give you an idea of prices, my laproscopy and ovarian cyst removal operation cost £400. The round of injectables with timed intercourse was £50 (including scans and drugs) and the last round of injectables, scans and iui was £120. I'm estimating it'll be around £300-500 for IVF, but I'll find out for sure on Tuesday. 
I'm still concerned about the stress it'll put my body through though (at bit like having plastic surgery when you don't need it). 
Doodle x


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## bluebelle (Apr 26, 2005)

Hi Doodles
Personally, I would go for the IVF.  I wasted £3K on 2 sessions of IUI which didnt work for me, but IVF worked first time round.
With hindsight I sometimes wonder what would have happened if I'd gone for IVF first.  Would I have been a mother sooner?
In the end you've got to do what feels right for you though.

love Bluebelle xxx


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## londonlou (Mar 4, 2005)

Hi Doodle - difficult one. Sorry for your failed cycle. I know some of my FF who moved on to IVF from IUI were glad they did it this way because their IVF cycles were based on how they'd responded to meds during the IUI cycles. Just a thing to consider. Also, if each IUI cycle is around 15-18% then I think this is why they like you to have 3-4 shots at it. But if money is an issue, maybe I'd go for the IVF. I'm about to make the same decision myself. I'm on my 4th IUI. But this last one has been totally different. I don't even count the first 3 as real goes as the hospital let me go ahead with super thin lining. I'm about to decide to do natural ivf. That's IVF with no or low stims. Lower success rate, but cheaper and you can do cycles back to back and not have to recover from drugs. I worked out that a cycle costs the same as a medicated IUI. We have a thread on it here:
http://www.fertilityfriends.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,41397.0.html

Good luck!

Lou
x


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## camsmum (Jan 9, 2004)

Hi there, I am no expert either and it depends on your circumstaces of course but I would have liked to try iui. Our situation meant that we had togo straight to icsi....I'm not complaining because i got a bfp my first time but I would have liked a chance at iui as it is far less invasive. 

I'd definately opt for getting as much done as possible over there if the costs are lower though!

Sorry I'm not helping really but I wish you luck in whatever you decide to do!

camsmum


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