# Two failed IUIs and shorter cycles



## violeta (Aug 28, 2014)

Hi all,

Yesterday AF arrived, signifying the second failed IUI cycle. We did everything right - DTD 48 hours before insemination and 24 hours afterwards in order to cover it, I barely touched alcohol, exercised, did yoga and meditation in a bid to relax - everything aside from things like acupuncture. But no luck. I'm feeling really down about it but better than yesterday (CD1 is always the worst).

Two questions - should I be asking to go straight to IVF now? If two IUIs haven't worked then I don't see why a third one will, I'm finding it incredibly difficult to keep the faith. Background: all my blood work and HSG tests were fine. Every time I'm in for a scan, everything is in order and I'm responding to the meds like they want. Husband had low sperm count and low morphology/motility - count has now improved massively since December but they haven't told us about morphology and motility. But it was male factor infertility.

Secondly, my cycles since starting IUI have gone from 27 days to 25. This gives me an LP of 10 days as opposed to 12 like previous - is this something I should be concerned about? I mentioned it to the clinic last time but they said they weren't worried because my blood work was fine. But when I had my bloods done it was when I was on a 27 day cycle. I'm assuming it's the meds but I'm concerned it's shortening my LP.

Any advice would be great. TIA. x


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## cinnamon75 (Jan 13, 2014)

Hi Violeta,

I'm sorry I don't have any advice with regards to your shortened cycle. What CD have you been having the IUI? As far as I know it takes 12-14 days after ovulation for an 'average' LP and if you are ovulating earlier as your follicles are growing nice and quickly, then this would still sound about right to me. I'm no expert though and am learning as I go along... I didn't even know what an LP, Af or a BFP was until I started out on this journey!  

As for trying again with IUI or going straight to IVF, that is such a personal choice. I know it's one that I have been asking lately too. Personally I feel that every time I do IUI the odds gets better and as my CCG are offering me four funded IUI and only one IVF, I think I want to take all the chances I can get even if there are small. Like you, my DP is the one with the poor morphology and count and typically IUI is not the best approach for male factor infertility as far as I know. I know IVF has much better odds of working but I also know I have that to come and as eager and impatient as I am, I just keep coming back to the fact I want to give myself as many chances as I can get and so I'm happy to do the IUI just in case it might work. My clinic have said that if DPs sample isn't better next go, then they are sending us to IVF anyway  

I'm so sorry to hear AF arrived yesterday, I have just taken a test yesterday and got a bfn on my first attempt at IUI but AF hasn't reared her ugly head yet. I know it's any minute now though. You sound as if you are doing an amazing job at giving yourself the best chance at making this work, unfortunately as we all know too well,  it's such a little miracle to have that sperm, find that good egg and for everything to fall so perfectly into place, that a lot of the success is down to chance too. I guess IVF takes a big chunk of that away though. I hope you come to whatever decision is best for you soon and I wish you lots of luck on your journey x


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## violeta (Aug 28, 2014)

Hi cinnamon, thanks so much for your reply. I'm sorry you had a BFN too, it really sucks! I had my last IUI on CD14, although the egg had not yet left, but I think it did the next day. The first IUI I had it done on CD15 and the egg had already left. I've looked at the odds for IVF at our clinic and we're looking 30% higher odds than their success rates for IUI (18.4% IUI vs. 48.7% IVF). For me it's a no brainer but my husband is being pragmatic about it. I just don't think I can take the headf**k of IUI again - it is messing with me and not making me a great person to be around. I don't care what I have to do to get this baby, I just want this so much. I'm lucky that I get six IUIs with my clinic too but we are also on the IVF waiting list for the Danish version of NHS. So if the third IUI isn't successful then we have the option of going for IVF on the 'NHS' and whilst we wait for our turn we get three additional goes at IUI with the clinic. Whilst that's good I'm just very impatient and I can't take the heartache anymore so I want to seriously consider IVF - like you say, IVF takes a massive chunk of the uncertainty away as the egg(s) is/are (hopefully) fertilised before being put back. That said, despite the higher odds, it'll still be a bumpy and emotional journey, what with all the additional hormones and the like.

I wish you all the best on your journey too - here's to 2015 bringing us our little miracles. X


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