# New:- need to decide IUI or straight to IVF



## barnet girl (Apr 8, 2008)

Hello Everyone
Our story 

We have been TTC for just over 2 years, me and DH are both nearly 36 with no previous children.  Had some initial investigations with GP which indicated PCOS but nothing definite.  Referred to local hospital for further tests, and well to cut a long story short, that was a complete waste of 6 months.  They managed to 'misplace' most of the results of the tests we had undergone.  They prescribed 3 months of Clomid at 100mg with no monitoring and then at the end of the 3 months washed their hands of us and referred us to the NHS IVF list (which is 4 years in my area for 1 cycle).

So we made the decision to go private.  Had the first appointment yesterday at the ACU at UCH.  After discussions with the consultant we have a decision to make - 

try upto 3 cycles of medicated IUI with a success rate of ~20% at a cost of about £1000 ago (also would need tests to check tubes are okay)

or

go straight to IVF success rate up ~60% at a cost of about £5500.

Because of my age I worry about going for the IUI with no success and then trying IVF at nearer to 37 when success rates start to go down.

Has anyone else faced the same decision and what did you decide?

Thanks for your help


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## AnneS (Sep 18, 2006)

Hi barnet girl,

i am so sorry to read that your hospital has treated you and your test results with such disrespect.
I can relate to your feeling that they have wasted your time (look at my signature, I will be 38 soonish!).
You do not say what your diagnosis was, but I am guessing 'nothing definite' means unexplained (so far) - just like us.
Getting your tubes checked is a useful thing. It will put your mind at rest about one more of a long list of possible causes.
We were pointed straight at IVF because of advancing age and the unexplained "diagnosis". I was 37 when we had our first treatment (private waiting list was 6-8 months) and I am just waiting to start the second treatment.
Although I know that the feeling that you are fast running out of time can be very strong, I personally think that you should consider the IUI first. It is less invasive (ask you consultant about detailed advice what is involved) and costs less, not unimportant if you self fund. The more important factor though is the nature of the treatment. I wish I had put my foot down and tried IUI. IVF involves so much more interference with your body. I don't mean to scare you. I just think that if you consultant thinks that there is a 20% chance per IUI cycle that is not bad.
I think I start waffling. I hope this helps a little. I am sure there will be others along shortly who will hopefully give their point of view.
It is a difficult decision anyway, but I am sure you and your partner will make the decision that is right for you. This website is a great help.

Wishing you all the best,   

Caroline Anne


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## INCONCEIVABLE (May 1, 2007)

I'd go for ivf.  See ticker.. I also started investigations at 36.


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## Caz (Jul 21, 2002)

Hell Barnet girl, welcome to Fertility Friends. 

I am sorry you have been givent he runaround a bit by your hospital. Doesn't sound to me like you have even had a proper diagnosis yet!

I think you definitely need more information before you make a decision. IVF does have a greater success rate, true, but even they you could end up needing more than one cycle and, frankly, I'd be quite wary of trusting that 60% success rate being quoted when national averages are significantly lower (more like 30%) and the official HFEA statistics for the UCH are only 32% live birth for your age group. Click here to see for yourself: http://guide.hfea.gov.uk/guide/pdf/0044.pdf 
Unfortunately the HFEA does not publish IUI success rates to compare.

IUI does have the benefit of being far less invasive that IVF, although no less stressful. Provided your tubes are clear, your partner's sperm sample is good and you have no other physical obstacles preventing it, you might stand a good chance of success with IUI. However, as you say age is a big incentive to "cut the waffle" and get on with IVF if that's what you are going to end up having to do anyway.

One other option you could look at is finding out what, if any phsycial obstacles there are and perhaps looking at alternative therapies to help boost your fertility. You mention that you had clomid but with no monitoring and only 3 months, possibly you didn't have a big enough dose or you ddnt have it for long enough to give it a chance (most ladies here take it for 6 to 8 month with the general consensus beign that if it is going to work for you it will in that time). On the alternative therapy front, even if you do decide to go down the route of more conventional tratment, many ladies find that treatments like reflexology or acupuncture help boost the chnaces of success with IVF / IUI anyway.
I will leave you a few links to parts of FF that you can peruse which might help you make some decisions:

*What Every New Member Needs To Know (includes a list of common abbreviations) ~ *   CLICK HERE

*IUI ~*CLICK HERE

*IVF General ~ *CLICK HERE

*A Rough Guide To IVF ~*   CLICK HERE

*Complimentary Therapies ~ *CLICK HERE 

And don't forget to have a bit of fun while you are on FF and check out the general chit chat / jokes / hobbies area:

*Girl & Boy talk - Community & Fun Board ~ *CLICK HERE

You can also chat live in our excellent chat room. We have a newbie night in the chat room every week (*Wednesday at 8pm*), where you can meet other new members and get technical support with navigating the site and using all the functions available here.  CLICK HERE FOR INFO ON NEWBIE CHAT 

You can also "meet" and chat with people in your local area through the *Location boards*. This is especially useful to find people who may be using the same clinic and or in the same PCT area.

I hope you can come to a decision soon and start or the path to treatment ASAP. 

C~x


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## TwoBumps (Nov 22, 2007)

Hi,
I have to say the decision you make has to be the one that you are comfortable with (if that's ever possible!), but we now wish we'd gone straight for the IVF route instead of undertaking 4 IUI's, the final one being a stimulated cycle. We're currently awaiting the outcome of our 1st IVF cycle & haven't found the process half as scary or invasive as we'd imagined. Once we got used to having everyone have a look "down below" (which they do with IUI also) we just took each day as it came. I'm not saying either route is a breeze & I know for some people they don't have an easy time with their response to the drugs, but we were relieved to finally move on to IVF. The results are far better than IUI & if there is a problem (with egg quality or fertlilization) it is much more likely to be identified & solutions can then be considered. We found IUI's to be a very expensive way of trying "naturally" with only a slightly higher success rate.
Good luck to you whatever you decide!


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## barnet girl (Apr 8, 2008)

Thank you all for your advice and sharing your own stories.

We have about 10 days before we have to make the decision so we are trying to gather as much information as possible that will let us make the decision that is right for us.  I am still leaning towards going straight to IVF but DH is leaning towards IUI - we will have to see who wins  .

Thanks again


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## dolphin17 (Oct 17, 2007)

Hi Barnet Girl

I didn't have to make a decision re IUI vs IVF - we had to go straight for IVF (well ICSI) cos of male factor (vas).  As Caz said, I think you need to get as much info as you can so you can make an informed decision.

I thought you might like to know though, I have done 3 cycles of ICSI at ACU UCH and found the staff to be v kind and supportive - before, during and after each tx.  The nurses are lovely!  I know when we had our 1st consultation there we were definitely told 30% success rate per IVF cycle - but I have read elsewhere on this site that people have been given inflated rates from ACU UCH - so I don't know, maybe it depends who you see (altho it should be consistent and accurate info obviously, perhaps you should query it on your next visit)

Anyway, wishing you loads of luck - I hope you get your bfp, whichever tx route you choose    

Love Dolphin x x x


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## professor waffle (Apr 23, 2005)

Hi Barnetgirl

Welcome to FF!

I chose to go the IUI route because I was unexplained & had no sign of a BFP after 5 years of trying. I'd never really considered IVF but had never heard of IUI until we moved to Portsmouth as my old PCT didn't do it. Personally for me it was a halfway step to IVF but I don't know if it hadn't worked if we would have gone the whole way (hard to say what you would have done?) to IVF. I'm grateful for IUI, less invasive & less stressful & it worked for me even at the grand old age of 39!

Gill
x


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## INCONCEIVABLE (May 1, 2007)

Check your antral follicle count...If any signs of diminshed reserve, don't waste your time with iuis...
It's only 5-9 % success over 3 cycles and it's v. rare for people to have a success...

Good luck...  I wish I could be 36 again.  I wouldn't waste a sec and would have gone straight to ivf... The procedure is not that much different in terms of scanning and injections and it's equally stressful in terms of 2 ww.  Pls don't waste any time ...  I wasted 6 months in total doing iuis and spent 5k on useless procedures only to be given a donor egg speech at the end of it...


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## anna the third (Jan 15, 2008)

Wld second inconceivable's comments above. 

IUIs are a watse of time in my book., easy easy money for the drs though. 
Do IVF - I was very anti IVF and the unnatural nature of it etc but now wish i had gone striaght to it earlier. Its not that bad, EC was totally fine both times for me and ET ok even though i have a weird cervix.  

Do the IVF and maximises your chance when egg quality is still good!


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## ♥Saila♥ (Mar 27, 2006)

Hello Barnet Girl

Welcome to FF and good luck with your treatment!

Hope to see you with a BFP soon!  

I have had 2 IUIs now and both failed   The second time I was on an high dose of Menopur 225 and also overstimulated. All in all when both failed and I got my BFN I was extremely traumatized. I put myself through and IVF dose also for an 80% chance it wouldn't work   So I won't be having another one and will be moving onto IVF

However... thats my experience and it does work for many IUI ladies. If you go onto the IUI thread there is a IUI Bumps thread from ladies who have concieved with IUI

xxxxx


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## Betty M (Dec 6, 2005)

The best advice I ever had was to skip IUI.  With a success rate of 20% ish I was advised that it was no better than natural conception for an averagely fertile person and we certainly were not that and natural concepotion hadn't worked so far. I went straight to IVF at 35 and was  luckily able to have enough time before I was 39 to have two children (from 3 fresh cycles and 1  FET).  If I had wasted a year on Clomid, IUIs etc who knows if I would have been so lucky. 

Betty


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## Kamac80 (Nov 24, 2005)

Hi Barnet girl and welcome to the site 

You have come to a fantastic site full of advice and support.

Im so sorry to read that you have had a bad experience with your initial hospital tests. When me and my ex husband had our hospital tests and i had a lap and dye etc they just referred us for IVF as well but we didnt get that far as we split up. Its a hard decision for you to make about the IUI and IVF but it all depends on what you can afford and how many goes of IUI you would potentially be willing to try. Whichever decision you make i wish you all the luck.

Kate xx​


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## Mrs Doubtfire (Apr 11, 2008)

Hello Barnet Girl

It is a hard decision to make.  Me and DH were never aware of IUI, so we went straight for IVF and I was very lucky to fall prengant first cycle, unfortunatley I m/c at around 4 weeks, but attempting IVF again 3 months later fell pregnant again and gave birth to a DS in Dec 06.  We we then advised to try 3 cycles of IUI (as there were nothing wrong with my tubes) - which I was unsure about (especially after being so lucky to try IVF twice and fall pregnant twice).  I have attempted IUI twice now in the past 4 months but my body is not responding to the drugs at all, so therefore I will revert back to IVF hopefully within the next few months. 

Obviously everyone is different and some of us girls have had success first (and every) time with IUI.  

But I wish you good luck with whatever decision you make. 

xx


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## ~Sapphire~ (Apr 14, 2008)

Hi Barnet Girl,

I remember what a tough decision this is.  We did decide to go for IUI with the hope of spending less money and the less invasive treatment.  However in our case it turned out to be a complete waste of emotions, time and money.  With our first IVF we had zero fertilisation so there was no way that IUI was ever going to work for us.  So we ended up spending £3,000 on IUI and £3,500 on our first IVF cycle to discover our problem - when we could have done IVF straight away and saved £3,000.  It is quite rare (so I understand) to have zero fertilisation so don't let that worry you too much.  I think we did make the decision to go for IUI because I was only 27 at the time.  The interesting thing the clinic told me is that while they will do 3 IUI treatments for couples they do see most of the success in the first or second attempt and not much in the third (didn't tell me that until after my third IUI though!)

However, just letting you know what happened to us and hope that you will make a decision that is right for you.  I wish you lots of luck in whatever you decide.


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## Clomidia (Dec 13, 2007)

Hi Barnetgirl 
welcome to FF!  
I read your story with interest as it seemed so like our own, and I wanted to wish you all the best with your journey. Have you and your dh made a decision? 
We are similar in that we have been diagnosed with "unexplained", after 32 cycles ttc, 4 months clomid, and a clear lap & dye, so we are currently trying to decide between iui and ivf. To be honest, our decision on which changes daily  
At the moment, we are toying with one iui and then ivf... but... it's such a hard choice. 
Would love to chat  
Good luck!


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## barnet girl (Apr 8, 2008)

Hi Clomidia 

Sorry to hear you are in the same position as us, but in a strange way its nice to know other people know what we are going through.

I think we have decided to go straight to IVF, well I say we my DH is a very laid back character and unfortunately is incredably busy at work at the moment so he is happy to go along and support me in what I decide.  I must admit this is partly as I have a science/medical background and do lots of research where as he is in banking and only vaguely understands the procedures (regardless of how many times I explain them to him and show him books).

Have you chosen a clinic yet and gone along to talk to them ?  When we went to UCH I expected them to tell me I had to try IUI first but in fact the Dr was very open and felt there would be little point in doing IUI if I was not comfortable and 100% behind it.

We are currently just waiting for AF to show up (hopefully within the next week) and then we can get the ball rolling and go in for out OST, which will let them know how I respond to the drugs and what regime to use.

Hopefully that will all go well, and it will be plain sailing for ET at the end of June.  I'm trying not to get too excited at the prospect of (hopefully) being pregnant within 2 months, bit I don't think I'm doing a good job,  .

Where are you in your cycle ? when do you need to have made a decision by?


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