Advice on next steps - 2 failed natural IUIs, 1 more to go.... experiences/thoughts appreciated

[ttcsolomummytobe]

I'm completing IUI as a single female, soon to turn 35.

My consultant suggested 3 natural IUI and 3 unmediated. I have completed 2 IUIs, first one I started bleeding 9 days after IUI, second was 12 days after IUI but I was convinced I was pregnant and it was going right, will sound like a symptom spotting crazy if I list the things but just things that never happen in a normal cycle or first IUI.I have requested for my 3rd IUI to add progesterone after the IUI as I have read this has helped for some people so waiting to hear back from the clinic regarding this.

I'm hopeful for my next IUI but feel I do also need to think ahead as time is also precious.

Medically my team see no reason for me to have medication. My first 2 IUIs were closely monitored with scans (a person choice by me, not a medical meed) and everything developing well and as they wanted and I tracked LH at home so went for insemination based upon that.

So my questions are, would there be any benefit to doing 3 medicated IUIs or would /have people skipped straight to IVF?

My concern is I couldn't afford to do 3 medicated IUIs and then IVF also so part of me feels it would be worth going straight to IVF.

I have also looked at Assured Fertility 100% refund plan (currently wouldn't qualify as BMI is around 34 and needs to be 30 or less) and multi plan, although costly they are cheaper than paying directly to the clinic. Has anyone had experience with Assured Fertility that they would be willing to share?

Thanks in advance.

[Kt8e21]

Hi.. I’m a single female and started at 38. The clinic originally wanted me to do 6 rounds of IUI.. but after 3 unmedicated attempts (2nd ended in a chemical pregnancy). I felt I didn’t want to do IUI anymore and went onto IVF.

My clinic had an all inc option where I’d get a round of IVF, a fresh transfer and then transfer of any frozen embryos.. and then they’d repeat this round once more over a 2yr period until I had a live birth.. I felt this offered more certainty with already spending an enormous amount of money!

IVF was a lot more intense than the IUI and needed time off work but I got 6 embryos, they’ve transferred the 1st and I’m currently 7 weeks pregnant! Hopefully I’ll go to term and I can try for a sibling in the future with the frozen embryos.

In hindsight I wish I’d have just done the All inc option from the start and would’ve spent a lot less money! And wouldn’t have needed to buy as much sperm as I did. I’ve still got 3 vials left that I need to pay storage for every year as well as storage for the embryos!

I’ve not used assured fertility so can’t comment on them unfortunately.

It’s a hard decision to make.. but I’d go with your gut feeling on it.

Hope everything works out for you!

[ttcsolomummytobe in reply to Kt8e21]

Firstly congratulations on your pregnancy! I hope all continues well and uneventful as I see alot of people say on forums ❤️

It's such a lot to weigh up isn't it as a single person, financially I don't want to get into debt to do this so need to use my savings wisely.

I've only just started looking at packages to see what is offered and also considering changing clinic as haven't been super happy with them, I feel I find them more draining than the IUI and the let downs of them failing.

With your package is it a case that your clinic would continue transfering all embryos till a pregnancy followed by a live birth. When live birth happens do you then loose the second IVF round you mentioned and you then pay separately for future embryo transfer for a sibling?

How long did it take to start the IVF after the 3rd IUI? Also did you just require 1 vial of sperm for IVF?

Thanks for sharing your experience.

[Kt8e21 in reply to ttcsolomummytobe]

Thank you!

I felt same with my clinic.. lovely when you are actually there but so hard to speak with someone over the phone and they never call you to see how you are doing?

I needed a MOT20 for the IVF. But they got me to buy 6 MOT10 for the IUIs and 1 MOT 20 for the treatment planned.. I’m sure they said if I got to the 2nd round of IVF then I may have needed to use 2 of my MOT10’s.. I don’t know why as the 10 means 10 million and I only need a few for the eggs collected lol

If this turns into a live birth then I lose the frozen transfers and other round in the package.. but I tried to weigh it up beforehand.. if I paid for everything individually then it may not of worked first time and I’d be annoyed that I didn’t do the all inclusive.. my friends then said if I pay for the all inclusive then I won’t care that I paid over the odds as I’ve fallen pregnant… which I don’t. when I actually worked out one round individually I’ve paid about £1k more than I would’ve as you have to factor in storage costs also of any embryos… I’ve now got to save for any future transfers for my remaining 5 embryos and decide if I want to keep paying storage for the renaming sperm!

I had my last IUI in August and started the IVF in November.. they also wanted new bloods doing as it need to be fresh as your eggs are going into a different part of the lab.. so I got the list and went to my GP and got them to do it to save money whilst I was waiting for my next period and cancelled the blood appointment with the clinic and sent them the results.

This whole process is so expensive and crazy that single people don’t get any help!

[Twiglet2]

hi 👋🏼 I’m so sorry you e had a negative result, especially when you had your hopes up this time😢. we did the nhs recommended 3 natural IUI and 3 medicated. Not even a sniff of a BFP. The journey has been long for us because of that and the one thing I have always regretted is not moving on to IVF sooner. It’s a very personal decision but personally I wish I knew what I know now and I would definitely not have done these 6 IUIs. I had no fertility issues and we used donor sperm (same sex couple) so they saw no reason for me not to have IUI. Why tried different donors as well still didn’t work. The chances with IVF are greater. Perhaps you could do one more IUI but a medicated one to say youve tried it?Then see if you want to keep going. I honestly found the medicated IUI just as much meds wise (if not more) as a round of IVF (except for the egg collection) and as we were purchasing donor sperm the IUI ended up more expensive than IVF for us (one sperm made 6 embryos on IVF vs 6 straws needed for all the IUIs). First round (3rd transfer) worked for us in IVF luckily but there are no guarantees either way. IVF just has higher odds so statistically makes more sense. Hindsight is a wonderful thing I guess buts that’s the one thing I would change 🤗 wishing you luck with your next steps xx

[ttcsolomummytobe in reply to Twiglet2]

Thank you for your reply. I have everything ready for the 3rd IUI doing it natural (last vial of sperm) and that would happen in around 7-14 days time, if I wanted to change to unmedicated I need to have a consult (£250) and would have to hold off another month for the full cycle, aswell as the cost for the drugs. My first 2 cycles being closely monitored by scans (and of no cost to me due to clinic misadvice/by way of gesture) didn't show any cause for concern at all so in a way I feel the medicated IUI would be pointless which is why I now feel differently about doing the 3 as per the original plan.

Did you do your IVF via "plan" or pay as you go with the clinic if you don't mind me asking? If a plan would it be a company you would recommend? Also did you take alot of time off work around your egg collection and your FET transfers?

Thanks again xx

[Twiglet2 in reply to ttcsolomummytobe]

Ah fab you have it all set up to go and fingers and toes crossed it works for you (it can and has worked for many!) Our IUIs were nhs so was just the sperm we paid for. We are now self funding though in trying for a sibling on IVF and had 2 fresh rounds so far and 3 frozen transfers. We just paid the £5k for fresh with them at the time then it’s £1400 for any medicated frozen transfers. But the packages look like a good idea. I just took the day off for egg collection tbh and a couple of hours here and there for transfers. All bloods scans etc I tried to get in early morning before I started. I haven’t even had to tell my work this time that I’m trying again (I’m really worried it will harm my career which I’m already still trying to recover after a years mat leave) so I just say I ‘have an appointment’ or take some holiday days. First round though my work was very supportive and gave me any time off I needed (same job now but different boss). Other than the egg collection day it’s probably similar to what you are doing now if you are going in for scans. I found the IUI harder to juggle as they did sooooo many blood tests to check for ovulation and then it was a phone call same day for insemination where as you get more notice for IVF in my experience xx

[ttcsolomummytobe in reply to Twiglet2]

Thank you for sharing your experience, glad you've managed to not tell you work this time round as it can definitely impact careers although very unfair. My work have been good around appointments with the IUI as like you I tried to do at the start of end of shift to reduce the time out of it and day of IUI it has gone as sickness but not against my record. My clinic aren't doing any blood tests or anything atm to check ovulation has occured and I think that's where I struggle, you'd hope the tests would show something to explain more.

The more notice for IVF would defo helps too xx