Please help...IUI or IVF?

[Onestepatatim3]

I am single 33 and looking to start treatment after selecting donor sperm. Initial tests show I have AMH level 26 and 15-17 follicles. As well as hoping to conceive a baby I would like to preserve my chances for conceiving siblings by Ideally freezing embryos using the same donor sperm from now. My consultant has sent me costed treatment plans for the following options Natural IUI multi cycle, Stimulated multicycle, Ivf single cycle but I am really struggling to make a decision on what will be best based upon the information above. If anyone matches a similar profile/ results it would really help to hear from you. I would really recommend any advice as I really want to start my treatment as soon as possible. Thanks in advance and best wishes to all on the journey to create a little bundle of joy xx

[Tarasunny]

Hi there that's a difficult one. I was slightly older than you when I started down the route as a solo mum at 36 went for natural IUI x 3 then 1 medicated IUI all of which failed. Looking back I wish I'd gone straight to IVF as by the time I did my AMH had dropped to 7.1. I'd always wanted 2 kids and I think had my clinic discussed things better with me I may have opted for IVF. The cost of IUI and donor sperm does add up. In my opinion if you want more than 1 I would go for IVF especially given you have a good AMH. Had I not ended up pregnant with twins at 39 I would definitely be one and done which is not what I wanted. Good luck with your choice. Feel free to message me if you have any more questions.

[Onestepatatim3 in reply to Tarasunny]

Thank you so much! IUI is sounding like it is a long route around with lower success than IVF. I will message you further xx

[neonpg]

Hello, firstly congratulations on taking this step to become a SMBC. I thought I'd weigh in as although in older than you (38 in 2 weeks) my numbers were very similar to yours when I approached my clinic nearly years ago (AMH 29 and AFC 19).

My consultant urged me to give IUI a go on account of if being cheaper and less invasive than IVF. But personally if I could turn back time I'd have jumped straight to IVF. Firstly, sure the cost per round is lower, but considering the cost of donor sperm and the fact that success rates are like 10-20% a pop, for many IUI actually ends up being no less expensive. Secondly, though IUI was easier on my body it was no less invasive. My clinic was bringing me in every 2 days for an internal scan to check my lining and follicles which was massively disruptive. Thirdly, there are so many variables to consider with IUI. When will you ovulate? How much medication do you need? Have you got enough follicles? Too many? Do those follicles have eggs in them? Did the egg meet the sperm and fertilise? Did the embryo implant? At least with IVF you can control far more of those variables within the lab, and potentially create future siblings all in the same cycle.

Ultimately this is your decision and you need to do what feels right for you and your body, but just wanted to share my experiences. Feel free to reach out if you have any specific questions

[Onestepatatim3 in reply to neonpg]

Thank you so much for taking the time to write to me I am super grateful for your reply. For sure I am told the chances are far less with iui compared to IVF and it does sound the whole process in itself has so many more factors to consider. Your reply in itself has given me an insight into your experience, will reach out to you ☺️ xx

[Twiglet2]

Obviously it’s a really personal choice but I dont even have to think about which one to suggest to you for more than 2 seconds. I would choose IVF, especially if using donor sperm, all day long! We did 6 IUIs (3 medicated and 3 natural) and not a whiff of a positive test and we had to buy sperm for every single one. We then moved to first round of IVF we got 6 embryos from one sperm and got pregnant on our 3rd transfer from that round with our boy. The IVF and transfers worked out cheaper than the 6 IUI and the odds are much much higher! I was naive and did as the clinic suggested as I had good amh and no reasons why IUI shouldn’t work. It’s the one thing in this crazy journey I wish someone had told me to not waste time on IUI and go straight to IVF. Especially if self funding. I also feel that extra year or so wasting time on IUI has robbed us of a year of younger eggs trying for a sibling which we are now finding really hard. It’s my one and only regret from this whole crazy journey is wasting time doing those IUIs. IUI is not even that different to IVF except the egg collection part which absolutely isn’t that bad at all! Wishing you lots and lots of luck whichever route you choose 🤗💜 xx

[Onestepatatim3 in reply to Twiglet2]

Thank you so much for sharing your experience I am really starting to gauge how others have found their treatment and experience which has started to help me make a decision. I am in the same mindset that I don't want to be wasting time with something that may not give me the best chances and also want to preserve the embryos at this point in time which seems sensible. Wishing you best of luck if you do decide to start the process for siblings 🥰xx

[Zassa]

I would say even if you start with IVF it doesn't exclude you from doing IUI later, it can even give you better chances.I was 34 when I was ready to start fertility treatments on my own. I had lower AMH than you but just a bit lower than for my age the clinic said. We started with IVF, unfortunately none of the embryos stuck or survived to the freeze, I felt really down and this was in March 2020 when everything shut down too.

A few months on I met someone and I just wanted to forget everything with fertility treatments. Soon after I realised I had gotten pregnant unexpectedly (I thought it was almost impossible for me considering the IVF failed). This didn't go down too well but I did realise that sometimes IVF can make you extra fertile after. Even research has shown that a certain percentage of 'infertile' couples conceive naturally after IVF (even after trying years before).

The downside of IVF is that with high stimulation your egg quality will degrade slightly and not as good as your body's natural egg but it will overall give you higher chances (especially with good AMH) and maybe even for IUI later.

Good luck!

[Onestepatatim3 in reply to Zassa]

Thank you, I wasn't aware that the egg quality can be compromised with IVF maybe I'll add this to the list of Q's I have for my next consultation. Overall it seems like lots of recommendations for the IVF route and glad to hear of your experiences and sorry you had to go through that horrible experience during lockdown aswell. Hopefully things are now on the up for you🥰

[Oopsieloopsy]

if I was under 35 I would have gone straight to IUI but ended up being 37 (AMH 19 but follicle count similar to yours) when I started treatment. Clinic said to try 3xIUI first but I settled on IVF incase I wanted more and would be 40+ after having first if I tried again. Only ended up with one good embryo anyway which did stick but will be one and done and now.

I think if you settle on IUI you really do have to be prepared for it not to work first time so I would only go into it if you have enough money for about 3 rounds, plus the sperm it adds up.