Hi ladies,
I know this is ultimately a personal decision, but I'm wondering what you think...
So I've done every blood test you could think of, and have had ultrasounds. I am ovulating, my cycles are like clockwork, and seem to be in fine shape. I have not had an HSG or SIS yet - because there was a chance my RE would suggest we go straight to IVF so I wouldn't need them.
My DH seems to be source of the problem. He's had three semen analysis - one 1% and two 2% morphology. The RE is saying since his other numbers are good we should consider trying a couple unmedicated inseminations first. If they don't work, we'd move on to IVF from there.
So we only have $10,000 covered for infertility under insurance. I'm wondering what the chances are with 2% morphology - of an IUI working? Will the IUI's be wastes? I always thought the problem with poor morphology was that they couldn't penetrate the egg.
And if we do IUI's - I still need the HSG and SIS done then right? I just feel like we're going to go through all our insurance $$ for nothing... The RE's argument is that I am ovulating and everything looks OK with me so doing some natural inseminatons are much less invasive than IVF.
Thoughts?? Any information, opinions or experiences would be greatly appreciated!!
Re: what might you do?
I would go with your RE's recommendation, personally. They're the expert and I'm sure they wouldn't recommend wasting time with IUI if they didn't think you could be successful. Can you afford to pay for IUIs OOP so you don't have to touch insurance money and keep it for IVFs?
I don't know about an SIS, but you'd definitely want an HSG. No point in putting the sperm in a prime spot if the egg can't get to them.
P/SAIF Welcome
Invisible Finish Line
3T's Traveling Ovary Blog
7DPO Progesterone: low. CD3 BW: normal, HSG: clear
DX: severe MFI (low all 3) and low T. Undergoing replacement therapy.
Thank you for the response. To be honest - I haven't seen the numbers. The RE just called because the numbers came in and said his count was good, his concentration, everything.. Just still not his morphology - which has been consistently very bad.
Thank you! This RE is highly recommended - a top doctor with great success rate, etc. so I do feel good about her opinion. But I'll have to ask about the HSG.. She oddly didn't mention that if we did the insemination then I'd have to still do that first before DH and I discuss our options...
Thank you... So it sounds like you feel it was just a waste..? My RE said if we felt we wanted to push right on to IVF she would be fine with that, but thought it was worth trying unmedicated insemination. That success rate seems quite low though. The cynic in me thinks it's just a way for the doctors to make more money...
Most IUI patients have between a 5 and 20% chance, depending on the circumstances. IUIs in themselves don't have a particularly high success rate because you're dealing with IF factors. Putting the sperm in the uterus helps, but you may have egg, lining, or sperm issues to still contend with.
IUIs aren't particularly expensive - clinics probably don't stand to make that much money off of them.
P/SAIF Welcome
Invisible Finish Line
3T's Traveling Ovary Blog
7DPO Progesterone: low. CD3 BW: normal, HSG: clear
DX: severe MFI (low all 3) and low T. Undergoing replacement therapy.
IUI#4 1/23/13 on 75iu x9 Follistim = BFP then chem preg m/c (Feb 2013)
IUI#5 BFN (April 2013)
S/PAIFW , S/PALW
My Blog
I'd do this too. I've done 3 IUIs now and I've probably spent 10 grand. I'd say one medicated cycle is about $2,000 for me which includes blood work, semen analyses, ultrasounds, monitoring appts, IUI, meds, etc (2,000x3 attempts= $6,000). Plus the HSG and all pretreatment testing was at least $4,000 - heck our sperm dna fragmentation test was over a grand by itself. If I had $10,000 in insurance coverage I would go for IVF right off the bat with morph at that rate - at most I would have done 1 IUI. It's really a personal decision though and you have to do what feels right for you.
TTC #1 Since 7/2011
Me: 30, PCOS with anovulation
DH: 38, Low Morph & DE
Rx: Metformin 500mg
Cycle #1: Clomid 100mg + Ovidrel = No Response, Canceled
Cycle #2: Clomid 150mg + Ovidrel = No Response, Canceled
Cycle #3: Clomid 150mg + Follistim + Ovidrel = No response, Canceled
Cycle #4: Femara 7.5mg + Gonal-f + Ovidrel + IUI = BFP!!!!
~ EDD 03.26.14 ~
We are in the same boat exactly. 2% morph (which is only slightly low) and all else coming back ok. I also have 10k in lifetime insurance.
One thing you might not realize is that while an IUI costs around 2k (or whatever it is for you) that isn't what the insurance pays. I was worried at first until I realized that the insurance paid about $300 for the IUI instead of 2k. For $300 I am having 3 IUIs and then moving on to IVF...which will also be less than you think for the insurance rate.
11/1- IUI#1,12/1- IUI#2, 1/2- IUI#3 all BFFN
IVF#1. Long Lupron.ER 3/8 10R,4M,5F. ET 3/3-one 1AB, 2 frosties 5dp5dt-BFP!! Beta 3/25-794 Beta 3/27- 1794
First u/s 4/8 saw hb. 4/22 missed mc 8w3d. d&c 4/26
FET #1- bcp start 6/9. ET 7/12. 2 perfect blasts.5dpt-BFP!!
Trying since Jan 2011. Unexplained IF.
2 IUIs = BFN.
1 IVF (Dec 2013) = BFN.
FET, 2 frosties (June 13, 2014)
14dp5dt-June 27 -BFP, beta 2061. 2nd beta >5000, 3rd beta >5000, 2 sacs 06/30.
Twin Girls - 02/11/15 - at 37 weeks (no NICU, home with me at 3 days).
I did 2 unmedicated IUI cycles and I also ovulate each month and have clockwork cycles, but we don't really have any MF issues. That said obviously they didn't work and honestly, I wished we had moved on right away to at least medicated IUI. I think if it were me and you have a max, I would be more aggressive. When I asked my RE about statistics with IUI she told me she wouldn't even consider the unmedicated cycles in the realm of stats which frustrated me. At the end of the day though, I think you should do what you are most comfortable with! Good luck with everything, I know these are tough decisions to make!
Me~35 DH~37
Dx- Unexplained Infertility
3/21/12- BFP, 4/9/12- M/C
8/12- IUI #1- BFN
9/26 & 9/27-IUI #2- back to back- BFN
Moved on to RE- 10/18
11/12- IUI #3- 75iu Follistim and HCG Trigger- BFN
12/12- IUI #4- Cancelled due to Cyst
1/13- IUI #4.1- 100iu Follistim and HCG Trigger- BFN
2/9/13- Started BCP in prep for IVF #1