How many iui cycles?

RNCrystal · June 2014

I know it's different for everyone depending on the circumstances but I was just wondering what that magic number is for most ppl? I'm about to head into #3 after a short break and if this is a BFN I'm unsure what step to take next. We are dealing with MFI and my RE is hopeful but isn't persuasive either way, I'm just looking to see what others are planning/doing.
Thanks in advance

meld42 · June 2014

From what I've read, the first 4 IUIs have relatively the same likelihood of resulting in pregnancy. So, for us, we've decided after 4 we need to talk to our doctor's and see if there's something realatively fixable that they learned during the past 4 iuis, and if there's nothing fixable then we're onto IVF.

I'd take a look at your insurance coverage, your health situation, and what's going on with you and your DH, you could probably come up with a little formula on how many IUIs make sense before moving onto your next steps.

jaytee16 · June 2014

We are unexplained and OOP, we opted to do 4 IUIs before we moved on to IVF. The studies I read showed that there are good rates for success in the first 4 IUIs, ok numbers for #5 &6, but after that, there is a serious case of diminishing returns. I think it would also depend on how those cycles went. For us, we did injects and B2B IUIs, had lots of follies and great SAs so we felt like we really gave it a fair shot. Good luck with #3!

SnowFlake84 · June 2014

I don't have an answer but my RE said we move on to IVF after 3.

Maybe this helps: My RE said regular people w/o problems have a 20% chance getting pregnant with sex every cycle, and IUI has about a 10% chance each cycle.

wishiwaspreggo · June 2014

I'm on my 5th IUI cycle now. If this cycle fails, I'm done trying for the time being.

ky29 · June 2014

My RE suggests moving on after 3, but he leaves it up to us. We did 3, took a break and now we are doing our 4th and final.

megwill126 · June 2014

We did 6 because that's how many insurance covered.

Alicia_R1 · June 2014

Our RE recommended doing 3 and that after that the chances of success weren't as high and we would be better off moving to IVF.

Not sure how our insurance is going deal with that, we are thankfully covered for both, and while our RE's office has worked for a long time with our insurance company, I am hoping they don't require 6 IUI's before moving on, since by the time we do get to start an IVF cycle we'd have been trying for almost 2 years and I'd really just like to not do anymore IUI's. I find them more painful. We did IVM and I was an egg donor before, so retrievals don't bother me and the transfer during IVM didn't bother me, but man, and I am sore after an IUI.

We did injects this last cycle, and I was in the RE's office 4 days in a row for monitoring. 6 trips out there for this IUI cycle. I have progesterone tomorrow and then beta if don't get my period...so ug, lots of trips this time.

lebradford · June 2014

I wouldn't do more than 3 or 4 cycles of the same thing (assuming I was having a good response. We planned to do 3 Clomid/IUI cycles and 3 inject/IUI cycles. However, my response to Clomid wasn't good, so we moved on sooner. My diagnosis is also related to ovulatory dysfunction, so our chances of success with an IUI are relatively high. If we had a different diagnosis, I would not be willing to try as many. If we have problems with overstimulating with injects, I would change my timeline too. It's all dependent on circumstances and flexible.

DharmaChick · June 2014

After 3 Clomid cycles with IUI and one Letrozole cycle that was switched TI, the RE had us schedule a WTF appointment. In the meantime, we are in another Letrozole cycle for IUI #4.

When we scheduled the WTF appointment, the nurse mentioned that the RE will likely suggest injects (+ IUI) or IVF.

RNCrystal · June 2014

Thanks for the input! My insurence covers a lifetime of $15,000 of coverage so I dont want to use to much of it on iui and have nothing left if I decide to go further. I may do a max of 4 iui and then explore out options afterward . So stressful !

runner1976 · June 2014

We did 3. But we would have done 5-6 if the insurance covered the medication. The first three were with clomid and then the ovidrel shot. The next would have been with Gonal-F. I think it depends on the RE. He told us that if after 5 we did not get pregnant, we would probably need to start looking into something else.

ME: 37, unexplained, all tests normal, no blockage. I do have celiac disease though diag 2/09

DH: 37, mildly low motility

TTC since 1/2011 but not actively. Actively trying since 9/12.

11/13: IUI #1, 50mg Clomid + Ovidrel = BFN

12/13: IUI #2, 100mg Clomid + Ovidrel = BFN

1/14: IUI #3, 150mg Clomid + Ovidrel = BFN

Taking a break due surgery on a torn ACL and now no insurance coverage for injectibles.

KRSimmons3 · June 2014

We did 6 and now are moving on to ivf. That's the number me and my husband came up with.

Waterlily234 · June 2014

I'm on number two and I don't mind trying four to six as long as I was responding well and it was just about the numbers game. If my RE changed his thoughts on my problem, then I'd go for IVF.

CML11 · June 2014

I'm doing my second one this week, I've been on the fence on whether we will do a third or move onto IVF. Hopefully this IUI is the lucky cycle and I won't have to worry about it!

Kissmark · June 2014

We did 4, two unmedicated cycle and 2 on clomid. All BFN so we are moving on to IVF. Our insurance covers part of IUI but not IVF.

kaynix21 · June 2014

So far I'm not overstimming so I think we would do 3-6 before taking a break depending on how I'm feeling. we're in the middle of IUI #2 right now....depends what my RE is saying at that point I guess and how long until my DH deploys.

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