IVF/IUI.. can you explain process..

runner76 · February 2016

Im trying to decide between these two.. I am 39 w/ one working tube.. no other issues.. I am going to give two natural cycles before going into either iui or ivf due to my age and not wanting to waste more time.. what are the steps involved.. I know with IVF you are asleep for egg retrieval but when in the cycle does the process start? The shots, ultrasounds etc? If you have embryos frozen, how does that work? Are you asleep for transfer also? Is it a breathing tube or just iv? What happens after the IVF.. just trying to get an idea of what it will be..

dragonfaerie · February 2016

@runner76 Every office does the cycle a bit different. But here's what they did for us:

IUI - called with CD1, went in for labs. Started Letrozole on CD3 and took it for a little over a week. US around CD12, trigger shot the day before IUI. Morning of IUI DH gives sample, they wash and then transfer.

IVF - called with CD1, went for labs, started BCP for around 3 weeks. Stopped BCP, started Dexamethasone orally. Labs to confirm hormones are steady. Stims (Menopur in AM, Follistim in PM) for about a week and a half. Ganirelix will be added to prevent ovulation. Labs every morning to watch hormones and adjust Menopur/Follistim as needed. Trigger shots will start, we'll get about 36 hours notice of our ER. It will be general anesthesia, and I've been told I'll need that day off, and maybe the next day. They'll grow them out to day 5 or 6 blastos, then send any that made it off for PGS and freezing. I get a month off for a wash out cycle (I've been warned it's a truly horrendous period due to the hormones) and then when my second period after that starts, they'll give me my meds to prep me for transfer. You are awake for the transfer as it's easy peasy (or so I've been told.) After 10 days or so they will do a BETA.

We tried IUI, but with MFI it wasn't good odds for us (<3% chance) so we had two cancelled cycles before going to IVF. Based on your DX they may recommend going straight to IVF or trying IUI first. My doc was super straight forward and let us know that it just wasn't worth the money to keep trying IUI after our second cancellation.

Good luck!

AandDM2014 · February 2016

I've done both so I hope my perspective can help you!

IUI involves growing 1-2 follicles though either oral or injected medication (I took only oral), triggering ovulation with a shot, getting a sample from your partner, washing it then using a catheter to insert the sperm into your uterus.

IVF involves lots of injectable meds to grow many follicles (anywhere from 10-100), triggering ovulation with a shot, harvesting the eggs (generally while under sedation), taking a sample from partner and either letting them mix or inserting individual sperm into the eggs, letting them mature for 3-5 days then transferring or freezing them.

The IVF process begins at the start of a cycle. At my clinic I go in on day 2 or 3 for blood work and an ultrasound. If everything looks good, you get put on birth control for 1-4 weeks (depending on your doc) then start the process of injections. Here is a basic outline of my IVF cycle: 10/6 start bcps, 10/13 take last bcps, 10/4 blood test and us, 10/17 start stims, 10/21 blood test and us, 10/24 blood test and us, 10/26 blood test and us, 10/28 blood test and us and trigger, 10/29 second trigger, 10/30 retrieval.

If you have extra embryos they will freeze them to use during a later cycle. When/if that later cycle comes around they will unfreeze them to transfer.

You will not be asleep for the transfer. It is somewhat like a pap smear, but longer.

I did not have a breathing tube for my retrieval, just an IV.

If you do IVF after the embryo(s) are transferred you generally wait between about 8 and 12 days before going in for a beta. If you do IUI you wait 14 days after your first (sometime only) IUI.

Jerseygirl856 · February 2016

I've done one cycle of IVF and every clinic is different and so are the protocols. DH and I had to get a ton of bloodwork done before we even started. After our labs came back, I called in when AF started and was put on BCPs for about 3 weeks. I had an u/s and more labs done 4 days later and was instructed to start injectable meds. Depending on your protocol, the injectable meds may be different as well as how you respond to them. I stimmed for 8 days but during those 8 days I was monitored every other day with u/s to check follicles. I triggered on a Thursday and my ER was 36 hours later. My clinic is a one stop shop so everything was done at the office, general anesthesia for ER and did a fresh transfer which I was wide awake for and with a very full bladder.

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IVF/IUI.. can you explain process..

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