Assisted reproductive technology, or ART, comprises a group of medical procedures designed to help those diagnosed with fertility issues conceive and carry a pregnancy. Thanks to continual strides being made in treatment for infertility, today’s couples and individuals have options to help realize their dream of growing a family.
Two of those options commonly used to assist couples in their treatment are IUI and IVF. While the goal remains the same, the procedures differ.
- Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) involves collecting your partner’s sperm, or donor sperm, and placing it directly into the uterus for fertilization.
- In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) involves retrieving a woman’s eggs via a surgical procedure, then combining them with the partner’s sperm or donor sperm, which facilitates fertilization.
How to Determine the Right Fertility Treatment
Determining which fertility treatment is right for you depends on some very specific factors. After they receive the results from your initial tests, your doctor diagnoses the cause behind your inability to conceive. In some cases, the diagnosis is male factor infertility, some are female factor, some point to reproductive issues for both, and, most frustratingly, sometimes there is no definable cause for infertility (unexplained infertility).
Upon diagnosis, your doctor presents you with your options. They may recommend one over the other based on their findings. For some women, IUI is a better option, and for some, not an option at all. Here we take a look at the differences between the two. We also present the best candidates for each procedure.
The IUI Process
In comparison to IVF, IUI is a far simpler procedure. It’s often used in cases of male infertility, cervical problems, or unexplained infertility. The procedure is as follows:
- You determine whether you want to pursue a natural ovulation IUI or you’d like ovulation-stimulating hormones, which result in the release of more than one egg.
- You attend appointments for ultrasounds, blood tests, or urine tests that monitor ovulation for the ideal timing of your procedure.
- Your doctor collects a semen sample from your partner or your sperm donor. The lab washes the semen, concentrating the sperm sample.
- The doctor inserts the sperm directly into your uterus. This involves going through your vagina using a super-thin catheter and entering the uterus where the sperm fertilizes the egg(s). Timing is critical to the success of IUI, which is why monitoring your ovulation is crucial.
The Best Candidates for IUI
Those who benefit most from IUI are:
- Men diagnosed with mild male factor infertility, such as a low sperm count, slow-moving sperm, or misshapen sperm.
- Women diagnosed with cervical mucus issues. In some cases, a woman’s cervical mucus essentially attacks the sperm, preventing fertilization.
- Couples with unexplained infertility, as IUI is far simpler and less invasive than IVF. It’s often a starting point, in any event.
- Individuals or couples using donor sperm.
- Same sex couples.
The success of IUI depends on several factors, including maternal age, severity of diagnosis, and any underlying conditions. While the average overall success rates for IUI hover around 5-10%, factors such as endometriosis, fallopian tube blockages, pelvic scar tissue, and severe male factor infertility result in much lower odds for success.
The IVF Process
IVF is a much more complex procedure. Your doctor recommends IVF in cases of more complex diagnoses or when IUI or other infertility treatments have failed. IVF involves a bigger time commitment than IUI, in most cases. Here is a breakdown of the IVF cycle.
- Your doctor prescribes a series of hormonal medications that stimulate your ovaries. This results in ovulation, where sometimes many eggs mature at once. These are typically injectable medications that you administer yourself. Your doctor administers the final medication just before egg retrieval.
- Egg retrieval is a minor surgical procedure, typically an outpatient procedure performed while you are under sedation, in which the doctor retrieves the mature eggs using a slim cannula to draw them out of your ovaries.
- After retrieval, the lab collects your eggs and examines them for viability.
- The most viable eggs continue to the fertilization process, where the embryologist combines them with your partner’s sperm (or donor sperm).
- The lab monitors the development of the fertilized eggs until they become viable embryos. At this point, you may opt for preimplantation genetic testing to rule out any chromosomal abnormalities.
- Next comes the embryo transfer. When embryo transfer takes place in your doctor’s clinic, as an outpatient procedure. Your doctor places the healthy embryo into your uterus.
- Your doctor tests for pregnancy about two weeks post-embryo transfer. A blood test confirms whether or not you are pregnant.
The Best Candidate for IVF
Your doctor discusses IVF when certain diagnoses show that it is the best path for you. Here are the candidates who benefit most from IVF.
- Those with severe male infertility. There is a process that your doctor can perform during IVF in which the embryologist injects the sperm directly into the egg, facilitating fertilization.
- Women with blocked or damaged fallopian tubes or those who’ve had their tubes surgically removed for medical reasons.
- Women with severe scar tissue from pelvic inflammatory disease or infections.
- Women with endometriosis.
- Those who’ve experienced failed fertility treatments like IUI.
- Those couples who’ve had multiple miscarriages or a family history of genetic abnormalities would benefit from preimplantation genetic testing.
- Those couples looking to conceive a genetic match for a sibling who needs stem cells.
- Couples use a donor egg, donor sperm, and a gestational carrier.
Just as with IUI, success rates for IVF depend on many factors. Maternal age, maternal health, ovarian reserve, and sperm health are among the reasons IVF may not be successful. Of course, as in any treatment, each case is unique.
We’re Here to Help
Deciding between IVF and IUI depends on your unique circumstances. The best way to proceed is with a doctor you can trust. At LA IVF, we work with couples and individuals looking for ways to grow their families. For more information on IVF, IUI, and other infertility treatments, please schedule a consultation today.
