IVF vs IUI

In vitro fertilization (IVF) and intrauterine insemination (IUI) are types of assisted reproductive technology (ART) therapies. Individuals and couples facing challenges with becoming pregnant use either one or both forms of treatments during their family planning journey.

It is important to have some direction with regards to IVF and IUI, therefore we shall guide you in understanding the process, associated costs and success rates of each. Then, with the help of a professional healthcare provider, you can decide which course is right for you.

What Is IUI and IVF?

Intrauterine insemination (IUI) and in vitro fertilization (IVF) are forms of assisted reproductive technologies, used to help individuals and couples to have children. While similar in some ways, IUI is less invasive and affordable compared to IVF, but it has lower success rates than IVF.

What is IUI?

IUI is also known as artificial insemination. On the one hand, the person who will carry the pregnancy undergoes hormone treatments to prepare the womb. Then, a specially prepared sperm sample is put directly into the uterus.

To begin with, the person or couple intending to undergo IUI have a consultation as well as an examination to ascertain that the treatment will be appropriate. Then hormone therapy begins with an ovary stimulant that causes the follicles on the ovaries to grow to maturity, releasing a mature egg for fertilization.

Concurrently, a sperm sample undergoes a “sperm wash”, which removes less viable sperm and other unwanted materials from the semen. The remaining healthy, motile sperm shall be used for insemination. The sperm used can be from a partner or a third-party donor.

The IUI procedure is usually quick and painless, and takes place at a healthcare provider’s office. It involves using a speculum to create room for a catheter to be inserted into the uterus, and then inserting the prepared sperm into the uterus through the catheter.

After about two weeks, a pregnancy test is done to confirm the pregnancy. If the procedure was not successful, the healthcare provider may recommend trying another round of IUI, or may suggest exploring other ART therapies.

What is IVF

IVF is a more common form of ART therapy. For this treatment, healthy eggs are retrieved and fertilized in a controlled environment in a lab, then the healthy embryo is placed into the uterus.

IVF treatments begin with a consultation and examination at a professional healthcare centre. If IVF is deemed appropriate, the treatment cycle begins with hormone treatment using estrogen supplements or birth control pills. This process, also known as “ovarian suppression”, helps to control menstruation and aids the healthcare provider in timing the egg retrieval procedure with better accuracy.

Next, ovary stimulating injections are administered, which mimic what the brain produces during a natural cycle. During normal ovulation, a single egg reaches full maturity. Ovary stimulation causes the ovaries to develop and mature a group of eggs at a time.

When the follicles in which the eggs are growing reach a suitable size, and about 36 hours before retrieval, a final hormone injection, known as a “trigger shot,” is administered causing the developing eggs to mature fully. The timing of the final hormone treatment is crucial in maximizing the potential of a successful retrieval.

Egg retrieval involves the use of a thin needle guided directly to the ovaries using an ultrasound and extracting the mature eggs using a small suction device. Usually light anaesthesia is administered during this process. A prepared sperm sample is then used to fertilize the eggs.  

The new embryos are given about a week to mature a bit then they are implanted in the uterus, or frozen for future treatment rounds. Similar to IUI, a small catheter is used to implant the embryo into the uterus. If successful, there will be a positive pregnancy test about 10-12 days after the embryo transfer.

Which Treatment Is Right for You?

Your doctor or healthcare provider is best suited to advise you on the best course of treatment, once they review your tests in detail.

Due to its less invasive and affordable nature, many individuals and couples opt to begin ART with IUI treatments. IUI costs range from some hundred dollars to about $4,000 per round, while IVF treatment averages around $20,000 per round. 

IUI tends to be good for couples having issues with their ovaries or unexplained infertility. When low sperm, egg quality or a blockage in the fallopian tube is the cause of infertility, IUI is much less successful. 

Couples and individuals having had many unsuccessful rounds of IUI, will often try IVF, although there are those individuals or couples who will try IVF first. Especially in cases when the partner expected to carry the pregnancy is over the age of 38, or has severe endometriosis.

Despite its cost and being more invasive, IVF has had significantly higher success than IUI. IUI has been found to have a 12% chance of pregnancy, compared to 60% with IVF. A 2015 study revealed that patients had a 29.5 percent live birth rate after one IVF round, which rose to 63.5 percent after six rounds of IVF. This exceeds the 5 to 15 percent live-birth rate found in IUI treatments, which did not change regardless of the number of rounds of IUI treatments done.

Find What Works For Your Body

IUI and IVF are practical for couples and individuals faced with infertility challenges. Deciding which of the two is the best, or should be the first option, is up to the prospective parents after having received counsel from their healthcare provider. 

Contact Us

If you want to know more about which ART therapies could work best for your family, contact Ivy Fertility. We offer a wide range of family-building services in our various locations across the country.