going for IUI - have some questions for you all

Hello everyone,

My wife and I have been trying for over a year, we were both tested and everything is normal, therefore we are now moving onto the next phase - IUI.

This is the IUI plan the doctor told us:
day 3 of my wife's next period - start clomid
day 10 (I don't remember the exact day) - get a shot of HCG
day 11 (I don't remember the exact day) - I go in and make a deposit...1 hour later, she comes in for IUI...That night, BD

I have a couple of questions, I forgot to ask the doctor, the whole process was overwhelming for me, and I didn't want to just keep asking the doctor questions.

1. Is this the normal first IUI step? or are we getting the more advanced IUI? (I want us to try the least "outside influence/most natural" steps first)
Shouldn't we do IUI without the clomid or without the HCG shot? (her ovulation time for the last 5 months has been between day 14-20, so it seems consistant)
then if that does not work, move on to the next "level"...use clomid, then if that does not work, move to the next level, clomid and the HCG shot?

2. Is it normal to BD that night? I thought IUI would take care of the process.

3. In your experience with IUI, how often were you supposed to BD? Night before, day of? Only day of? Only night before? Not supposed to?

4. In your opinion, have you ever heard of ANY long term drawbacks for the baby using IUI?
I do not want to be a downer and I apologize if anyone is offended, but I am concerned about that.
The doctor said there are no drawbacks for IUI or IVF, but I heard there is a slight increase in risk of birth defects with IVF (very slight).
That is what I mean. From what you heard, what are the potential risks to the baby with IUI? Even if it is 1% more than natural, I would like to know.

The actual process of injecting the sperm seems ok, but the whole collecting, processing, prepping the sperm has me wondering if there is any physical damage to the sperm, and if it will have any effects.

Thank you for any information.

Re: going for IUI - have some questions for you all

Hey....

First of all...sorry you have to even go through this process. DH and I have been going to a reproductive specialist for the past couple of months after trying for a year and a half on our own and I know how much it sucks!!

I'm not exactly an expert at it, but I would think a medicated cycle (clomid) with timed intercourse would be the LEAST invasive way of going primarily. DH and I did one cycle of that before we went to IUIs... We just did our second the other day as the first did not work.

The schedule you have is pretty similar to what my MD is doing except we are not doing the trigger shot (HCG) as I ovulate on my own without any issues. Do you know why her MD is suggesting that? Have you been getting on an ovulation predictor kit? Is it for scheduling purposes? I also thought you would trigger later in a cycle, but that might just be me...

As for the BDing... We were told not the night before the IUI but the night of the IUI and the next day just to "cover our bases" so thats what we have been doing!

As far as side effects, I didn't really care to research them as we didn't really have any other option. MY DS was conceived without any issue and this next one is going on 22 months now, so I wasn't as concered about the side effects as we were told the only real risk is an increased chance of multiples!!

Good luck to you guys!!

Re: going for IUI - have some questions for you all

My fraternal twin boys are the result of our first cycle with an RE.

We used the lowest dose of Clomid (50mg). Clomid is the thing most RE's will try first since many couples have good results from it. The medication not only helps a woman produce more eggs, it can also help improve the quality of the eggs. Our schedule was pretty much the same as you described except we didn't need a trigger shot since I ovulated on my own. I am sure there is a reason that your RE is suggesting the trigger shot, sometimes it is just to keep her cycle more in their control.

I was sore from the IUI so we did not BD on our own. The RE office we used does back-to-back IUIs - 1 IUI each day, 2 days in a row. Many say this isn't necessary. Its hard to say. I believe there are studies that say going home and BDing may be just as good.

I am not aware of long term side effects from IUI or IVF. I have also heard of studies that say that there is a slight increase in birth defects with IVF HOWEVER there is also an increased risk for birth defects when the parents are older. Women who are older sometimes have more trouble conceiving, and therefore seek out help such as IUI and IVF, therefore contributing to the POTENTIAL for issues. So it could be said that the increase risk for defects with IVF is due to maternal age and not actually because of IVF. I hope what I'm saying makes sense ...

Best of luck to you and your wife! I hope your time with the RE is short and you bring home your LO one day very soon.

Re: going for IUI - have some questions for you all

1 for me t was the norm, u can do a unmedicated iui if she has no prob with ovulation or producing follies

the meds just increase chances and with the trigger they can pinpoint ovulation

there is a risk of multiples,just want to throw that out there

2. we did b2b iui so we did not bd till after the 2nd one,if u r only having one u can def bd,u r doing nothing but increasing ur chances

3.we were told not to bd night before the iui

4.no i have not heard any..i know people have theories etc..we wanted a baby, we knew it was not happening without help,we were ok with that

we were lucky enough to have twins via ivf and they are perfectly fine

best of luck!

Re: going for IUI - have some questions for you all

1. We started with clomid plus timed intercourse first, before moving onto IUI. I found out that I did not ovulate on my own so that is why we needed the trigger shot.

2. The RE I went to did not do back to back IUI's so we did BD the night of the IUI just in case.

3. We abstained maybe 2-3 days before the IUI.

4. I have not heard drawbacks, i just wanted to have the end result of having a baby!

good luck !

going for IUI - have some questions for you all

Thanks for the replies everyone!

>Irishgrl13
>but I would think a medicated cycle (clomid) with timed intercourse would be the LEAST invasive way of going primarily

Yeah, thats what I was thinking also.

>Do you know why her MD is suggesting that?

Nope. Based on Clear Blue Fertility monitor, she has been ovulating pretty regularly.


>PreshusSmurf
>I am sure there is a reason that your RE is suggesting the trigger shot, sometimes it is just to keep her cycle more in their control.

Could be that.


>So it could be said that the increase risk for defects with IVF is due to maternal age and not actually because of IVF.

Very good point. Makes a lot of sense.


>gina409
>the meds just increase chances and with the trigger they can pinpoint ovulation

Yes...maybe they want everything based on their schedule/within their control. (We are not at a RE center, but a hospital in the city)

Hopefully things will be good.
Revised schedule:
Clomid days 3-7
Go into office day 13 for trigger
seems like a long time inbetween. I was thinking day 10 for an ultrasound at least.