Trying to have a child isn’t always going to be a simple process. There are times where people will have difficulties conceiving. This can be a very emotionally frustrating situation to be in. If you want to be able to start a family, but you have been having nothing but trouble, then it is easy to feel very stressed out.
It is important to remain hopeful when having a child is a big part of your life plan. The setbacks that you are experiencing do not have to be the end of your parental ambitions. You will be able to have a child if you seek out help from the medical community. There are several different processes that can help you to have a child of your own.
Fertility treatments have been around for a very long time. There are a wide array of different treatments that can help you to conceive a child. One of the problems that people encounter is figuring out which route they should take. There are several factors that you need to consider and which method is going to work right for you will largely depend on your personal circumstances.
IUI and IVF
Two of the most popular fertility treatment options that people use are known as IUI and IVF. IUI stands for Intrauterine Insemination and IVF stands for In Vitro Fertilization. Both methods are a means to the same ends, but they differ in how they are performed. In order to understand everything that you need to know about these two fertilization treatments, it is important to dig into the details.
You should examine exactly what each procedure does and take a close look at the success rates. It is important to note that fertility treatments are not a one size fits all type of procedure. Some people will have great success with one method and have difficulties with another. You just want to be able to pick out which method is going to give you the best chance of having a child, while fitting into your budget.
How IUI and IVF Differ
These two treatments differ in several ways, but the most apparent difference is that an IUI is done one time. You will have one procedure when you go the IUI route. This is a procedure where sperm will be placed in a woman’s uterus in order to attempt to fertilize her eggs.
Generally speaking, the IUI procedure will be set up to occur during a time when the woman is ovulating. Sometimes other fertility medications will be used to help stimulate ovulation and to increase the overall chances of success.
IVF treatments are significantly more complex as they will require more than one procedure. There are different stages of IVF procedures, and you will need to go through multiple things. The process will involve having the ovaries stimulated with different medications, and then eggs will be removed from the woman for further procedures. Embryos will be incubated in a laboratory and then placed back into the uterus of the woman.
As you can probably tell, going through IVF treatments is a lot more difficult than having an IUI done. You will need to go through a lot of physically demanding procedures to get your desired results. Getting an IVF treatment can be a really good way to have a successful pregnancy, though. It isn’t an absolute guarantee of success, but the success rates are quite good.
Risk of Multiple Pregnancies
You might have read in the past about fertility treatments being linked to people having twins or triplets. It is true that IUI treatments wind up increasing the chances for these types of pregnancies. Clinics will do their best to ensure that you are only going to have one baby, but there is no way to completely guarantee it. Going through with an IUI is going to carry a risk of having twins or triplets, no matter what you do.
It should be said that this isn’t necessarily going to happen when you have an IUI. There is a possibility of triplets or even more babies being born, but your doctors are going to work to limit the chances of such a thing happening. When you go to a good fertility clinic, they will be on top of things and will ensure that only the right amount of follicles are mature, promoting a normal pregnancy.
IVF methods don’t carry the same risk of multiple pregnancies as the IUI procedures. The statistics of multiple pregnancies with IVF methods being used are much lower. It is still possible, it just isn’t as likely being that everything is monitored so closely in the lab before the eggs are put back into the woman.
Success Rate, Time, and Cost
Perhaps the three most important factors that are on your mind will be the success rate, time, and cost. These actually differ quite a bit between the two popular procedures. IUI is going to be the less expensive of the two, but the success rate isn’t quite as high. Women under 35 will be able to enjoy an 8-15% success rate during a cycle. Those over 40 will see that success rate dip down to 2-5% per cycle.
The IVF methods have much high success rates but they cost a lot more money. You will have to pay out a significant sum of money to be able to take advantage of IVF fertilization methods. The success rates are as high as 40-45% for women under 35, though. Women over 42 will still be able to enjoy a 15% or less success rate, which is higher than the IUI procedures can offer.
IUI will take up a lot less of your time. IVF procedures come in multiple stages, and you will need to commit to a long process. An IUI treatment can be performed once, and you might have success within the first few treatments. It is hard to predict, and not everyone is going to have success so quickly.
Which Should You Choose?
Which method you should go with depends on your personal situation. If you have the financial means and the time to dedicate to the process, then it makes sense to go with IVF. You will also want to choose IVF if you are 40 or older, as it is going to give you the best chance of success. Those who are younger may be able to save some time and money by sticking with IUI treatments.
Every person is different, and your results may vary. You need to use this information as a primer to make your own informed decisions. Talk to your doctors about your options, and consider your financial position. You should be able to figure out the best course of action to take that will work for your family.