5 reasons why IVF might be the answer for you
Many couples say, I’m not getting pregnant with IUI (Intrauterine insemination) and am tired of this, and it’s getting expensive. We want a treatment with high success rates. Maybe it’s time to do IVF (in vitro fertilization).
But is it the best choice for you?
Some couples would benefit from doing IVF soon rather than having more tests, more surgery and more IUI cycles that are relatively low yield for getting the baby they want.
1. The success rate for IVF is increasing every year, while the success rate for IUI has remained relatively unchanged in the past 20 years.
- For example, in 1985, the percent of IVF cycles resulting in live births was 5%. In 2006, the percentage had risen to more than 28!
- This is for all ages; the percentage is much higher for women under age 35.
2. Is IVF more “cost effective” than IUI? If IUIs are not getting you pregnant within three cycles, with no other medical reason present, it might be worth your while to switch to IVF which has the advantage of being the most successful of any infertility treatment.
- Ask your doctor, but it might turn out to the most cost effective in the long run.
3. Remember your age, diagnosis and health history influence the type of treatment most effective for you. IVF is helpful if you have one or more of the following fertility issues:
- Blocked fallopian tubes;
- pelvic adhesions;
- male factor (low sperm count or low motility);
- advanced female age over 37;
- reduced ovarian reserved (low egg supply);
- severe endometriosis.
4. One big advantage of IVF over IUI is the amount of information your RE will obtain from an IVF cycle, including:
- the success of stimulation (how many eggs you produce),
- the quality of the eggs retrieved, and
- the quality and quantity of the embryos produced.
- This is like an encyclopedia of information compared to an IUI!
5. Success rates of pregnancy increase dramatically for couples who undergo more than two IVF cycles. Going through IVF can be very stressful, and studies show many couples drop out after two IVFs because of the emotional toll. However, a recent study by a Swedish doctor who studied almost a thousand women going through IVF treatment, found that women who underwent three IVF cycles had a 66 percent chance of conceiving, higher than couples that only went through one or two cycles.
Tell me, if you’ve undergone more than one cycle of IVF, is stress causing you to consider dropping out? The Mind Body Program for Infertility has been proven to give you the skills to manage depressive and anxious feelings, allowing to continue in treatment if that’s your choice. To find out more about classes in Tampa Bay…
