IVF and IUI procedures are the top infertility treatments for infertile couples. IUI treatment is used in case of male infertility, unexplained fertility, and usage of donor sperms. IVF procedure is chosen when both the partners have infertility problems, presence of blocked fallopian tubes, and endometriosis.

Let’s Discuss in More Details About IUI or IVF:

You have been thinking about fertility treatment, but what are our options?

Intrauterine insemination (IUI treatment) and in vitro fertilization (IVF treatment) are among the most common fertility treatments.

Is IVF treatment right for you? What’s the difference between IUI treatment and IVF treatment as both are the infertility treatment? What factors should you consider when deciding between infertility treatment: IUI treatment and IVF treatment? So many questions!

But your first question should be why are you considering fertility treatment. The why will determine whether using IUI treatment or IVF treatment makes the most sense. (1) (2)

Why Should You Choose IUI Treatment?

If your partner’s sperm just needs a little help getting to your egg, IUI might be right for you. It is a long journey to get to that egg! With sex, the man’s sperm has to travel from the vagina to the cervix, to the uterus, and then to one of the fallopian tubes. And, there’s timing. Ovulation must have taken place and a fully mature egg needs to be waiting once the sperm cells that have completed the long journey have arrived at their destination. (3)

Perhaps your partner has low sperm count IUI can ensure that sperm reaches their destination. Perhaps you have ovulation disorder ovulation inducing medicine combined with IUI can help your egg and your partner’s sperm get the timing right. (4)

Perhaps you’ve decided to use donor sperm or your partner has previously decided to freeze his sperm (usually done before invasive treatments that might affect reproduction) IUI will deliver that previously collected sperm to your egg.

In all these cases, IUI might be a great choice.

IUI might also be the right choice when you and your doctor aren’t sure of the reason why you haven’t been able to get pregnant. IUI treatment costs less than IVF treatment, and many couples will choose IUI to try to solve their fertility issues before approaching IVF infertility treatment. (5)

Why Should You Choose IVF Treatment?

All IUI scenarios assume that the woman has at least one open fallopian tube, has good egg quality and that her ovulation can be induced with medications. If these preconditions have not been met, then IVF is a more appropriate choice.

IUI delivers healthy sperm to the right location at the right time but leaves the chance and the process of fertilization to the body. With IVF treatment, the sperm and egg are combined in a lab to create the embryo. Only once the embryo is formed will it be inserted into the body. (6)

What Is The Process of IVF?

IVF leverages fertility medication to produce multiple eggs, and those eggs are fertilized with the donor’s sperm in a lab. Usually, multiple embryos are created, and doctors choose the strongest, healthiest embryo to plant back into the uterus. Other embryos can be frozen and donated, or used for subsequent rounds of IVF. (7)

IVF allows doctors to better control the situation and leaves less to chance. This might be necessary, depending on your health and age. IVF also has better success rates depending on your health and age, so, in some cases, patients choose to skip IUI in favor of IVF infertility treatment.