IUI Vs IVF – What’s the Difference? When to use Surrogacy?
Welcome to the Made in the USA Surrogacy Blog.
Today we are discussing the difference between two fertility treatments common among those seeking fertility treatment.
Unfortunately, you may be in the spot where fertility treatment is warranted, but we want you to take heart. There is an answer to each person’s infertility problems and you may see that either of these solutions may or may not be the solution.
Our hope is that you as a hopeful parent can see that there is hope.
What is IUI?
IUI stands for intrauterine insemination. The basic concept behind this method of fertility treatment is to get the highest amount of sperm to get the greatest possibility of fertilization from literally putting sperm into the uterus. This gives them a great opportunity to travel straight to the egg(s), hopefully giving a greater possibility of achieving fertilization.
With this method however, the woman’s medical condition cannot be severe and the assumption is that all of a woman’s parts are working healthily in unison to accept the sperm where it needs to go. If she has any issues with fallopian tubes, or moderate to severe endometriosis, this method will not be recommended.
Also, IUI (intrauterine insemination) requires that a woman take medication to increase her egg cycling. In other words, the medication will be trying to increase the likelihood that eggs will be dropping at the precise time that this procedure is being done so that the sperm are successful with fertilization.
The immense benefit of this method of fertility treatment is that it is relatively low cost. Cycles can average in the range of $500-$1000 because the process of IUI treatment is very simple and can only last a few minutes. It is much less invasive, but its success is based on the healthiness of the individual woman’s reproductive system and the ability of the sperm to reach their target.
What is IVF?
IVF stands for in-vitro fertilization. In basic terms, it means that both the egg and the sperm are joined together using a lab and the egg will be fertilized outside of the uterus.
Why do couples use IVF instead of IUI?
Couples will use IVF instead of IUI or after the IUI has not been successful because it guarantees that sperm and egg will be fertilized. It does not guarantee that it will be successful to the point of having a child, but it does ensure that eggs will be fertilized. This method is by far the most successful fertility treatment since it starts with a fertilized egg and skips the process of fertilization that needs to happen naturally within the woman’s body.
Why is IVF USED?
According to the Mayo Clinic, IVF is used because of any of the following reasons:
- Fallopian tube damage or blockage
- Ovulation disorders
- Premature ovarian failure
- Endometriosis
- Genetic disorders
- Impaired sperm production or function
These, as well as a host of other issues of infertility, lead to the need to undergo IVF Treatment.
Hopeful parents will pursue IVF treatment for a number of different reasons, but the hope of which is that the eggs that are retrieved from the woman’s body are able to be easily fertilized and implanted in the uterus to provide the highest likelihood of pregnancy.
WHAT IS THE COST OF IVF
A number of different articles are available online via just a search for “IVF cost”, but one can expect a full cycle or multiple rounds to go from $12,000-$60,000 depending on how many rounds of IVF the couple is willing or needs to undergo in order to reach a satisfactory outcome.
WHEN TO CONSIDER SURROGACY
Many couples will undergo IVF treatment or IUI treatment as their first try at achieving pregnancy and a healthy birth of a child. Unfortunately, just undergoing IVF treatment is no guarantee for a couple to ensure pregnancy, though the likelihood of pregnancy is as high as it will probably ever be- due to the success of IVF procedures and the placement of an embryo into the uterus.
Also, pregnancy is not the end of many couple’s journeys to have a family, as we sadly come to the conclusion that some women are just not able to have a healthy pregnancy even after confirmed positive pregnancies. This is when surrogacy is usually suggested as an alternative means to achieving the dream of a family.
It’s our hope that parents find us sooner in the process of starting IVF, and consider surrogacy as a less risky alternative than using their precious embryos to keep trying after multiple failed attempts.
We hear very often horror stories of mothers that maybe should have tried using a surrogate earlier than they have thought of along their journey, and they often have to undergo more embryo creation procedures, or they may have missed the ideal time to retrieve eggs. Or the parents now need to consider using a donor instead of their own natural DNA because they are out of good embryos.
The possibilities for timing not being on your side are unfortunately a lot! Women’s biological clocks are always ticking, and any number of dangerous medical conditions can swing the pendulum not in favor of a healthy pregnancy (even if the process of IVF embryo creation was successful).
We are here to help!
At Made in the USA, we hope that no matter where parents are in the process of IVF or fertility treatments that they are, realize that every day we are screening healthy women who have had healthy pregnancies and will likely carry another surrogate baby to full term without complications.
Of course, we don’t guarantee any complications, but we want prospective parents to know that it is never too early or late to start the process of finding a surrogate. Whether you have tried for months or years to have a baby, please fill out this form, and we assure you that finding a surrogate may just be the answer to what you’ve been waiting, wanting or praying for.
