Among all other fertility treatment options, IUI (Intrauterine Insemination) is one of the most successful. It is usually recommended for couples with minor infertility issues who only need minimal assistance to get pregnant.
Failing in IUI cycles is normal, and most couples need to undergo at least two or three IUI cycles before successfully getting pregnant. However, failing in IUI repeatedly (for or more than 4 cycles) can be emotionally and physically draining.
In this article, we will look at what the next step is and what alternative treatment options you can go for if IUI does not work for you.
After 4 Failed IUIs, What’s Next?
Failing in IUI is normal. However, failing four or more times might indicate that it’s time to take action. Most times, couples only need two or three IUI cycles before getting pregnant.
Your fertility doctor will thoroughly analyze your fertility condition and will start your IUI treatment only after treating the issue. So, even if you fail the first cycle, you have a high chance of pregnancy during the second or third cycles.
However, if you can’t get pregnant even after 4 IUI cycles, it might be because IUI is not the right fertility treatment for you. In that case, you might have to choose advanced fertility options like IVF treatment, ICSI, etc.
It is best to discuss with your fertility doctor, analyze your condition, and choose the right fertility treatment for you.
How Many IUIs Should You Try Before Moving On?
On average, a woman should undergo at least three or four IUI cycles before deciding IUI is not the best option for them. As you know, the success rate of any fertility treatment increases as the number of cycles increases.
So, for example, the success rate of IUI in the first cycle is 20%, you might have a 25% success rate in the second and more than 30% success rate in the third cycle.
This can potentially increase your chances of pregnancy and reduce your need to undergo expensive fertility treatments like IVF. So, don’t decide that IUI won’t work for you based on one or two cycles.
Consult your doctor first, and if they say you can succeed with IUI, then go for it. However, if your doctor feels that IUI may not be the best option for you, below are some alternative treatment options you can choose from.
Alternative Treatment Options
IVF (In vitro fertilization)
IVF is like the next level of treatment after IUI. In IUI, the sperm is collected and injected directly into the female uterus, enabling fertilization to happen in the female reproductive system.
In IVF, however, both eggs and sperm are collected from the female and male partners and fertilized in a lab dish outside the reproductive system. The fertilized eggs will be monitored, and the best embryo out of them will be selected to be transferred to the uterus.
This process ensures that the egg and sperm quality are high and only the best quality embryo(s) are transferred into the uterus. This increases the chances of implantation and pregnancy, making IVF one of the best options for assisted reproduction.
ICSI (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection)
ICSI is a type of IVF but is more advanced. ICSI follows the same procedure as IVF. However, the fertilization process alone changes for both of them.
In IVF, both sperm and eggs are placed in a lab dish and left overnight. The sperm swims to the egg and fertilizes it. In an ICSI, the sperm are examined, and the best sperm is injected directly into the egg’s cytoplasm.
This procedure is particularly helpful in cases of male-factor infertility. Choosing the best sperm and egg also increases the chances of pregnancy by several degrees.
Donor egg, sperm, or embryo
If you can’t get pregnant using your own eggs or sperm, you can choose to use a donor egg, sperm, or embryo for your fertility treatment. This procedure is common, and most fertility clinics have this facility.
You don’t need to worry about their quality as they are only collected from your people who are highly fertile without any health conditions.
Conclusion
It is understandable for you to feel depressed and worried if you fail in four IUI cycles. However, you should know that IUI will only work in certain cases and does not have a high success rate compared to other advanced fertility treatments.
So, if you feel like IUI does not work for you, you can discuss it with your fertility doctor and choose a fertility treatment that will best suit your condition.
You can always go for another IUI treatment if one cycle fails. However, if you have repeated IUI failures, talk with your doctor and choose a fertility treatment that can increase your pregnancy success rate.
Studies show that the success rate of your IUI treatment will increase by 5–10% during each cycle. So, if the success rate of your first IUI cycle was about 25%, the success rate of your second IUI cycle will be around 30–35%.
Most couples need to undergo at least two or three IUI cycles to get pregnant. Some have even conceived during the first cycle, so it is not like it is not possible. Your success rate depends on your fertility condition and the quality of your embryos.
