IUI is a lifesaver fertility treatment for couples who have been unable to get pregnant. It is an effective fertility treatment for couples or individuals with minor infertility issues and has a considerably higher success rate.
However, even with all the preparations, you might still have an IUI failure. Though it can be a distressing issue, it happens, and there is nothing we can do about it. We can only find out the cause of failure and ensure it doesn’t happen in the next cycle.
In that case, the second IUI cycle has been known to have a higher success rate and has been shown to help women achieve pregnancy. Let’s learn more about this second IUI in this article.
Second IUI Success Stories
Kavitha and her husband have been trying for around two years to get pregnant. However, all their attempts failed. They suspected that they had any fertility issues and visited Dr. Rukkayal for a fertility consultation.
That is when they realized that Kavitha’s husband had poor sperm motility and that his sperm could not reach the egg. They were very worried but were assured by Dr. Rukkayal that it was a very minor issue and could be rectified after some treatment.
They decided to undergo IUI to get pregnant. However, their first IUI cycle failed. When looking into the cause, they identified that the timing of insemination was not right.
They did not give up hope and tried for IUI again. This time, they hit the nail and successfully got pregnant. Now, Kavitha has a cute baby girl and is living happily with her family.
Reasons Behind The First Unsuccessful IUI Cycle
In the majority of the cases, the first IUI cycle has only about 20% success rate in women under 35 years of age. This is mainly attributed to their health and fertility issues that make it difficult to achieve pregnancy.
Here are some of the most common reasons why your first IUI cycle might fail.
- Increased age results in a decline in fertility
- Poor egg or sperm quality
- Ovulation issues
- Poor sperm count, motility, or morphology
- Underlying medical conditions like PCOS, uterine fibroids, polyps, etc
- Incorrect timing of insemination
- Genetic or chromosomal factors
- Unexplained infertility issues
All these factors can affect your fertility and your success rate in IUI treatments. You need to assess your body carefully and identify if you have any of these issues. Treating it before your next IUI cycle can increase your chances of pregnancy.
Alternative Treatment Options, If Needed
You can, at most, undergo three to four IUI cycles to see if you can get pregnant. However, if the procedure doesn’t work for you and you have difficulties getting pregnant, then it is better for you to choose other advanced fertility treatment options to get pregnant.
IVF (in vitro fertilization)
IVF is the advanced level of fertility treatment that is preferred when you have serious fertility issues. Unlike IUI, where only sperm is collected, IVF involves collecting both eggs and sperm and fertilizing them in a laboratory.
The developed embryo will be transferred into the uterus to develop into a pregnancy. This method is more controlled than IUI and has a higher chance of success.
ICSI (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection)
ICSI is a type of IVF where, instead of placing the sperm and eggs together in a dish for fertilization, a single, healthy sperm is collected to be injected into the egg.
This method is preferred in case of male factor infertility and ensures that the best sperm and egg get fertilized, thus increasing the chances of success even more.
Donor sperm or eggs
In case either or both you and your partner have very poor-quality eggs or sperm, you can speak with your doctor and use donor eggs or sperm for your IVF treatment.
The above three methods are some effective fertility treatment options that you can choose in case you have difficulty succeeding in IUI. You can discuss with your fertility doctor and choose the most suitable fertility treatment for your condition.
Conclusion
IUI is a slightly complicated procedure. Though its success rates are high, it does not mean that it works for everyone. However, don’t give up on your first cycle. You can still go for another two or three cycles to determine whether IUI is the right choice for you.
Remember, the fertility doctor you choose also plays a role in your IUI success rate. So, ensure you choose the best fertility doctor in the field of fertility treatments.
