For quarter lady:

Natural cycle IUI

This is when a woman just has her ordinary menstrual cycle. Just before ovulation, sperm are inserted into the uterous (bypassing the cervix). These are specially prepared and live only 6 hours, so timing is quite crucial. Nothing is required except the one trip to the clinic for the insemination. This costs about 1100/1200. Success rates at our clinic are 10% per cycle.

Stimulated cycle IUI

Same as above, except a bit more invasive. There are injections every other day of a low dose of hormones, as well as regular scans to make sure the follicle (what the egg is in) develops nicely. A day or so before the insemination, another injection is given to induce ovulation. This cuts down on timing problems. This requires medication and multiple trips to the clinic. This costs about 1400. Success rates are 15-20% per cycle.

IVF

IVF is when a woman’s normal hormones are ‘turned off’ by medication. This allows multiple eggs to develop, which are then harvested in an operation. I would be having ICSI, which is when a sperm is injected directly into each egg. The embryos are then monitored to see if they have fertilised, how they are developing, etc. The two best quality ones are places back into the womb. This requires medication in the cycle before the woman plans to conceive, daily injections in the conception cycle, and (probably) scans. I know the least about this timeline as we haven’t had the consult yet. This is very, very expensive. If I am willing to share my eggs with a woman who needs them, it costs 1050 per cycle. Success rates are 50-55%, more towards the 55% due to my young age.

We are leaning towards IVF because of the very high success rate. We have extremely limited funds, so we would only have enough money for a couple of tries before switching to IVF. I think we would rather put our money into IVF as the chances of success are much higher, the price is lower, etc. Yes, it’s invasive, but I don’t think I really mind that bit at all.

DN, want to tell me more about your insemination? Either by email, facebook, or here. I’ve been feeling hopeless about the low success rates of IUI, but sort of wishing we had loads of money so we cuold do natural cycle first. Still, IVF makes me feel much, much more hopeFUL. I welcome more info, please!!

PS – Just in case you don’t read my response to the comment you made on a previous entry a bit ago, I said that I wished you lived near me. I would take you someplace slightly funky, with a nice atmosphere (perhaps a bit dim), where we could talk and talk. It would, of course, involve tasty food and things. How funny that you live so close to where I used to live, before this big old ocean got in the way.

Tags: baby, bodily functions, creativity, grown up, health, IUI, IVF, lbgt, lesbian, queer, sexual health, TTC