Understanding the Differences Between In Vitro Fertilization and Intrauterine Insemination

In vitro fertilization (IVF) and intrauterine insemination (IUI) are two infertility treatments that improve chances of conception. Find out the differences between IVF and IUI so you know what treatment might help you.

When you struggle to conceive, you may start thinking about infertility treatments. Though in vitro fertilization (IVF) is familiar to most people, it’s not your only option. Intrauterine insemination (IUI) is a less invasive infertility treatment and usually one of the first interventions for people having difficulty conceiving a baby.

At CARE Fertility in Fort Worth and Bedford, Texas, our reproductive endocrinology and infertility specialists offer many options to help patients grow their family. In this month’s blog, we explain the differences between IVF and IUI so you know more about your options.

About in vitro fertilization

IVF is a type of assisted reproductive technology (ART). Thanks to advances in infertility research, IVF is helping many people conceive.

For IVF, we remove eggs from a woman’s ovaries and fertilize them in the lab. We then incubate the fertilized egg in the lab or place it into an INVOcell so it can incubate in the vagina. Incubation in the vagina is called effortless IVF®, and it’s an infertility treatment our own fertility doctors created, making IVF treatments more affordable.

After about five days of incubation, we transfer the embryo into the woman’s uterus.

About intrauterine insemination

IUI is a less invasive infertility treatment. For this procedure, we use a catheter to place specially prepared sperm directly into a woman’s uterus during ovulation. The goal is to shorten the travel time for sperm to reach the egg, improving chances of pregnancy.

We provide you with an ovulation tracking kit so we know when it’s time to perform the IUI. For women with gynecological conditions that affect ovulation, such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), we may prescribe ovulation-stimulating drugs before IUI.

IUI is quick and painless, and it’s another affordable infertility treatment.

IVF or IUI: Which is best?

You don’t have to decide on your own. When you come in for an infertility consultation, we do a thorough workup to find out why you’re having a difficult time conceiving.

We talk to you about our findings and discuss treatment options. We may recommend IUI for people struggling to conceive due to medical issues like endometriosis or low sperm count. IUI also makes a good choice for same-sex couples using a surrogate, same-sex lesbian couples, and single women with a sperm donor.

If IUI fails to help you conceive, we may then suggest IVF. For some conditions, such as blocked fallopian tubes or male infertility, we may recommend moving right to IVF.

Infertility doesn’t mean you can’t have a baby, but you may need help from experts like our team at CARE Fertility. We can find the cause of your infertility and create a plan that helps you get pregnant. Call the office nearest you today or request an appointment online.