ICSI vs. IUI which one works better?

[Vana08]

Hi there Ladies!

Does any one have experience with ICSI?? Are the changes of getting pregnant higher than IUI?

Thank you in advance my friends.

[Vana08]

I am so thankful for your answers! I really appreciate your help and your support..Your last reply made me to beleive there's some hope for IUI's..And I should try again..I found it very depressing, but I guess I need to be more patient..I will talk to my RE about those injections..I was only taking Clomid..This last IUI I actually got 2 mature follicles and DH litlle guys weren't bad..That's why I am so down, bc I keep asking myself "Why can't I get pregnant?"..I guess it wasn't meant to be this month..It's a pity IVF is so expensive and our insurance doesn't cover it, otherwise I would try it..So tonight,I will be talking to DH about next IUI..We were about to giving up..Or taking a break..But I guess you changed my mind:)

Thank you, thank you from my heart!

[YvetteY]

I don't think that the IUIs are that bad.  I know it's frustrating each month and this can be such an emotional rollercoaster.  But I'd give it at least a few more months.  They take the sperm and spin out the dead heads and practically do the job for the swimmers by getting them high up in the uterus.  When you did this naturally, you'd be suprised to learn how many don't make the journey.  

Also you could get a big more agressive with your IUI, I don't know what you're doing now, but maybe if month 3 doesn't work out you could just do all injections or bump the dose up a little bit.   Some people taking clomid and injections...not sure if you're going that route or not.

It's just a matter of getting a good egg and getting the egg to do what you want it to do.  Hang in there!   Don't give up yet on the IUI.  

I think your clinic was talking about something else with regards to the ISCI....sounds like a weird answer!!  Good luck!! I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you!

[Vana08]

I got the answer!!Thanks a million Yvette!! I had done 2 IUI`s..Both failed..So,my hopes for IUI are very slim right now..I  got very confused about IVF and ICSI..I called my Clinic asking if ICSI could be performed alone,without IVF..I thought the injection with the little guys would reach the eggs without taking them out and it was called ICSI..But of course,on the back of my mind I had asked myself,how could it be possible done without taking the eggs out!?Your clear answer made me to understand it now..It's a little bit confusing I confess.. But now I know IVF & ICSI are together..Well, today I learned something from you! I was doing some research online about ICSI because my Clinic said I could do ICSI by itself.. But now, I think they were talking about something else..(maybe).And I got all crazy here..Thank you so so much.   XOXO

[YvetteY]

For what's it worth and I'm not sure if this means anything to you....but here's our experience.   They said my husband sperm morphology was borderline....which meant he had the borderline number of sperm that they would consider perfect.  So when we had IVF they wanted to fertilize have the batch the conventional way and the other half ISCI.   We had 50 eggs to fertilize.   On the conventional side, about 93% of the eggs fertilized and ISCI way it was 72%.  So the conventional side worked better in our case.

I am confused at the second part of your question, however, they usually do ISCI with IVF not with IUI.  

ISCI is when they inject a sperm into the egg that way the sperms doesn't have to do any work.  

IUI is when they put the sperm in your uterus...ISCI isn't done with an IUI.

IVF is when they take the eggs out of you and fertilze them out side of the body.  In this methodology they can do ISCI to manually fertilize the egg.  I don't know how old you are but that's also a factor.  

You wouldn't do IUI and IVF at the same time.  It's either one or the other.   IVF is more aggressive than IUI however.   SO I would imagine it'll give you a higher chance of success than just IUI.  

[Itlyncutie87]

Erika- I feel the same way. I want to be pregnant so badly and I feel like IUI is getting me no where. and I don't even know how much the IUI is costing me.

[Vana08]

Hi Helen,
Thank you for your reply.
I am a little bit confused..Do you have to do IUI with IVF or you can just have an option..Like trying only ICSI alone..I understand the chances are higher with IVF but it's so expensive here..So, I am searching for more options than IUI...The chances with IUI seems to be very low..Have you done ICSI?

Thanks again.

[Helen72]

ICSI is an option that you have with ivf.  ICSI is performed if male infertility is very significant.  IUI is just incemination.  Ivf obviously has higher chances of success than ivf.  If you do ivf with ICSI you will probably get more embryos since sperm is injected into the egg directly.