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Thank you!
Anyone in FAANG cyber willing to refer?
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I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again I would always go straight to IVF. It wasn’t covered for me and was challenging financially but I skipped IUI and started IVF at 38 years old (almost 39). After 2 IVF rounds I’m currently nursing the result of it (5wk old) at 40.
I know it’s such a complicated path and do what you feel is right but this is what I chose and it worked out.
If you can get IVF covered, I’d go right to that. If not, IUI next.
I would not delay a single cycle at 40 and would do IVF asap. I have a friend that did 3 IUIs at 38 that were unsuccessful and she is now doing IVF (on 2nd round because first was unsuccessful) and deeply regrets not doing IVF from the start because she feels like she wasted time.
Do you have any indication of what is making conception difficult?
If it’s age-related infertility, then I’d look at going straight to IVF. Unfortunately, age related infertility starts becoming a problem for women at 35, and goes downhill from there, so waiting just makes it harder. I took my first IVF trigger shot midnight as I turned 40, and just finished my second egg retrieval yesterday.
Pro
I did my first round of IVF right as I turned 40. I had 7 eggs develop, 5 harvested, 5 fertilized, 2 made it to Day 6 blastocyst stage. Did testing and both were abnormal (likely would not develop properly for whatever reason).
I took off 3 months to get In better shape and take vitamins and supplements. Had to stop the round early as I was only developing 1-2 eggs.
Just completed the third round. Not taking any extra supplements and back to 5 eggs, 4 fertilized, 4 growing as of Day 3 (today).
This is totally anecdotal, but to me stress seems to make a much bigger difference.
If you have the budget for it, I’d go straight to IVF as the others above have said. At this point I wouldn’t want to potentially waste time trying to TI or an IUI. Nothing is guaranteed but I’d rather go for highest / best chances
Conversation Starter
After days of deep google searches, posting here, talking to friends who went thru fertility, and going thru deep decision paralysis I’ve decided to take out a loan and do IVF. Started BC yesterday and feeling relieved I finally made a decision. Truly thought I would not be here since I had a son thru TI but, as my dad reminded me, I’m no spring chicken. So, here we go. Thank you all for your advice, thoughts, and sharing experience. My biggest reason was genetic testing. With my first I had twins, one didn’t make it, and IUI has a high chance of that happening again, which I don’t think I could mentally or physically get thru again.
Pro
I was recovering from a really bad bout of chronic acid reflux when I started my first round. As long as I made sure to insist on no steroids and told all my doctors that I was doing IVF, I didn’t have any issues. My IVF doctor immediately recognized the vitamin cocktail when I told her about it, and wasn’t an issue during IVF.
Conversation Starter
Met w my doc yesterday, he reccs 2 rounds of IUI before IVF. Apparently my AMH is really good and since I had a son already my chances of IUI working are higher. He isn’t worried about pushing IVF down the road a few months as my egg reserve is good… I’m thinking about doing 1 round of IUI? And if that doesn’t work then IVF. Thoughts?? I know most in here said straight to IVF. I do trust him, so now just feeling conflicted. I told him a bunch of my “friends” reccd IVF (my friends being my internet fishbowl friends) lol
Conversation Starter
Thank you. I was seriously back and forth for a full week. And, after taking out the loan for IVF I’m still wondering if I should have tried IUI. AMH doesn’t indicate quality and I feared my quality was down