Multiple IUIs in one cycle?

[citygirl144]

Hi, I noticed in the Brill book that she says that if you can at all swing it financially, you might consider 3 IUIs with frozen sperm in one cycle - she says something about people almost always conceiving when they do this, and that in the long run it can be more cost effective than just doing 1 or 2. Although the cost is very overwhelming, i have to say that this strategy seems appealing, since getting the timing right for an IUI seems so incredibly intimidating. Did anyone try the 3-IUI approach? Any luck?
thanks so much,
CityGirl (gearing up to use a sperm bank since our known donor plan isn't working out....)

[lexbeach]

We never tried 3, but we did try 2 despite our doctors saying 1 was plenty. Our stats:

Cycle 1: 2 IUIS, clomid: BFP
Cycle 2: 2 IUIS: BFN
Cycle 3: 2 IUIS: BFN
Cycle 4: 2 IUIS, trigger shot: BFP
Cycle 5: 1 IUI, trigger shot: BFP

Five cycles, three pregnancies, four babies. In our case, it seems the trigger shot might have made more of a difference than the extra IUI. But of course the sample is too small to really say that for sure.



Lex

[citygirl144]

Thanks Lex! What did you do to time it so well? Is the trigger shot something that we would use even if it seems that my partner regularly ovulates? (I'm basing that just on her biphasic temp chart and fertility monitor). Trigger shots aren't something Brill really talks about - I wonder if in addition to the Brill, which seems to really only cover the natural approach, if there is another source to find out stuff about things like meds, trigger shots, sonograms etc...any advice?
thanks!

[lexbeach]

The trigger shot is a shot of HCG which will make you ovulate within 24-36 hours (we did the trigger shot 24 hours before IUI the first cycle we tried it, and 36 hours before IUI the second cycle we tried it). It is used in otherwise-ovulating people in order to time the IUI precisely. If a trigger shot is used, there's really no reason to do more than one IUI in a cycle (we did anyway one time because the trigger shot was a last-minute decision and we already had two vials of sperm on hand). Generally, trigger shots are used in conjunction with ultrasound monitoring (to make sure the follicle is big enough). We were able to have the ultrasounds and the trigger shots covered by insurance (even though the IUIs and sperm were not covered). It might be a sort of extreme measure to take during a first attempt; we waited until the third cycle of TTC #3 to try it. We did use it during the first attempt at TTC #4, but that's just because we only had one vial of sperm from our older boys' donor left, and wanted to increase our chances of pregnancy. And it worked! :

One nice thing about the trigger shot is that it DOES NOT increase your chances of multiples (twins, triplets, etc.) when used in the absence of other fertility drugs. One bummer thing about it is that it makes you feel pregnant (since HCG is the pregnancy hormone) even if you're not (although both times we used it, we did get pregnant, so I'm not sure what symptoms were from the shot and what were from the new pregnancy hormones).

HTH!

Lex

[FtMPapa]

I agree with Lex on the utility of the trigger shot. My clinic still did two vials, I think was shot one day, one IUI 24 hours, and one 48 hours after the shot to make sure your bases were covered. Ideally, you would ovulate 36 hours post-shot, so smack dab in the middle of the two IUIs.

Doesn't always work, I once ovulated 12 hours post shot, for example. Probably because I was already ready to go before I got the shot.

Also, I've been told that if you get the shot, it's important to make sure to take progesterone supplements, something to do with the shot making you not release as much progesterone as you would on your own...I think.

Finally, I never felt pregnant when I took the shots (twice) and I wasn't either time. Of course, both times I took the shots, it was a last-ditch effort to get me to ovulate before the follicles got so big they took over the world, so I wasn't especially hopeful either time.