Endometriosis: IVF is Much More Successful and Cost-effective Than IUI

Endometriosis is a common gynecological disorder that affects 1 in 10 women around the world. This medical condition is often found in women’s reproductive age, i.e., from 15 to 49 years. Also, it can lead to several complications, including infertility and dysmenorrhea (irregular periods).

Due to a lack of knowledge about women’s sexual health, the disorder often goes unnoticed in young girls. That is until you’re actively but unsuccessfully trying to reproduce later in life. After a few tests, you will have a formal diagnosis of the disease and your treatment can finally begin. After the treatment, you will be on the road to motherhood. Although getting pregnant with endometriosis may be a bit difficult, it is not impossible.

Treatments vary from person to person, but the two most common procedures carried out today to treat infertility due to endometriosis are In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF) and Intrauterine Insemination (IUI). We will look at both methods in more detail to help you determine which one is better for you. Now, let’s take a look at the underlying disease that is responsible for this infertility.

What Is Endometriosis?

Endometriosis is a medical condition that commonly affects 176 million women all over the world. In this condition, the tissue found in the inner uterine lining (the endometrium) is also found outside of the uterus. Usually in the ovaries, fallopian tubes, recto-vaginal septum, bowel, bladder, and in some rare cases, even the lungs. This ectopic tissue causes chronic inflammation in these places, which can result in scar tissue formation as well.

The most common symptoms of endometriosis are painful periods, dysmenorrhea, infertility, chronic pelvic pain. Also, pain during sexual intercourse is a symptom as well. There is no known cure yet for endometriosis, although the condition may be managed with drugs. Surgeons are also able to resect some of the ectopic and scar tissue, but it depends upon the location of the scar tissue. the success rates for such surgeries are highly dependent upon the location of the scar tissue and the surgeon’s skills.

The most common complication of endometriosis that women seek treatment for is infertility. Endometriosis causes infertility by distorting the fallopian tubes or ovaries, and even blocking the release of an egg by forming a significant amount of scar tissue along the female reproductive pathway.

Currently, there are two treatments for this, which are IVF and IUI. But if you had to opt for one procedure, which one would it be, and why?

What is IVF?

In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF) is one of the most trusted and time tested methods of Assisted Reproductive Technology. The technique uses in an IVF process is a combination of medication, small surgical procedures, and lab techniques to implant an embryo into the uterus of a female.

If you’re undergoing IVF, you will initially be given some drugs that will help mature a few of your eggs at the simultaneously and ensure that they are ready for fertilization. Once these eggs have matured enough, a specialist doctor will retrieve the eggs. After retrieving the doctor mixes, them with a sperm sample in the lab. After successful fertilization, the doctor will select the best and most viable fertilized eggs. The doctor will then place them into your uterus. If any of the embryos are successfully implanted into the uterine lining, it will procedure results in pregnancy.

IVF is a lengthy procedure that takes months to complete. However, it does indeed significantly raise your chances of getting pregnant. Many women all over the world have conceived through IVF. So much trust makes IVF one of the most popular treatments for infertility caused by endometriosis.

Still, there is no guarantee that you will get pregnant on the very first IVF cycle. Your age and the extent of your disease affect the outcome of IVF procedures, as well. Compared to other methods, though, IVF is one of the safest and most successful fertility treatments to exist to date.

What is IUI?

Intrauterine insemination, or IUI, is a simple procedure for the treatment of infertility. Doctors put a healthy and concentrated volume of sperm directly into the uterus to reduce the distance between the sperm and the egg and help it fertilize the egg. You may be asked to take medication that will make some of your eggs mature rapidly and help you to ovulate which is similar to IVF. After that a sperm sample will be collected and will go for the “sperm washing,” procedure. “Sperm Washing” is a procedure that helps to concentrate the sperm in the sample. This concentrated sample of semen will be placed inside your uterus when you are ovulating.

Pregnancy will happen if the sperm successfully fertilizes the eggs, and then the fertilized egg will be implanted in the uterine lining. The procedure is simple and low-tech and cheaper than other treatments. However, its success rate is not very high, and it may not be the best treatment to adopt in some cases of infertility.

IVF Vs. IUI: Which One is Better for the Treatment Of Endometriosis?

Since endometriosis is mostly caused by the inability of an egg to be fertilized, for this reason, the best treatment plan would be IVF. Here are a few reasons why.

• Through IVF, a healthy egg will be being selected, retrieved, fertilized, and then reintroduced into the uterus. After that, a fertilized embryo will be implanted into the uterine wall which will proceed to a successful pregnancy.
• IUI does nothing to aid fertilization other than reducing the distance between the egg and the sperm and the introduction of a better quality of sperm. If the fertilized egg is unable to travel to the uterus, the pregnancy may end up being ectopic and it could be lethal.
• IUI is more successful in cases where the sperm quality is less than ideal. The semen sample undergoes “sperm washing” and is concentrated with good quality sperm. However, it does nothing to address the endometriosis or infertility resulting from it.
• IUI may seem like a more cost-effective option at first. However, you will have to undergo numerous cycles for a successful pregnancy, the chances of which are still very slim. An IVF procedure may seem costly initially but is much more successful, and you will need very few cycles compared to IUI. Statistics say IVF is five times more powerful to get pregnant than IUI. Most successful cases make IVF cost much more effective as a treatment for endometriosis-related infertility.

Conclusion

Endometriosis is one of the most common gynecological issues that plague women of reproductive age. It can result in painful periods, heavy bleeding, and even infertility. If you have endometriosis and are having trouble getting pregnant, then you should visit your nearest fertility treatment center and ask for your treatment options. IVF is one of the most common infertility treatments for endometriosis. It has a relatively high success rate compared to methods such as IUI, which is safe and cost-effective as well.

If you still have questions regarding fertility treatment options, we’re here to help! You can always reach out to Reproductive Sciences Medical Center at fertile.com or call (858) 436-7186 to schedule a consultation.