Artificial insemination with IUI (intrauterine insemination) is ideally timed around ovulation (when a woman releases a mature egg into the pelvis). The IUI procedure and the required sperm preparation are relatively inexpensive (cost about 200-400 dollars in New Jersey) but the cost of the entire IUI treatment cycle can vary significantly, primarily depending on whether fertility-enhancing medications are also used.
In natural cycles with IUI, a woman allows her egg to mature spontaneously (on its own) within the ovary and an IUI is performed at the time of ovulation. If the woman’s menstrual cycle intervals are extremely regular, then ovulation can be predicted to occur roughly 14 days prior to the onset of the next expected menstrual flow. It is more accurate to confirm the time of ovulation with an ovulation prediction test, which usually tests for the hormone LH (to detect the LH surge that triggers ovulation). These LH ovulation predictor kits often cost about 25-50 dollars and contain several test kit sticks (one test stick is used each day). Sometimes, several ovulation predictor kits are required per month if the menstrual cycle intervals are irregular. When the ovulation test kits are unreliable for a particular woman or when even more accuracy is desirable, then serial ultrasound examinations for follicular development (2-4 ultrasounds per cycle is common) possibly along with bloodwork for estradiol and LH concentrations usually provide reliable information about ovulation. Ultrasound examinations can cost 150-350 dollars per exam in New Jersey and bloodwork for these hormones is in that same ballpark at Quest Diagnostics or LabCorp.
Ovulation inducing medications such as clomiphene citrate (Clomid) may be required if a woman has very irregular menstrual cycle intervals, to attempt to regularize or shorten the menstrual cycles. The medication cost during a cycle of clomipene citrate is often less than 100 dollars and a couple of ultrasounds or bloodwork tests may be used to monitor progress during egg development.
Ovulation enhancing medications can be used to effectively increase the number of eggs that develop per cycle. These cycles of controlled ovarian hyperstimulation should provide “more targets” for the sperm at IUI and the success rate of treatment is greater per cycle. Menotropin ovulation enhancing medications are often expensive, with most women requiring 2-6 amps of medication per day for up to 6-7 days and each amp of medication costs 35-80 dollars. Thus a cycle of menotropin “controlled ovarian hyperstimulation” can cost 1,000-2,000 dollars in medication cost alone. Monitoring of egg development with ultrasounds (2-5 ultrasounds per cycle) and bloodwork (2-5 samples per cycle) is also required during a superovulation cycle.
Consulting with an infertility doctor about the range and cost of effective treatment options for your own individual situation can save you a lot of money and increase your chances for success.
Dr. Eric Daiter at The NJ Center for Fertility and Reproductive Medicine, LLC has extensive experience with controlled ovarian hyperstimulation medications and IUI. He would be happy to help you. For an appointment to discuss your situation with Dr. Daiter, please call the office at 908 226 0250.
For more information please visit us on the web at http://www.drericdaitermd.com http://www.ericdaiter.com and http://www.infertilitytutorials.com
