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Fertility journal · reviewed by a doctor
IUI vs IVF: What's the Difference and Which Is Right?
The difference between IUI and IVF is where fertilisation happens. In IUI, washed sperm are placed in the womb and the egg is fertilised inside the body. In IVF, eggs are collected and fertilised in a lab. At Jananam Fertility Centre, Chennai, both partners are tested first, and the choice rests on tubes, sperm, age and egg reserve.
Key takeaways
- IUI places washed sperm in the womb; IVF fertilises eggs in the lab and places an embryo in the womb.
- IUI needs at least one open tube and reasonable sperm; IVF works when tubes are blocked or sperm are poor.
- At Jananam, the number of IUI cycles is agreed by age before the first one, so no one is kept in a loop.
- Both partners are tested before either treatment is recommended, because the answer depends on both of you.
What do we test before choosing IUI or IVF?
Both of you, in the first round. For him, a semen analysis. For her, a check that she ovulates, an egg reserve test (AMH and a scan count) and a test that the tubes are open. About half of fertility problems involve a male factor, so testing only the woman can send a couple to the wrong treatment.
When should we see a doctor at all?
After 12 months of regular unprotected sex without a pregnancy, or after 6 months if the woman is 35 or over. Go sooner if periods are irregular, there is known endometriosis or tube damage, or he has had a problem with his testes or had cancer treatment.
When to call us
- You have tried for 12 months, or 6 months if she is 35 or over, without a pregnancy.
- You were offered IUI or IVF before his semen was tested.
- You have had several IUI cycles and nobody has agreed a limit with you.
- You are 38 or over, or have been told your egg reserve is low, and are unsure whether to start with IUI.
Not the question you had?
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Reviewed by
Dr Vani Sundarapandian
MD, DGO, FRCOG (UK) · Founder, Jananam Fertility Centre
Reviewed by Dr Vani Sundarapandian, MD, DGO, FRCOG (UK), 20 years exclusively in reproductive medicine. The month below is when she last read it.
IUI or IVF? Let's test both of you first.
Tell us how long you've been trying and what tests you've had. Janvi, Jananam's companion for fertility treatment, replies straight away.
Sex selection is prohibited in India under the PCPNDT Act, 1994 and the ART Act, 2021.