2nd vial increase chances?

EHakkinen22EHakkinen22 Posts: 6
in Ask California Cryobank
We used one vial last month in an at-home insemination. Since we are planning to get married in October, we have decided to wait until after then to keep trying, to limit the stress of planning for both at the same time. We are hoping by then to be able to afford to get 2 vials at once. By what percentage would this increase our chances of being successful? I'm so so so impatient that waiting until October is really difficult for me, even though I know it is the right decision, but it would make it easier for me knowing that our chances would be better of conceiving the first or second time.

Comments

  • cryoadmincryoadmin Posts: 103
    Hi E -

    Congratulations on all the excitement.

    Some physicians suggest using two vials per insemination. The real issue is not having too few sperm (one vial is plenty). It is timing your ovulation cycle. By doing two separate inseminations 12 hours apart, you increase the likeliness of the sperm being in the right place at the right time. If you can nail down the timing, one vial should offer you the same chances as two.

    If you haven't already, you should be keeping close track of your cycles and using an ovulation test kit to make sure you are inseminating at the right time. You only have a 12-24 hour window for the sperm to find the egg, so if you are a day early or late you have little or no chance of a pregnancy.

    While plenty of our clients are successful with at-home inseminations, we always recommend consulting a physician to make sure there are no other issues.

    Good luck with everything!

    Scott
    CCB
  • mariposa2001mariposa2001 Posts: 13
    Hi Scott,

    My clinic only does IUI's in the morning. What do you think about doing a second IUI 24 hrs after the first? I think they've been having me come too early so I'm eager to try something new (if I'm not already pregnant, that is.)

    Thanks!
  • cryo-admincryo-admin Posts: 4,538
    Because previously frozen sperm does not survive as long as fresh after insemination, some physicians recommend doing a second insemination to "sandwich" the egg.

    The egg only has about a 24 hour window to be fertilized (less the older you get because older eggs don't last as long). The sperm last about 12 hours. If the sperm gets there too early they can die before finding the egg. If the sperm are too late, the egg can be gone. The two inseminations maximize the chances of fertilization.

    Good luck,

    Scott
    CCB
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