Difference Between IVF and IUI

IVF vs IUI

IVF or in vitro fertilization is a process where the female egg or ova is taken outside the womb. There on fertilization of the eggs are initiated in a fluid medium with the sperm cells. As fertilization comes to an end, the fertilized egg or the zygote is introduced back into the female uterus looking forward to a successful anchorage of the zygote and commencing of a pregnancy. The process of fertilization is entirely carried outside the body, in vitro. When the conventional reproductive technologies fail, in vitro fertilization tends to come in handy giving birth to test tube babies. On the other hand IUI or intrauterine insemination is a process by which the sperm cells are artificially deposited in the female uterus. In case of IUI the sperm cells are first carefully prepared through sperm washing. Then only the good sperm cells are collected and introduced in the cervix with the use of a catheter.

Though IVF is a popular process of reproductive technology, but these days often couples tend to go for intrauterine insemination which is a lot less expensive and invasive as well. In IUI it is just a catheter that is inserted into the woman‘s cervix and is a quick and easy process causing a lot less pain. On the contrary IVF is much more invasive and painful. Another advantage with IUI is that it is not as costly as in vitro fertilization. Every cycle of IVF costs as much as $15,000 while that of IUI costs just $500.

IVF is a process that comes in useful when for some reason the eggs and the sperm cells are not able to fertilize biologically. For that reason they are removed and allowed to fertilize outside the ovaries in a fluid medium. But IUI is particularly suggested when the element of male infertility hinders pregnancy. In such cases the sperm cells are weak and cannot travel the entire way for fertilization. Hence they are artificially inserted into the cervix to diminish the distance that the sperm cells have to travel.

Summary:
1.  IVF stands for In vitro Fertilization while IUI stands for Intra-uterine Insemination.
2. In IVF both the sperm and egg cells are removed from the body and allowed to fertilize in vitro in a fluid medium. In IUI the sperm cells are artificially inserted into the female cervix using a catheter.
3. IUI is a lot less invasive and painful than IVF.
4. A cycle of IVF costs as much as $15,000 while that of IUI is costs lot lesser, just $500.