IVF and unexplained...your experience?

[Zest11]

Hello,

I am starting IVF with this cycle. My husband and I have been TTC for around 2 years. I have had 1 cp (after about a year and a bit of trying) and subsequently 3 failed IUIs. I am 31 and my husband is 34. Would anyone care to share their experiences of IVF and unexplained? Has your cause of unexplained been discovered during IVF? How many eggs did you get? What day transfer did you have? Any frozen? Did it work for you? If so, how many attempts? And anything else on your experience please.

Thank you so much in advance for your replies.

[Teddybear45]

I was diagnosed with PCOS but after 6 months unable to conceive with clomid with great embryos was told I was ‘probably unexplained’. After 3 failed transfers at the clinic I paid for Level 1/2 testing and it explained everything really - I was hypothyroid (NHS didn’t test), had an inherited clotting disorder (NHS didn’t test), and my body was producing thyroid antibodies (thus an immune issue which the NHS didn’t test). I got my first BFP ever after medication - whether the pregnancy continues or not, I’ll always be a bit bitter that the NHS didn’t test any of this.

[Teddybear45]

I produced 13 eggs first cycle (only 3 mature eggs) and 30 eggs second cycle (only 16 mature). First cycle only 1 useable day 5 embryo. Second cycle 4 useable day 5 embryos. But bear in mind I’m 38 and have a high egg reserve due to pcos. If you have a lower egg reserve then my clinic doesn’t try for day 5 transfers.

[Zest11]

Thank you for your reply Teddybear45 that is interesting about the tests. I am so glad for you that you managed to get some answers and have got a bfp! I find not knowing what's wrong so hard. How/where am I able to get the tests done (I guess I will have to pay?) And how much were they in total?

[Teddybear45]

IVF clinics usually offer these when you get referred privately (NHS cycles exclude them) but often only if you have had 3 failed cycles. Best to ask for them in the first instance as they are a lot cheaper than a failed cycle.

I paid 2k for L1 and L2 tests. I didn’t pay for genetic karyotyping as I was using PGS instead but that’s usually another £850-1200 on top depending on the conditions you need to test for.

[Cailinnua]

Unexplained fertility is a cop out for the medical profession. It is an example of how undervalued women’s health is. One little test and they can tell you everything about a man’s sperm in hours. While you are undergoing IVF there is a chance they’ll uncover your issue. I was asked did I want answers or to have a baby? I was told that there wasn’t time for both. Egg retrieval showed my ovaries were completely covered in scar tissue.

[LillyLeaf]

Unexplained here, I'm 36. I had my first cycle in December, only got 8 eggs but I had a good amount make it to blastocyst, 5 high grade. I transferred 1 in December, got a BFP but miscarried. I've just transferred another today (FET). I had tests after the miscarriage but everything was fine so hopefully it's 'just one of those things'. We still don't know why natural ttc didn't work for us, maybe it would have if we tried longer, there's no way of knowing.

[Zest11]

Thank you Teddybear45 I think I will see how this round goes but then probably do the tests. What is PGS? I know Cailinnua I feel it is a cop out too! I actually asked for a lap to rule out endo which they did. I feel there must be a cause and if that specific cause was treated then the rest should follow? However I was just basically told IVF is the only option unless I just want to carrying on trying naturally which has been a waste of time so far. LillyLeaf that sounds very hopeful. What tests did you have after the m/c? I really hope this time is successful for you!

[PrayingandHoping]

I'm unexplained, 36

Had to go private. Had a great clinic who really took the time to give us our options

We got 14 eggs, 11 fertilised, my clinic has the policy of only freezing top quality blasts. So have 2 frozen, had 1 transferred and currently 14 weeks pregnant. Feel very lucky it worked first time

[physicskate]

Started ttc at 32. Unexplained but found to have polycysitic ovaries (but no pcos). Two chemicals in the first year of ttc. Ivf two and a bit years after starting ttc (and 6 months of clomid which caused me to grow a fibroid).

18 eggs retrieved. 13 fertilised. 4 day5 blasts. One transferred and three frozen. My dd is 8 weeks.

We still don't know why. So I 'could' fall pregnant the next time we have sex, or never naturally. I'm 35 now.

[FingersXssd83]

Aged 35, half way through my third cycle the think they've found an endometrioma cyst. Gutted because we were previously unexplained and now might have to have surgery before we can continue. They suspect a lot of unexplainers could have undetected endo. Good luck with your journey! xx

[itwasalovelydreamwhileitlasted]

I'm 36 - 4 miscarriages and and 1 near fatal ectopic - I had mild short protocol ivf ICSI - 14 collected - ended up getting 3 ok blasts to freeze (unexpected freeze all due to OHSS). First transfer failed but for a very unexpected natural BFP the following month - ended in miscarriage but feel more hopeful
All tests from recurrent miscarriage clinic came back clear.

Doing a non medicated frozen double frozen transfer next month x

[Zest11]

Wow PrayingandHoping what a great result! Congratulations. It is reassuring to hear people's experiences...for the last year + I have been terrified of IVF and have put it off (hence the IUIs) but these stories are encouraging. And physicskate congratulations too! I have heard of someone having polycystic "looking" ovaries whatever that means. I have also heard of someone having IVF to conceive 1st time but then falling naturally a few years later with their second. It makes no sense! Good luck FingersXssd83 hopefully the removal of it will result in success for you! I do wonder if I have endo as my periods can be sooo heavy but I had a lap and they didn't find anything. itwasalovelydreamwhileitlasted that all sounds very frightening but it is reassuring that you can conceive and how funny for it to happen straight after IVF! Best of luck to you.

I am a bit worried with how many eggs I will have as my AMH was only 11 about 6 months ago which I know is normal but I saw that it is quite low for my age. However I guess it depends on the quality rather than the quantity!

[NapsAndTea]

We had unexplained infertility and had tried for 4 years (I'm now 30). Just been through IVF - collected 17 eggs... ended up having ICSI. By transfer date we had 2 eggs that were good & ready so they used one and froze one - the next day there was one extra egg that had got to the right stage so we now have 2 frozen.

I'm now 7+1 so there is hope xx

[Hopefulmama34]

I was/am unexplained. We started ttc when I was 31 and DH 37 and I had our DD through IVF in July 2015 at age 35. We were lucky in that our IVF cycle was NHS funded and worked on the first try, long protocol. I don’t know what my AMH was but am assuming it must have been ok as I was put on a low dose of stimms. I had only four eggs retrieved (was devastated and convinced the cycle wouldn’t work), two of which fertilised. I had a three day transfer with the one which went on to become DD and the other embryo developed on to become a blastocyst and was frozen. I’m hoping to do a FET with the blast in the summer once I have lost some weight.

I did/do have fibroids and DH had a high proportion of abnormal sperm (forget the correct term), however we were told at the time that neither of these issues had any bearing on us being able to conceive, they just made our chances of conceiving naturally less likely. I have always felt, wrongly or rightly, that I had fertilisation issues as a result of these and that’s why the IVF worked straightaway as the egg was already fertilised and put in the right area.

[Zest11]

Hi NapsAndTea that is great news, I hope everything goes well for you and yes that does give me hope, thank you! Hopefulmama34 that is so interesting to hear re the number of eggs and success. That's brilliant for you! I also wonder if we have a fertilisation issue. My DH had 9 motility and so I wondered if the sperm with wonky heads or tails were trying to fertilise my egg haha or it could be my eggs. I have also wondered if I ovulate too fast haha so my DH sperm can't fertilise the egg haha and best of all I have wondered that all the eggs in my right ovary are rubbish or the fallopian tube is too complicated for my DH sperm to get through and that my left ovary is easier but I rarely ovulate from that side which explains the one off cp. I think it's time I found real answers!!

[sandytoes84]

Unexplained with pco (no ‘s’ as no other indicators) everything else perfect, husband seemingly had mega-sperm!

TTC 7 yrs, Pregnant and miscarried once after 4.5 yrs, though suspect a couple of possible chemical.

Just had ivf, over responded to drugs so ended up freeze all with 20 3 day embryos in freezer! I’ve just had a bfp after 1st transfer (2 eggs).

Good luck op, I honestly think for us we may have just won the shit lottery and sperm and egg simply never met!!!

[Zest11]

Wow sandytoes84 that is great, you must have felt so at ease now knowing you had basically 20 goes? Well done on your bfp, maybe you're right about the bad lottery! Good luck

[Si1ver]

Unexplained turned into explained during private IVF, I have low AMH.

Six eggs, five fertilised, one transferred, two frozen, one three month old boy lying asleep on me at the moment.

[64632K]

We went private overseas after NHS refused to treat me due to being 35 which was over the threshold in our area. We had all the normal standard tests done and we had severe MFI. NHS told us to forget the thought of a biological child and head for a donor or adoption, also told me due to my age my eggs would likely be a poor quality. Overseas clinic comfirmed MFI but were confident that they would find sperm via TESE. Our first round, I got 4 eggs all mature and very good quality, they found excellent quality sperm via the TESE, all made it to day 3 but didnt make it to day 5, cycle cancelled. We returned to the same clinic some months later, 19 eggs, again all mature and all excellent quality. 4 made it to day 5 blasts all 4AA, we froze all as we had done some research and found freeze all can garner highet success rates. We returned and had 2 transferred and I am currently 19 weeks pregnant. We were on short protocol with mild stimulation.

[Zest11]

Si1ver how wonderful, so glad it all worked for you! And that is good they got some frozen ones too! 64632K. That is awful the NHS turned their backs on you...don't get me started on the postcode lottery! That's great that it worked second time around...did you have a different level of medication than the first? I really hope we get some frozen ones as we just have 1 NHS cycle and I think our clinic has better success with frozen.

[64632K]

Thank u zest11, yes the postcode lottery sucks but I am so glad we found our clinic. They slightly upped the gonal 2nd time. I read that the first cycle is experimental

[Tigerlily99]

40 years old and previously TTC for 3 years. Unexplained infertility- apart from a uterine polyp for me which was removed pre treatment, all tests for me n OH were normal. No cause came up during treatment. Was on short protocol and had 22 eggs collected, I think 16 fertilized and had 12 day 5 blasts. Transferred 2 at a time, first fresh transfer ended in an ectopic and then had a FET which has given us DD who is now 4 weeks old. We have 8 blasts on ice if we decide to try for a sibling. Hope all goes well for you, age in on your side and IVF can work well with unexplained infertility too. Good luck on your cycle! X

[lboogy]

I have unexplained. I have pco not pcos. Have regular periods, ovulate regularly etc. Investigation showed One tube is blocked.
I had 13 fertilised eggs and 5 made it to day 5.
Had 2 embryos put back and had a baby a year ago.
I'm fortunate I had first time success at 38. All on the nhs so I'm extremely grateful

[MissSmiley]

My unexplained infertility was eventually discovered to be down to immune issues, after we added steroid treatment I was successful three times out of nine cycles

Years afterwards I was diagnosed with sero negative coeliac disease (an auto immune disease) if only we had known that a simple change in diet would have helped. That's the short version.

[Zest11]

Wow, so many of you have success stories, that's really encouraging. MissSmiley it sounds like you ha e been through a real hard time (understament!) but I am pleased things have worked out!