IVF issue with CRGH

[Jo99999]

I just had my first cycle with CRGH. I had 4 large enough follicles and 3 mature egged out of them. All 3 fertilised. On day 3 they said one had 8 cells and the quality was good. Two had 6 cells and quality excellent. I wanted to do day 3 transfer since I don’t have so many embryos and they said they don’t do day 3 transfer and I had to wait to day 5. When I got there for day 5 transfer, they discovered that I had not been given progesterone support for the past 5 days and could not have the transfer. They had to freeze the one good embryo that made to blastocyst. Nobody mentioned anything about the progesterone support before or after egg collection and on my discharge paper after EC there was nothing about medication. I thought medication would start after embryo transfer. Two other embryos were monitored until day 6 but did not make it blastocyst. I am so devastated. Now I have to wait for FET and I only have one frozen embryo. I feel my chance is diminished. It would have been better if I can do day 3 and freeze the 2 others and of course if they did not make the error in drugs. I am yet to meet my doctor to discuss what do to next. My DH is also very unhappy with them. Any advice from your ladies who had gone through this?

[Jo99999]

Just thinking their stats are better only because they don’t do day 3 Transfer. Is it just for the stats?

[itwasalovelydreamwhileitlasted]

I wouldn't the be happy either but only because you have to wait several weeks to transfer now - have they offered to pay for the cost of freezing and FET as usually even if you have to have a freeze all and frozen transfer because you develop OHSS clinics generally make you pay extra albeit usually discounted?

Did they say what had happened with the progesterone? Have you checked your notes etc thoroughly to make sure nothing was noted on there? Not from after EC but from when you started stims?

I usually get a print out from the clinic confirming what I have to take and when (I'm with a different clinic though)

To be honest I don't think your outcome would have been any different - most clinics don't do day 3 transfers because day 5 blastocysts have a much better chance of success than day 3 embryos. And if you are choosing to only transfer one at a time then it's better to wait to see what makes blastocyst

It would have been highly unlikely that the 2 that didn't make it to freeze would have been good enough quality to lead to a successful pregnancy I'm sorry that's probably not what you want to hear

You would also have false hope had they just frozen at day 3 that you had 2 more chances only to find when they thawed them ready for transfer that they didn't start developing again.

I agreed with my clinic where there was more than one embryo on day 3 that they would freeze only half of the the best quality Grade 1 embryos and the rest would be cultured to day 5 so that we had some comfort in knowing that we actually could get embryos to blastocyst stage

(I know loads of people who had loads of top quality day 3 embryos but then lost them all between days 3 and 5 because - after day 3 it is sperm quality which dictates whether it will become a blastocyst and by freezing at day 3 it masked a male factor issue)

[Jo99999]

Thanks itwasalovelydreamwhileitlasted.

There is no way that I am going to pay for the extra charge of FET since it is their fault. The treatment plan schedule I had only covered the drug regime of stimulation to egg collection. The discharge paper I got on the day of egg collection had the itmes about doxycline and paracetamol etc. The item of crinone gel and cyclogest pessaries were not ticked. I did not know what there were at the time. I only asked the doctor about doxycline and he said just take one more.

I am going to have a tough conversion with my doctor on Tuesday.

I understand your point about the two other embryos. How about fresh vs FET for the one blastocyst, taking the cost out of the consideration. Would it have been better to do fresh? I just wonder if my chance is lowered unnecessarily for the blastocyst due to the drug incident. I am worried about freezing and thawing. The embryologist said it was the same. But are they just trying to make it sound less bad? The 4 weeks wait again is grilling for me.

[itwasalovelydreamwhileitlasted]

The studies suggest that actually most clinics have better results with a frozen transfer rather than fresh as it allows the body to recover and get back to a more natural statue after weeks of down reg and stimming

In terms of thawing most clinics have a really good survival rate - I've done 3 egg collections and 3 frozen transfers so far and haven't lost any in the thaw but I know that it does happen

[Jo99999]

Thanks itwasalovelydreamwhileitlaste!

Fingers crossed.

[EL8888]

Increasingly my understanding is that clinics are reluctant to do 3 day transfers and prefer 5. I think for CRGH then their frozen stats are better than fresh, this is true for a lot of other clinics. But l would be wanting some compensation if they have make a mistake and if l was you would not be paying the extra costs their mistake incurred.
Did you not get a print out? When l was with CRGH then l would always leave with a print out.

[Jo99999]

@EL8888, I received the discharge paper which gave instructions after EC. A few items were ticked but nothing related to progesterone. At times I felt the departments were not communicating with each other and the staff were not on top of things but this was the most serious incident. Got a call from finance to ask me to pay for the next consultation. I would not need the next consultation if it were not for the error.

[EL8888]

Sounds like their mistake then. I know the list and tick boxes you mean. They are meant to be the experts and your paying for that. Like l said, l wouldn’t pay the extra costs and would start off by formalising your complaint with them. I’m always firm about not paying for other peoples mistakes, it’s the principle plus they need to learn

[Jo99999]

After some back and forth argument a, they only agreed to 50% discount for FET. In the end, there was only £40 blood test fee. Not sure why I have to argue about this amount while we already spent so much.

My FET cycle does not look successful though. Still 3 days to test but start spotting and feel like period is on the way. What should I do next? I feel like trying natural IVF since I don’t produce many large follicles. In frozen cycle, the scan showed 4 follicles too. I feel I may get similar result next time. If it is again one blastocyst, there is not much difference from natural ivf. At least minus the stimulation drugs. Maybe another clinic. Do I have to redo all the tests again in another clinic or just request medical history from current clinic? Some screening tests are supposed to expire after 3 months. Does it cost extra to change clinic? Any suggestions?

[Chocho78]

@Jo99999 most of the tests you shod be able to get done through your GP. How did it all pan out? And would you share your experiences if you did go to another clinic? I am with CRGH at the moment but am not impressed considering the enormous amounts of money I spend and the attitude, care, attention to patient and detail that I get in return.

[Jo99999]

It was easy to get all test results and medical records from CRGH. I have started a 3-cycle package with Create. The reasons are that I like their natural and low drug philosophy and the price is much more competitive. I have done one cycle with Create so far and am taking a break due to family matters. My first cycle with Create was 1 top quality blastocyst and one day 3 frozen. Again it just reconfirms my belief that regardless of which clinic I get 1 or 2 blastocysts per cycle max. Although CRGH stats are higher than other clinics, for me it does not make much a difference. Low drug can hopefully improve the quality for my situation and competitive price is a plus. All my doctors at Create are all females which I prefer and they are quite understanding and supportive. I do feel with Create you have to organise the steps more yourself and prompt them to initiate certain things than CRGH. There was an occasion in which one sonographer did not know which treatment I was on and was giving me wrong instructions. Due to my previous negative experience, I always ask extra questions and double check if I am not sure or receiving contradictory info. With any clinics, you can get this kind of problem and have to keep on top of them.

[Chocho78]

@Jo99999 good luck with the treatment!