IVF/ICSI - how bad is it and any long term effects?

[Daisyroselondon]

Hi all. I'm due to start IVF/ICIS in Jan and am really having a bit of a panic. Our chances are pretty slim - 10 to 15%. I'm trying to research any long term effects on mother and babies, finding that all it keeps coming back to is that not enough research has been done. My mother died ten years ago of cancer, so I probably have the irrational fears of injecting growth hormones. I would love to hear of any side effects / long term effects you had or didn't have. Anything really. I don't know if I'm just being a bit of unreasonble scaredy cat or if there is something to be wary of!! Thank you so much

I think the long lasting mental impacts are harder too. I am currently pregnant from my first round of IVF. I suffered from OHSS and was admitted to hospital, it was quite painful. The worst part by far is the long lasting anxiety the process has given me, and even though I’m now pregnant I am constantly worrying and on edge about something going wrong (although maybe this is common anyway!) I definitely wasn’t prepared for that side of it as I thought it would only impact me if it didn’t work.
It’s not a very personal process and the appointments are very frequent, it feels like every time you go there is a constant blocker and bad news. Because I constantly heard ‘we have to hope this doesn’t happen’ etc throughout the process it’s really made me negative throughout my pregnancy.

I had icsi, our second transfer worked. I had OHSS and had to delay the transfer. I've had no complications and DS is perfectly healthy.

I've noticed my periods have become significantly heavier but that could've been pregnancy or my age (27 at age of pregnancy, 25 when I had icsi)

@Daisyroselondon I don't blame you, it's shit isn't it! Yeah he's fully stopped as of last week. He's been with a urologist who told him to stop altogether. Prior to that he'd cut down and did have one binge drinking sesh in the summer. Just casual drinks with dinner since but all stopped fully now. He stopped smoking after the diagnosis in august. Not touched one which I'm pleased about! How about yours?

@Daisyroselondon I will try to find the studies I found about it once my son has gone to bed. I know it wasn't a huge increase in risk but something to be aware of, I only found out about it due to my tfmr sons condition of vacter. I wanted to know if it was my fault he was so unwell, they keep telling me it wasn't and that we are just unlucky. I know a lot of people who have had IVF with ICSI and we are the only family to have had this happen in both pregnancies that went past 12 weeks.

We had ICSI several years ago and were lucky enough to conceive first time. We have a gorgeous clever perfect DS now! Like PPs I found the physical pregnancy straightforward but struggled massively with my mental health throughout.

Having said that I'm now pregnant naturally and still anxious so it might not be the ICSI that caused it! Good luck with it all and wishing you all the best!

We had 3 cycle of ICSI with a frozen cycle after the first cycle. 2 MC then 2 successes who are now 7 and 5. We needed ICSI for male factor infertility although my age at 37 & 39 probably contributed. I went into thinking the issue was sperm not getting to egg and ICSI would remove that issue so success would be more likely. 2 successful cycles were supported by acupuncture, whether that was a factor I don’t know but it did make me feel I was doing something to help my chances... no long term factors that I am aware of so far

I had one cycle of IVF due to early peri menopause (already had a DD, so secondary infertility). Lots of drugs, only 2 eggs collected, both fertilised and popped back in and one stuck. She’s now 12. I found the process stressful, particularly the scans showing a poor response and I was extremely anxious throughout the pregnancy. But totally worth it! Wishing you lots of luck.

Thank you so much everyone for your time and kind words. I’m feeling markedly more positive and excited ❤️ Fingers crossed!!

Just to give you another positive story: I had two rounds of ICSI in 2006 and 2007 and have three children. (I always feel a bit guilty posting on these threads, I know we were very, very lucky, but I also know it helps some people to hear the positive outcomes.) Kids are 14 and 12 (twins), and all healthy and happy. I'm in my mid-40s now with no apparent side effects.
Our main reason for needing ICSI was male factor, due to a genetic issue. Two of the kids have inherited it, and are therefore likely to have fertility problems themselves, but not enough really known about it yet.
The process was hard, but in many ways I found it better than I was expecting. I think I was just so glad to be getting on with something that might help, as we basically had zero chance of natural conception. Neither of my pregnancies was totally straightforward (though not sure that was linked to the ICSI), but ultimately they resulted in healthy babies.
I wish you and anyone else on here still undergoing treatment the very very best of luck with it.

I have a 10 year old and a 9 year old from IVF/ICSI. We had unexplained fertility. The clinic "ICSI'd" some of my eggs and not others. We were not told which were which when they did the transfer. I was very lucky to get pregnant with the 10 year old on the first go (transferred two embryos and got him). Emotionally I found the process exciting and not overly stressful, but physically it was very hard for the first. I had OHSS and had to be drained and it was very painful, but I knew I was pregnant, which made it feel worth it. The progesterone injections were very painful for me as well, although not everyone finds them as bad. My 9 year old is was a frozen embryo transfer. We have been very open with them as to how they were conceived and my 9 year old loves knowing she was in a freezer for a year and a half. No health issues with my two at all. I am so grateful to have had frozen embryos for number two though, as don't think I would have done another round of IVF given the OHSS. My first pregnancy was text book. My second was breech and I had placenta previa, so needed a c-section, but I doubt that was related to the IVF. Best of luck to you!

ICSI 2 year old over here - she is a perfect, strong, healthy and very bright little girl as far as I can tell.

The endless appointments I found quite hard and I also found the amount of instructions quite tough to comprehend (timings of injections, which meds to take when etc) but the clinic were absolutely brilliant and when I said “hang on just explain it again another time” they really took the time to make sure I was fully ok with the info they’d given. The staff were wonderful people. I overstimulated and that was pretty tough - I didn’t feel well after the egg collection and didn’t poo for over a week! But it was ok - a week off work and a rest and I was alright again. Again the staff at the egg collection were brilliant - I told them how nervous I was and they provided me with lots of reassurance. I did develop blepharitis after (an eye issue) - the doc said it could have been related as it’s usually common in menopausal people and the big hormonal impact of ivf can mimic that, but it wasn’t serious and cleared up. Frozen embryo was put back in a month after collection and it resulted in my child. I have a large number left in freezer too for number two...

@Daisyroselondon

I'm having trouble finding the exact studies I read before about icsi and fetal abnormalities. I had a consultation with a new Dr at a clinic in Bristol today, they know my full history and he said the risk of abnormalities in any pregnancy is 4% with ICSI this increases to 5%. The difference between 4 and 5% is 25%. ICSI is our only option wether we use my partner's sperm or a donor, so we must be prepared to have to face abnormalities and potential tfmr again or not have the opportunity of potentially having a child at all. This particular doctor likes all his female patients to have a saline scan to check for any abnormalities in the uterus, he also likes to have freeze all cycles followed by a frozen embryo transfer especially in women aged 35+ as frozen cycles have a higher chance of pregnancy. I wanted to ask for a freeze all cycle anyway as my own personal history is 3 fresh cycles and only one pregnancy, two frozen cycles both resulted in pregnancy although both led to losses.

@Tigger85 Thank you so much for thinking of me and sharing your information. Really helpful, thank you. Am thinking of you and wishing you the best of luck x

Thanks again everyone. You've all helped me nudge over to the - hell yea, I'm doing this - side. And I'm quite excited now. Wishing you all a wonderful Christmas

@Daisyroselondon best of luck for next month! Out first appointment is in feb so hoping to start in March. Happy Christmas to you too 😊

@Daisyroselondon thank you for starting this thread and everyone who has responded. I'm starting IVF either late Jan or mid Feb and this has been been really helpful to read.

Oh, I'm so pleased @CurbsideProphet and @notyetamumbuttrying best of luck to you both x