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Conception

When's the best time to get pregnant? Use our interactive ovulation calculator to work out when you're most fertile and most likely to conceive.

Original poster

DESPIRATE INFORMATION NEEDED!!!!!!!! ABOUT FOLLICLES FOR IVF

65 replies

tempi · 18/09/2007 19:12

I am having donor egg ivf (sorry! my DH and I are having donor egg ivf!)

My donor is now ready for egg retrieval in 36hrs time. The scan showed only 6 good size follicles and 7 smaller ones..........

Can anyone tell me if this is good or not?????
my dh and I are grateful to her for all that she is doing for us, but we thought she would have grown more????? as they are now saying that only 20% of IVF cycles have enough good embryos to freeze! and only 65% fertilise????

please help! any info welcome (by the way this is our 1 and only last chance of having a baby)

OP posts:
nomoremagnolia · 18/09/2007 19:25

Does six good sized follicles mean six eggs?
Sorry I don't know much about IVF (only from documentaries on TV) - hopefully someone who does will be along soon

Original poster
tempi · 18/09/2007 19:33

nom.... the follicles have fluid in them and inside the fluid is usually 1 egg or sometimes there is no egg!

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DelGirl · 18/09/2007 19:38

Sounds like an ok amount to me. The smaller ones may have grown enough in 36 hours to be viable, fingers crossed. Good luck. Do you know how long it's taken for her to get to this stage?

RosyBelle · 18/09/2007 19:46

Hi Tempi

We have spoken before about IVF...

You are right - not all follicles contain an egg. However even small follicles can contain an egg - just because they are small does not mean they don't contain an egg.

On my 1st cycle I had 6 follicles in total on my last scan before egg collection - however on EC I managed 5 eggs so we were really pleased.

On my 2nd cycle I had 12 or more follicles & we were sooooo hopeful - however we still only managed 5 eggs on EC!! So just because I had loads more follicles does not mean more eggs!

Don't panic honey - it only takes one anyway!!

Also I can conceive naturally quite easily (just going through miscarriage now). Its my DH has got really poor sperm count. Now even though my doc said I "ovulate for England" I didn't produce many eggs for IVF - just because you successfully have children does NOT mean you respond to synthetic drugs. So your donor may not respond to the drugs that well and may have been better on a higher dose (I know this is of little comfort now).

I wish you so well - good luck for EC day - and I also have to add its the quality not the quantity that matters... on both my cycles ALL my eggs fertilised (100% success rate) - so I have good eggs & I'm sure your donor does too...

Ask any questions - will keep a look out to see if i can help
Love & Lots of Luck
Rose
xxxx

Original poster
tempi · 18/09/2007 20:01

delgirl, yes she is a known donor.... she has been injecting for 12 days

thank you so much rosey this is reasurring!

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MadLabOwner · 18/09/2007 20:07

Would second what Rosy said - more follicles don't necessarily mean more eggs, or any better quality eggs.

During my IVF, I had lots of follicles - more than 15 - but one ovary was in a funny place and they couldn't reach it, so only 7 follicles were emptied, each with an egg. Five fertilised and went onto produce embryos and the 2 best embryos were put back. These stats are pretty normal I think.

Your donor follicle count sounds fine - if she had 20 follicles they might all be crap quality eggs anyway - best of luck later this week and please keep us informed

Pruners · 18/09/2007 20:15

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Kewcumber · 18/09/2007 20:19

I had 35 good sized follicles once (hyperstimulated and they didn;t bother counting the smaller ones) and only 1 egg - so absolutely agree its all about quality.

Good luck

(and yes, I was the size of a barrage balloon if you're wondering!)

Pruners · 18/09/2007 20:38

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Kewcumber · 18/09/2007 20:49

madly Pruners I went to Brighton for the weekend in the middle of that madness. Wasn;t great as I could barely even sit still in comfort and couldn;t be more than 10 yds form a toilet. It was how I imagine being very pregnant to be without any of the advantages.

MadLabOwner · 18/09/2007 21:04

Kewcumber - I am wincing in shared agony for you, that can't have been pleasant at all!

Original poster
tempi · 18/09/2007 21:12

kew and mad.... thanks for that. Will keep all informed, will obviously know in a couple of days how it all went!

Really glad my donor didn't get hyperstimulated!!!!!!!!!!! sounds awful!

I was told only 65% will fertilise.. but reading from this thread we may get more?

OMG its so exciting and nerve recking at the same time.

And yes they are not for sharing, they are all ours.....(feel bad saying that now....! would love to share but my donor would not want that!)

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DelGirl · 18/09/2007 22:02

oh best of luck with it all tempi, let us know how it goes .

Blimey kewcumber that must have been awful. I know how I felt having produced about 5-10 follicles maybe a few more. Ouch.

Kewcumber · 19/09/2007 10:02

I do like my new status inspiring awe and wonder. Pruners - would you like a hand up onto the pedestal and we can bow to the crowds togetehr

Pruners · 19/09/2007 13:32

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Kewcumber · 19/09/2007 13:44

I think 35 follicales and one egg is some kind of record. The clinic were . They had to coast me by withdrawing drugs though as OHSS got potentially dangerous and the theory was that I started reabsorbing the eggs during coasting. Other cycles had good quality eggs which all fertilised but never got pregnant. No idea why.

Pruners · 19/09/2007 13:45

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Pruners · 19/09/2007 13:46

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Kewcumber · 19/09/2007 13:49

no chinese herbs. A bit of basil with my mozarella sometimes (does that count). Sympathy is 3 years too late!!! It all seems a lifetime ago now - difficult to hold onto the pain I felt at the time when I have DS now. I imagine it's a bit like labour - you think you will never forget something so painfull and yet somehow life takes over.

Pruners · 19/09/2007 13:52

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Kewcumber · 19/09/2007 13:59

DS is doing fabulously thanks, can't beleive what a healthy happy little boy he is given the start he had. Speech is slow to arrive but I have to have something to worry about. There are a couple of new photos of him on my profile.

Pruners · 19/09/2007 19:00

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Original poster
tempi · 19/09/2007 20:03

thanks everyone I'll let you carry on

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suss · 19/09/2007 21:01

pruners you are just like me I produce hundreds of eggs find it v difficult to get pregnant. We were diagonosed with a male problem as they call it. But I think I have a form of polycystic ovaries ( I am ovulating). The consultant tells me that I will be fertile for longer into my forties, but that't not helpful if you can't get them to implant. Acupuncture is the key - apparently research shows it helps implantation. Good luck. Tempi you only need the right one, which is the one they will choose.

Original poster
tempi · 19/09/2007 22:11

I have to say that you have all really really helped me to stay positive!!!!!!!!! THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH

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