Only 3 follicles at IVF scan. Do you think I stand a chance?

[hopingformiracle1]

Hi everyone, I am new to this forum. I am 42 years old and doing my first cycle of IVF which started 21st November. I had my follicle scan yesterday which showed 3 follicles on my left ovary but nothing at all on my right ovary. Because of my age, I am on a 450 dose of Gonal F, along with luveris. I am not having any side effects at all except for the occasional twinge in the ovaries. The strange thing is thought that I am feeling more activity and more twinges in my right ovary even though the scan showed no follicles. How can this be? My other questions are that do you think I have any chance with just 3 follicles at age 42 and also I have another ivf follicle scan tomorrow, so do you think there is any chance of them finding any more follicles or even picking up any on my right ovary that they missed? thanks x

Ps, does anyone think that 42 years old is to old to be starting IVF treatment. I would like to hear your views on this, thanks.

Hi hoping. I had my first round of IVF at age 39 and was lucky to have success first try. Two years later and the frosty from that round didn't stick, so had a second EC (just after 42nd birthday). I can't remember how many follicles I had, not many, but I did have one big one. They ended up collecting 2 eggs, but only 1 made it to blastocyst stage. But that one stuck and is due in Feb.

I was on 450 Gonal F, but nothing else. I can't remember whether I had ovarian twinges or not. They may pick up more follicles in your second scan, but they will probably be quite small. The 3 that have already been detected are your best bet - ask your sonographer what size they are and what that indicates.

Are you too old at 42? Well it worked for me! Not that that is a guarantee of anything, but you aren't ever going to be any younger than you are now, so there's no time like the present. Do you have a chance with only 3 follicles? Again, it worked for me - you only need one good one, and especially if you have a big follicle, there is a chance. Do you know the cause of your infertility? Is it just age (as it was for me, plus knackered tubes)? If you have no problems with your uterus, like endometriosis, etc, then yes, there is a chance. Be positive, but be realistic too.

There has been another recent thread on here about chances of IVF working at 40+, so have a look at that too.

Hi there, thanks for your reply and congratulations on your ivf success news. This has given me more hope now :). I do know the sizes of the 3 follicles, 2 was 12 and the other smaller one was 10. This was on the follicle scan I had done on Wed 26th Nov. I started my stimulation meds on the 22nd Nov. Do you think these follicles sizes are a good size for 4 days of stimms. I am on day 6 of stimms now and they say the follicle grows 2mm each day so hopefully they will be large enough. I will have some more news tomorrow after my morning scan. Also if they find more follicles tomorrow even if they are small, is there any chance of them growing and catching up with the rest or even getting to a size for a mature egg. I am keeping optimistic and positive as I can with this. The main reason for my infertility is my age, same as you as they could not find anything else. I did have very mild endometriosis many years ago in 2004 but had a laporoscopy for this and they cleared away everything, so don't think its that. I feel the age is the main thing but it worked for you, so it can work for me, I hope :)

Hi hoping. I can't remember my follicle sizes, but think the big one was over 20 by my second scan (not sure what day that was though). My small follicles didn't develop into anything usable, but I don't know if it is possible in other people. How did your second scan go?

It is a positive that your uterus seems to be OK. My feeling is that IVF is good for problems with ovaries, ovulation and tubes, plus various male problems, but can't help as much if there are uterus issues that hinder implantation.

I really hope things work for you! It is hard to stay positive sometimes, but you are doing all you can at the moment. Try to relax and just see how it goes.

Hi Guin, thanks for your reply. I went for my second scan on Wednesday and my 3 follicles have grown. The largest is now 16, the other 2 are 14 and 12, so there does seem to be an improvement. The nurse seemed happy with the result and says that my uterus lining is thickening up nicely now, it is about 11.5. I am trying to remain positive as I can about this. The thing that is bothering me right now though is egg quality. As I am 42, I am hoping and praying that the quality of the eggs I produce will be good enough. I have read so much on sites about older people and even some younger having poor eggs which get fertilized but stop growing after a few days. I really hope this doesn't happen to me. I guess I just need t relax, remain positive and go with the flow but I really hope this ivf works for us though, I am doing everything I can. My right ovary did not produce any follicles but for some reason since the stimulation medication, I have been having pain on that side for the last few days, nothing at all on the left ovary that has the follicles in. I find this really odd. I feel it may be my right ovary struggling like mad to try to work. Just like an old car that wont start up haha. I have to try and keep positive though an I have heard so many success stories of women in the late 30s and 40s getting pregnant and having healthy babies. I so hope I am one of them.

I am 39 and 6 weeks pg after 3 rounds of IVF.

A little story to give you hope. After my first egg collection I was sitting recovering in the recovery suite. There were 3 other couples there. The cubicles were only separated by curtains so you couldn't help but overhear conversations. The consultant went into the cubicle next to ours and told the lady there that they had taken one egg. She was distraught, as you can imagine. They told her there was hope.

My IVF failed, and a few days after it had failed I went back to the clinic for a 'debrief'. In the car park next to us was the lady with one egg.
When I was talking to the consultant we were saying how I had so many eggs taken but it only takes one etc. She remarked that on the same day as I had mine done there was another lady who had one egg and had just come in to say that she was pregnant.

Hi Pibbin, thanks for your reply, your story gives me so much hope. I am trying to remain grounded and realistic about this ivf with my age being 42 and all that. I do believe though that there is a chance for all of us older ones, and even if that is a very slim chance. I say never give up on your dreams in this life, there is always hope and sorry to her that your ivf failed at that point. What is your situation nowadays? Are you still having ivf, or have you conceived since. I would love to hear what has happened since. Speak soon.

I'm 45 and had IVF treatment on and off for four years. My last one was when I was 38 and I only got 3 eggs.

I was on a high dose of Gonal F and it was our last cycle. I now have a 7 year old DD so it can be done. I also had diminished ovarian reserve so wasn't hopeful!

Tips from me if you can afford it:

Zita West vitamins or similar
Acupuncture
Rest for a week after ET
Instead of progesterone suppositories the injections. Agony but seemed to work for me

Good luck, PM if you need to ask questions.

I had a week off after ET and the gestone injections.
No idea if they made a difference, but this one worked!

I find the injections quite painless.

Hi there everyone! My egg retrieval is this Wednesday morning. I went for another scan this morning and my 3 follicles have all grown and the sizes are now, 21, 20 and 14 and the nurse told me that I am now ready to take my trigger shot tonight. So the day after tomorrow and I will be in having my egg retrieval. I do hope it goes well, feeling a little scared but I have heard that its not too bad and besides I only have 3 follicles on my left ovary that need to be taken out. I am hoping and praying now that I have eggs in these follicles and that they are of good quality and that they fertilise and grow to blastocyst stage. It is a worry but I am keeping positive and hopeful. Thanks mummytowillow for your great advice, will message you if I have any questions. How did you find egg retrieval on the day and the day after. Was it ok? Thanks Pipbin, sounds like the injections seem a good choice to go for for some.

Hi hoping. That sounds pretty good! Don't be surprised if the 14 follicle doesn't do anything though. I don't remember having any problems with either of my egg retrievals. It's done under a light general anaesthetic so you don't feel anything and you're not too groggy afterwards. I'm in Australia, but I guess it's the same in the UK. Best of luck for Wednesday!

Thanks Guin, I can't wait to get the egg retrieval done now and out of the way. The nurse said my uterus lining looks great too, just the right size now. I am a little worried about the 14 follicle as this is quite a bit smaller than the others, but the other 2 look fine :). I am glad that the egg retrievals went ok for you, I hope it does for me too. The nurse said with only having 3 follicles, it should be fine and no problems. I am really starting to get all excited now, the thought of a possible pregnancy. I would be one of the happiest women alive if this happens, fingers crossed. Will update you after Wednesday on how the egg retrieval goes :).

My egg retrieval was done under local. I was sedated and had gas and air if I needed it. It is really quite uncomfortable but not really painful.
Be prepared to sleep it all off in the afternoon.
They should tell you how many they have taken, and the quality of DHs contribution before you go home.

Thanks Pipbin, from what you say, it doesn't sound that bad but more uncomfortable. I will be glad when it is over and done with and looking forward to a good sleep after it. Tell me, when do you think they will let me know about the quality of my eggs? Will that be after or if they fertilise. I am a little bit impatient really and will be wondering for days if they fertilised or the if the embryo is any good. All these things play so much on your mind when you are going through IVF. It is all a waiting game.

They will tell you the number of eggs and the quality of the sperm before you go.
The next day they will call and tell you how many eggs were mature and how many fertilised.

I had deep sedation for EC so was oblivious. I remember waking up and telling doctor that I loved my cat Milo!

I was very sore and bloated after. My follicles were between 18 & 21 and I didn't go to blastocyst.

I'd see if you can have gestone injections to, I'm convinced they helped. If you have suppositories put the up your bottom as the fango way is messy and made me sore.

Hi hoping,

I posted an almost identical post to this in April this year when I did my first IVF. I had almost given up- 2 eggs collected but somehow one of these was excellent quality and made it to 3 day transfer. I'm now 34 weeks pregnant. Keep telling yourself it's quality over all else- the clinic told us this and I didn't believe it at the time. There are also lots of things you can do to help egg quality such as acupuncture and supplements. Good luck x

How was the egg collection? Hope all went well.

Hi, really hope you are doing ok. Thru my ivf round I kept being told " it only takes one" whenever I asked numbers questions to the point where I got really irritated with the answer. We had 2 eggs fertilised and I was devastated to have so few, but now I'm 7 months pregnant. So...it's incredibly hard, and I can't attribute my good fortune to anything other than sheer luck, but try to keep positive and keep going

Hi Strawberry, I am doing ok thanks. When the egg retrieval numbers are very small, it tends to make you worry so much. Its really exciting to hear all these amazing success stories though and this has given me more hope. Congratulations on the pregnancy, that is amazing news. Same for you Pipbin and Chattycat, its wonderful to know that there is light at the end of the tunnel. Egg Retrieval went fine as well which surprised me as I was wide awake throughout the entire thing. I think its because I only had 2 eggs and they didn't take long. The embryo transfer was also pain free and quick. The doctor was really friendly and lovely and was talking all throughout the procedures and asking me questions about my life, hobbies and family. I felt comfortable. The worst part is this waiting, trying to remain positive and not think negative.

Hoping.
That's brilliant news! You got an embryo and therefore a chance that it will work! The wait is a killer though isn't it. When is your official test date?

That's Pipbin, yes so far so good and even though I just got the one embryo, it was a top quality one. Yes the wait is a killer, these days are going so slow. My official test dates are on the 18th Dec and on 25th Dec, Christmas day. So if its positive, it will be the best Christmas ever, if not then not so good. Its a waiting game now. How is your PG going, hope everything is going really great for you?

Good luck op

So glad to hear your embryo transfer was ok, and good luck with the 2ww, will have everything crossed for you. I can't really remember what I did during mine but would recommend making a plan of nice things with nice people who will take your mind off it and/or remind you you are loved and supported no matter what the outcome.

My lovely supportive work gave me the TWW and the official test date off.
I'm sure that having that time off helped.