IVF rollercoaster - positivity needed :(

[HappyAmbler]

Hi everyone

I know there are a few different support threads, but I'm a bit useless at keeping up with them and I didn't want to hijack...

Feeling sad and could really do with some positivity to keep me going.

Tuesday was day three for my embies. We had 11 - the embryologist said 8 were "top quality" and 3 were "good quality". I didn't ask about specific grading, but was thrilled with these numbers.

Today is day 5. I was waiting for the call to go in for my transfer. Instead I get the news that none of the 11 have made it to blasto yet. They're still going, but are a bit behind.

Writing this down reinforces my feeling that I'm catastrophising this, it's nowhere near over yet. But I'm devastated that my supposedly good quality embryos aren't where they're supposed to be :(

The embryologist said 2, possibly 3 out of the 11 looked likely to make it tomorrow. What's bloody happened to the rest of them??

I know day 6 transfers can and do result in successful pregnancy, but I've read that the success rate is lower.

Everything was going so well. I thought I would have some embryos in the bank for FET. Feel like the rug has been pulled out from under me :(((

Its difficult losing some at each stage.
I would want to know how many cells each of the 11 had on day 3. As sometimes the grading doesnt reflect this, some cell numbers do better than others. Ive had success with 8cell a/b grade and 8/10 cell a/b grade (my 6 cell and 8 cell b and b/c grades didnt work.). Although if they were obviously growing slowly on day 3 i would think they would have transferred at that point.
I have read that growth after day 3 is down to sperm. Did you have an issue with that?

Thanks for your reply. There are no issues with DH's sperm as far as we know - clinic used standard fertilisation, no ICSI.

I didn't ask about the specific numbers but the embryologist told me they all had the "right" number of cells at day 3 i.e. they seemed on track then.

I know I shouldn't but I've been scaring myself Googling slow embryo development. I just can't get my head around the fact that we had 11 good embryos on Tuesday, and NONE of them were blasts today :(

When will you hear from your clinic HappyAmbler? I do hope you get good news.

Hi Tootsie

I'm anxiously waiting for the call now. God I hope we've got blasts today. I woke up at 4am worrying that the reason for our unexplained infertility is that we make duff embryos

I don't have much positivity for you but want you to know you are not alone. We had 7 eggs, 6 fertilised, one discarded as looked "odd". 4 made it to day 3, 2 high grade, 2 low grade, one transferred day 3 and none made it to blast so no frosties. This is our first cycle. My period is just starting now (spotting as usual) So it has not worked. We are heartbroken. We are 33 with "mild male factor" but obviously don't make good embryos. Nt really sure where to go from here. Sorry to depress you and I truly hope it works out for you.
It is a total rollercoaster and I believe that they learn a lot from first cycles. We need to stay postive and believe that it will happen.
Fingers crossed x

I think right number on day 3 could be say 6, which is on the slower side (with 8 being ideal) reading even 10cells has a lower chance of forming blast, so its interesting to know what they are at that stage.
Its usual to lose 50% between day 3 and blast. At least growing them to day 5 you can select the ones that have made it to blast.
Fx you get some blasts

Happy - I'm really hoping we haven't heard from you because you're recovering from ET. Hope you're ok!

'Fraid I'm not ok. None of our embies made it to blast. Had two morulas transferred today, but they hadn't progressed since yesterday, so are unlikely to survive :(

Almost wish there was no hope, rather than the tiny glimmer that's going to torture me for the next two weeks.

Have booked an appointment with our consultant in a couple of weeks (before our OTD - ha!) to discuss next steps.

I'm trying to see the positives in this:

• Looks like we might have an explanation for our unexplained infertility - duff embies :(
• If we'd had a transfer on day 3 it wouldn't have worked and we wouldn't have known why
• Maybe this gives us somethign to try and fix next time??

I hope this post doesn't bring anyone down. Very best of luck everyone else xx

I'm so sorry none were blasts. I habe seen some threads where morulas have worked. But as you say those were most likely still progressing, just slowly.
I found my brst embryos (and there were only ever a couple) were from the biggest follicles, i think that only the 20mm ones at trigger fertilised and made embryos that were good quality. Which is i think different to most people as you can get good embryos from 15mm follicles. Also people do respond differently to protocols/injectables and triggers.
Dsis changed trigger and went from having lots of embryos arresting around day 3 to gettibg some frosties too. A lot seems to change between cycles even if you dont change any of these things.
I have seen it say that a higher protein diet before the ivf cycle can help get more blasts but not sure if this is true.

Oh HappyAmbler - I'm sorry :( That's just unfair and so unbelievably frustrating. I am waiting for my call tomorrow, and I wonder if we will face something similar. We've been lumped in the unexplained infertility bracket, and other than a vitamin D deficiency, apparently, there's nothing wrong with me or my husband. But there be something wrong and I'm inclined to think it's crap eggs (I'm 35).

Has your clinic mentioned assisted hatching? It's what we'll go for next if this cycle doesn't work.

Hope you are ok