ivf day 3 day 5 help please

[Patp1]

Hi all,

I'm new to this website so hi to everyone out there...i hope someone can help me please?

I've just been through my first round of IVF...and sadly it didn't work for us....but I'm just questioning a certain decision we made...on day 3, out of 5 eggs that were fertilised, only 2 seemed to going anywhere (6 cell and 5 cell - but fragmented)....the clinic originally said we would go to 5 day blastocyte if possible...but rang me on day 3 to say things were not going well as hoped - so it was now up to us what we did....a 3 day transfer or wait to see if they could make it do 5 day...we thought about if for hours...running loops in our heads...till eventually the embryologist recommend we go do day 5 as there was a lot of fragmentation & in her opinion if the two embryos could make it day 5 there was a higher chance of success overall...and they didnt want us to do a three day transfer with false hope due to all the fragmentation...with the overall idea being that if the embryos couldn't make it day 5 in the lab, they would not have made a successful pregnancy in the uterus at day 3....sadly we ended up at day with no embryos - and now I am just lost...I don't know if I made the right decision....any thoughts would be much appreciated...

thanks

Hi there

First of all I’m so sorry that your first cycle has been unsuccessful. If it helps at all very very few IVF cycles work first time, you have to see it as almost an experiment in my opinion.

With regards to your question we have done 3 separate cycles and each time we haven’t ended up with more than 2 embryo after day 1/2, therefore we have never made it to a day 5 blastocyst. What I am trying to say is that with 2 embryo’s I’m surprised they gave you the option of going to day 5. From my point of view everyone hopes to get to day 5 but I honestly only think this is possible with many more embryos.

In short I agree with you that this may have not been the right decision. It is true that a blastocyst has technically more chance of developing into a pregnancy but they also say that ultimately it is best for the embryo’s to be back in their natural environment where at least they have a chance to develop.

There will undoubtedly be other people who will say why put yourself through the dreaded 2WW if you know there is no hope but after going though IVF and then for nothing to transfer is very tough.

I wish you nothing but the very best
Xxxx

I’m really sorry this has happened to you. It’s completely gutting.

I think they might have not put them back to spare your feelings and not give you false hope. Unfortunately, at 5-6 cells with fragmentation, the chances of the embies of making it to blasts or beyond we’re very very tiny (or pretty much non-existent to be blunt). I think it was the right call not to go through the transfer procedure and lead you on.

I also think it was the right decision to wait and see. I would have done the same, and have transferred on day 5/6 every time myself. I agree with what your clinic told you. I’m really sorry you didn’t end up getting to transfer, it seems so cruel to not even have the chance to hope.

I would focus on learning as much as I could from this cycle, to help you prepare for another one and improve your chances.

Look after yourself, an unsuccessful cycle is really hard and you need time to process what you’ve been through. Good luck

thank you everyone for your help...its much appreciated

Hi Patp - sorry you have had an unsuccessful round - it’s heartbreaking. As others have said, it’s sadly to be expected really, but still devastating.
I am surprised your clinic gave you the choice, my clinic only go to day 5 if there are 5 or more embryos at day 2 and no clear front runners.
I have had 2 fresh rounds so far and my first round I only had 2 embryos and they weren’t great quality, (6 cell on day 2 but lots of fragmentation) so they advised putting them back in on day 2 as the sooner they went back the better. We did surprisingly end up with a positive HCG but was a chemical pregnancy, so one of them at least DID make it to implantation, however no further (I started bleeding before test date). So what I’m trying to say is poor quality day 2 embryos can make it to implantation, but it doesn’t mean they can always become a baby. I think that if possible you should try not to dwell on it too much, as I whatever you did the outcome would almost certainly have been the same this time. It doesn’t mean it won’t work next time though, good luck for the future x