One embryo or two??

[Sara888]

Hi all

Here is my journey so far:

1st attempt: fresh cycle only 2 embryos made it. Transferred both at day 2.
Result: BFN

2nd attempt: another fresh cycle but I had OHSS after egg collection and cycle stopped. 7 embryos made it to Blastocyst stage, we froze all.

3rd attempt: Natural FET cycle: 1 embryo transferred. Result: chemical pregnancy.

Now we attempting to do another FET cycle but my doctor advised me again for 1 embryo transfer due to my age (30 this year) the quality of the embryos and also to avoid multiple pregnancy. However me and hubby thinking going for 2. We just thinking of the possibility what if one will not make it but the another one will. Did this happen to anyone? I need advice

I had 2 transferred at age 36 after 2 failed tries. We now have 2 (mostly) lovely 15 year olds. I won't pretend that carrying twins was easy but I have not regretted our decision ever.

Good luck with whatever you choose to do.

We transferred 2 3 day (crappy) embryos on IVF 1 as doctors said low chance of success. When I was 33 and we did IVF 2 we transferred 2 good quality day 5 blasts (just decided that’s what we wanted as I’d rather have had 2 babies than none). Miscarriage at 9 weeks of one embryo pregnancy. FET following this we put back 2 and now have 16 month old twins.
Twins are hard work and the pregnancy was tough. However I always wanted 2 kids and this way no more IVF. No regrets and would do things exactly the same if I had my time again.

I had one put back (missed miscarriage) and then a frozen single put back (now my daughter).
I would never put two back. I’m an obstetrician and I have seen awful miscarriages and late losses of twins as well as many other complications. The live birth rate is overall far better with single embryo transfers per embryo and thus I would always do that.

It's easy to feel desperate and impatient but there's no point bringing a host of potential problems onto yourselves. I would only transfer one.

Thank you ladies @MtoTwins and @Waterdropsdown for your advice

@Nan0second thank you for your advice that’s exactly what my doctor told me.

@JoJoSM2 you are absolutely right! I think I’m desperate and impatient. You made a good point. Is just I’m emotionally exhausted to go through another failed cycle that’s why we thinking two maybe it give us a better chance than one but we are not thinking of the potential problems.

We were offered to transfer two and opted for one. I took my time making that decision as after 3.5 years of infertility and one failed IVF it was so tempting to just put both back in. However I did some reading and looked at the website "one at a time" and felt that on balance I wanted just one implanted. Apart from the possible problems in pregnancy there is a higher rate of post natal depression in mothers of twins. So pleased for you guys on this thread and glad it worked out for you but I do not regret my decision to have one (my 10 month old daughter) transferred. We are shortly going to try for a FET so if it works it will technically be her twin suspended in time! (Weird...)

The miscarriage/loss statistics are higher for twins. I decided that I want to put one back each attempt because of that. My first thought originally was: great, twins, then I'm done and it's cute! But after a long hard think I decided that I'd rather end up with one healthy baby than another miscarriage. I'm having a little break now before my next attempt.

I'm a medic and just failed cycle one. Two poor quality embryos / they offered to put two back but my husband and I are both medical and aware of the risks so opted for one. However in the future I think I would go for two if quality is poor.

However if yours were good enough to freeze quality is good so I'd go with your doctors guidance and just go for one. The most important thing is a healthy you and baby. Stats are 1 in 12 twin pregnancies end in death of a baby or a baby having some sort of disability. Scary high statistics!

I would put back just one as a day 5 embryo, and I'm much older than you. The main reason why isn't the same as others have said, although the risk of complications due to twins is a big one... I had 2 day 3 embryos put back in last cycle and we had a BFP and were cautiously delighted. At 6 week scan they saw the one embryo in my uterus, but then were searching to check for the other one in case. They saw 'something' on my ovary - that they were concerned was the other embryo ectopically. We then spent the next 1.5 weeks having scans where they were worried about this possible ectopic all while no one focused much on the fact that the one in the right place wasn't developing properly. I was diagnosed with a MMC at 7.5 weeks, which miscarried naturally at 8.5. All through it they were still worried about the possible ectopic, until it was all over and they decided that it was probably just a cyst. Was a horrible experience - the miscarriage was made worse by no one really concentrating on it (except me). So with our 2 Frosties, I have been putting them back in 1 at a time as I never want to go through that 'hunt the other embryo' again. I'm almost 41. If I were as young as you I'd def just do the 1. Good luck x

So you have 6 left frozen and 30

Yes risk are higher with twins but also doubles your chances in each fet
Many people have twins risk free

As you are young I would prob try one more single def

Then if fails a double

Thus leaving 3 frozen

Sorry to contradict the poster before - having 2 put in does not double your chances as lining of endometrium etc impacts on things too. I think having two put in puts up your chances by only a few percent but puts your chances of twins up massively.

My clinic has recommended 2 5 day blasts to be implanted given my age of 36

I was advised 2 at 33. Our chances of success even then was 26%.

I’m really glad we went for 2, as it worked (one baby!).

Go for 2!

Sorry, just re-read your OP. I would always follow the advice of your consultant. We had two due to embryo quality.

Also, while I imagine this is very rare I do know a couple who chose to transfer two and ended up with triplets- one embryo split
so they have two identical twins and a fraternal triplet. This led to all three being premature and some fairly life-altering financial changes. I can't imagine it's common, but it certainly can happen so is something else to consider.

To add to what others have said, a recent study showed some evidence that a lower quality embryo can reduce the implanation chances of a second better quality embryo transferred at the same time.
I also know of two couples who transferred single embryos and ended up with identical twins. Apparently the incidence of identical twins from single embryos in IVF is higher than it should be statistically.

I had 2 day 5 de blasts put back and I'm now 12+1 with twins.

I would recommend thinking long and hard about having two put back. I agreed to it mainly because I felt so hopeless about either sticking. Now terrible as it may sound I'm just consumed with worry about coping with twins, rather than been able to enjoy being pregnant. Plus I am extremely ill with hyperemesis, which GP thinks is due to my ultra high hormone levels. I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy!

@is this - I totally get you 💐💐💐. I suffered from hg. Was sick from about 4w to birth towards end some days def better but first 6mths sick many times every day as well as the nausea

Was in bed every day keeping quiet and still to try and feel less sick. Lost every meal for weeks and many days couldn’t eat and survived on melon and ice lollies to get fluid in me

I was Put on cyczline (sp). Did help sometimee

And coz of this I would never do another preg

But I was also of mind when I had 3 put back in due to my age / that would have preferred triplets then no baby

So yes op consider if you do want twins

Everyone I know who had two back got preg. Many with one but yes 4 had /having twins

Obv there is no guarantee that both/one will stick and some who have two back both don’t implant - but as I said it increases your chances

So maybe think possible twins or no baby

Thank you all so much for your advice and sharing your experiences I really appreciate it I will start my cycle in 2 weeks time. Fingers crossed 🤞🏻