Anyone doing ivf at 40+

[lucieloos]

We're considering doing a couple more rounds of ivf at 40.5 years old. We have 2 children already but still feel someone is missing.

Is anyone else starting or already having treatment at 40+ and would like to share the journey?

Hi @Badgerismyname I’m also going for the egg donor route but thinking of Spain.

Hi @Mari0000 i'm new on here and also currently researching clinics in Spain for egg donation. So much to take in. Have you found a particular clinic that you like the sound of? I'm happy to share any information with you if your interested?

@jennefer46 with pleasure. I'm in touch with Instituto Bernabeu. I know they have a good reputation and the Madrid location is convenient for where we are. I'm still in the early stages of the process as we have just recently decided to look into that.
I did one round of IVF in Italy in June with poor results; the Italian clinic have advised to try again at least once, if not two times before DE. At Bernabeu they advised to go straight to DE due to low AMH and age (42 in September).
Have you decided where to go? Is there any info I can share now that would help?

Hey @Marie0000 thanks for the reply, its great to be able to connect with people going through similar. I am also looking at Instituto Bernabau, i haven't made contact yet but plan on calling them. I have had an email back from a clinic called Fertty in Barcelona and they are offering free consultations. I am also looking at IVI in Spain but am yet to decide who to go to. To be honest with you i am still getting my head around Egg Donor and its causing me many a sleepless night! I am 45 now and started trying naturally 3 years ago but have had 3 miscarriages. I always planned on moving to IVF with own eggs but just been advised by consultant my AMH result now too low (0.9). I am really torn as i have a friend same age as me that was refused IVF with own egg due to low AMH however she has recently had a baby boy conceived naturally! I have done a bit of research here in the UK for egg donation but decided on Spain due to the anonymity. How do you feel about DE? Are you keen on trying again with your own egg?

Well I can’t quite believe it but the hcg beta test is positive. Not a hugely strong result at 62miu/ml but definitely positive.

@Anxiousbuthopeful congratulations!! The most wonderful feeling! I have no idea what a good beta result is as never had one but a positive is a positive ❤️

@Mari0000 @jennefer46
I'm already with Instituto Bernabeu in Madrid if you have any specific questions.

@Anxiousbuthopeful wow. Fab news. Congrats.

And to the poster who asked abour de Or own eggs

At your age I would do de

If our last cycle had failed and was 42.5 (But got 6) then we said would try de

I know a few friends who have used de and several clients

Hi @JeNeBaguetteRien how are you finding Instituto Bernabou? I am considering them for DE and going to contact them for a consultation. Is it a good clinic, good technology? Are they friendly? Any info welcome. Also have you heard of Fertty clinic in Barcelona?
Many thanks and good luck

Hi all,

I'm currently 41 and am on my first 2 week wait on cycle 1 (test due next Monday). I was originally referred for IVF in April 19, so it's been a long wait - complicated by COVID & a polyp (tiny, but still there). All tests have shown good fertility so far and I get a decent number of follicles each month on the scans (~10 per side and last month even ovulated from both sides). Nevertheless, from 20 eggs collected, I ended up with 14 fertilized, one good for fresh transfer and 2 not so good ones to freeze.

I'm wondering if anyone else is trying post 40 and is having any luck? I've found two tools useful in calculating my odds (links below). The first is a calculator based on an individual's results from collection and the second gives the odds of pregnancy/ live birth, based on the grade of the embryos. Has anybody used these or anything similar?

Also, I've found that that caffeine should be avoided, as should baths and vigorous exercise. It's a bit hard to define vigorous, but my partner tells me I wouldn't meet the threshold! Thinking I should avoid doing a run now. Have people been avoiding these things when going through the process?

Been getting mild period type pains this week, and am thinking that this is a sign it's not worked in any case.

Thoughts appreciated.

Thanks

w3.abdn.ac.uk/clsm/opis/tool/ivf2#

Table 1/ Figure 1:

academic.oup.com/humrep/article/30/7/1743/653539

Good luck @OrangeCoffee .fingers crossed for you. I'm 41 also. I'm a bit early on in the process from you as I haven't started my stims.

I would definitely avoid vigorous exercise and coffee. The risk of either impacting your pregnancy are small but you want to take the path of least regret.

Talk daily walks though as exercise is good for you. With my first ivf baby I used to take an hour walk everyday and meditate with my hands on my womb to bring warmth to that area. My acupuncturist recommendation it.

@jennefer46 I am happy with the clinic.
I haven't heard of Fertty in Barcelona but believe that generally Spanish clinics are good.
Bear in mind, that with the eventual cost of IVF, a free consultation is just an introduction to the clinic, I would still contact more than one.

We had a consultation and some tests with IVI Alicante but in the end decided to go with Instituto Bernabeu Madrid.

I know people who've had successful treatment with IVI, nothing against it but I prefer that IB aren't putting me on the pill.
I also was too old for any guarantee programmes with IVI but qualified for one with IB.
Other differences - IVI was about €800 more expensive than IB for additional egg collections.
IVI decided on a protocol based on notes from previous IVF cycles, IB did a blood test to determine what they would recommend.

I think Spanish clinics are very results-focused and generally very thorough.

I had to have karyotype and other tests, it was cheaper at the time to go to Spain and get them done than to have them done in London.

My doctor and patient coordinator are friendly, the coordinator is very on the ball although we had a slight issue at the beginning when she didn't realise how difficult it was going to be for me to get a prescription at very short notice. In fairness the pharmacy system in Spain is excellent.

I suppose the thing I feel now is I trust them, to give me the best chance. I take their advice but they answer all questions thoroughly.
I was cycling at the beginning of March and they were looking into having my eggs collected in a different branch when it initially looked like only Madrid and Barcelona would be locked down.
They kept in touch during lockdown, the clinic opened at the end of April but I obviously couldn't travel there.

I'm on a guarantee programme, if own egg IVF doesn't work out I will have two attempts with donor eggs.

Contact a few clinics and go with the one that you feel best meets your needs. I've seen people recommend other countries like the Czech Republic, Cyprus or Greece too but Spain appealed more to me.

Our first consultation with IB was via Skype, I think it was about £150 and we went over for the karyotype tests very soon after.

The waiting room had Italian and French couples, all very international. The bed while you recover from egg collection if you do it is the comfiest mattress ever! But not worth basing your decision on that!

Hello ladies. I am going to do a blood test to see whether the hcg beta hormone has doubled as it should. However, my one pregnancy symptom - sore boobs - has disappeared in the last 48 hours. Bad sign?

Absolutely not a bad sign @Anxiousbuthopeful - symptoms come and go for me - it’s always a massive worry but actually it was all totally fine on the two pregnancies that worked out for me. Good luck today!

@Blondeshavemorefun

Whoops hit send

And I was preg at 43 as used did fet from that cycle

And almost 44 when gave birth

Dd is now almost 3 and I’m 46

Congratulations @Blondeshavemorefun. What clinic did you use? I'm 42 and looking to go abroad.

Beta hcg doubled. So all looking on track for the moment although of course odds are not great at my age...

Hi @JeNeBaguetteRien thank you so much for all that information. I have decided to have a consultation with IB and also one with a clinic called Clinica Tambre in Madrid. Spain definitely appeals to me more too maybe because im more familiar with it. How many times have you had to go over there if you don't mind me asking? Massive good luck to you with your treatment

@Delectable I used ivi in Madrid

Couldn’t fault them. Far better then Our uk clinic

Good news @Anxiousbuthopeful hope things go well.

@jennefer46 I think it will depend a bit on what treatment you have, I had my initial consultation by Skype. Because I wanted to keep options open on own egg IVF they wanted karyotype testing. It was cheaper to go to Madrid for it than have it done in London so I guess that visit was 'optional' and we were going to Spain anyway.

Any transfer we have will be a FET but if you're doing a donor cycle I guess your DH needs to be there for egg collection day and then would depend if you're having fresh go with him or frozen go later.

In an egg collection cycle I have the option of going to Madrid early in the cycle and having all ultrasounds in Madrid (after baseline in UK). Or I could have most ultrasounds in the UK but pay for them then go to Madrid for the last one which they like to do before giving the go ahead to trigger shot. I've done both depending on how I was fixed for work as I've worked from home during IVF and I prefer to have the scans there in Madrid and the accommodation costs are covered by what I'd have paid for scans in the UK anyway.
All that might be irrelevant to you anyway, I'm banking eggs so doing a few egg collections.

I imagine you could do it all in two visits if you want to keep travel to a minimum, definitely worth checking with the clinics what they suggest and what tests they need.

Both IB and Tambre are very central if you do travel there. IVI Madrid is in the suburbs but also easy to get to.

@Delectable I see you have found this thread, hopefully you'll get some ideas from it!

For most de if you go over for a chat they will freeze sperm so no need to go over for de egg collection

Saying that when we went for our chat they also asked df for a
Sperm sample - and froze

They said helps to have a frozen sample Incase the man can’t perform on the day

@lucieloos do you mind me asking how much a round costs roughly at ARGC?

@Sian7919 I've never had treatment at argc sorry. Maybe meant for one of the others?

@lucieloos ah sorry, thanks for the reply. Perhaps it was @ACAL ?

Hiya - I was a poster on this thread at the beginning but have been absent a while! Hope you're all doing well

@Anxiousbuthopeful congratulations on your positive! Really exciting for you

@Sian7919 I am at ARGC. Feel free to DM me if you want to hear about it. I've done one round of IVF there and one FET. X