Implanting 2 embryos

[Sunisshining12]

I understand the regulations & reasoning behind. I’m not here for judgment or education.

But are there any clinics at all that will consider implanting 2 embryos? In the U.K. only

Tia

You'd need to contact clinics directly to see what their policy is, they are all bound by HFEA regulations to try to limit multiple births so each will do that in their own way, usually by only allowing a double transfer based on criteria such as age, quality, how many embryos you've got, whether they think they'd be suitable for freezing or not.

Usually if you're fairly young with a good number of embryos it would be a no but there's no point deciding what clinic to use without speaking to them first if this is an important factor for you.

Thank you - I suppose im trying to gauge if anyone knows of any clinics or have had this experience?

Ive heard of others going abroad but I’d like to avoid that, and I’m also worried about sending frozen embryos abroad

So do you have frozen embryos already but the clinic they are stored at won't allow a double transfer?
I've had a double transfer in the UK and so have plenty of people on here but the clinic I was treated at might not give the go ahead for you to do so depending on their own criteria for doing it.

I read a magazine article recently about a woman who had IVF over 20 years ago and had 10 embryos transferred!! Mind blown.
She got pregnant with triplets but one didn't make it.

@JeNeBaguetteRien that’s it. I don’t meet the criteria for double transfer here. I wondered if there were any clinics more lenient than others or if it’s just a blanket ban across all.

Don’t like the thought of going abroad. Especially with covid. My SiL went to Greece & had a good experience but she had the entire treatment there. Do they even send frozen embryos from U.K. to abroad?It’s my last shot, tia

In that case I'd just put together your details, age and reasons why you want a double transfer (saying because you'd just love twins will not be a persuasive argument so be clear what you believe the medical benefits will be) and just contact some clinics.
They may take the view that your chances with single embryo transfer would be greater but that will depend on your history and their stance.

It is pretty complicated to move embryos abroad, a previous clinic in Spain also commented to me that it would only get more complicated after Brexit.

Thanks - any recommendations? BWH is a definite no.

Out of curiosity, what is the process to move eggs abroad? Is it multiple visits or one long stay? I’m worried about the regs. I even have nightmares they may use the wrong eggs!!

That's interesting, BWH said yes to me having a double transfer. I ended up having a single in the end but that was because my embryos were very good quality.

I have a friend who is having treatment at Create in Birmingham, she's had a few double transfers with them so may be worth enquiring?

They wouldn’t even entertain it. The issue I have is I would need the embryos from BWH to go to the said clinic (if one does agree) Is this a complicated process? Or simple to transfer? What if they refuse to send them to another clinic?

It’s not just about wanting twins. We just cannot do this again, mentally, physically, financially, everything. It’s the last shot. To have 2 children would be the dream. Not sure if these are valid reasons. I’m also under 35 which I feel really goes against me for a double transfer

As far as I'm aware, they can't refuse to send them, they are your embryos not theirs. I know of others that have transferred embryos from BWH to Create, on this board infact but Inwouldn't be able to give you poster names as I can't remember. You have to pay to have them transferred.

I think your age will go against you in a request for a double transfer, I was 36 at the time. I'm currently pregnant with a singleton via BWH IVF and have 3 eggs frozen there. I would consider moving them to Create for a sibling but it depends how things play out. I'd enquire with Create and see what they say. The other local private clinic is Care - one of them is your best bet. I think any part funded by the NHS clinic is likely to say no unless egg quality is poor.

Sorry, I should add, from what others have said, transferring your embryos is not a particularly difficult process. Just setting up the logistics and paying for transportation

@Sunisshining12 are the embryos quite different in quality? I've read that if they differ quite a lot the success rates are lower than transferring just one no matter what quality, which might add to the clinics reasoning

OP, I mean this kindly, but take a step back and think about WHY you are being blocked from doing this. Look at the data on live birth rates, the risk of complications for babies and you as the mother etc. As an under 35 (assume you don’t have ovarian failure etc) I can promise you it is in your interests to “just” have a single transfer. Don’t catastrophise about the future (and get some counselling and support if you need it)- but those rules are there for a reason.

I've had 2 double transfers with Create - currently pregnant with twins. It's bloody hard physically and I'm only 16 weeks

You haven't given any information about your situation other than your 35 and don't want to keep doing this?

Create agreed my double on the following basis

• I'm 37
• 3 previous failed transfers
• 5 rounds of IVF
• spent £35k so we really were down to our last penny
• we can financially just avoid afford to raise twins
• this really was our final chance As we were stopping
• previous PGS testing all came back abnormal/mosaic so chance of 2 untested embryos making it to twins was very low
• agreed not to transfer any AA blastocysts together
• my remaining blastocysts were of a similar quality

Lots to think about thank you. It’s the usual that all couples go through, eg the sheer amount of money, energy, time, obsession - its all so consuming.
We made a decision one more round, not just for finances but emotionally/mentally it’s the last shot for me. DH suggested we should go for double based on some of these factors. I’d love twins, we have 2 x multiples in the family (both ivf - twins & triplets but both done abroad) so I guess that makes it seem more ‘normal’ to me too. The embryos are of equal quality. We are both carriers of the same genetic condition so it was PGD testing. Tia