Embryo Banking Support Thread / PGS wait

[ForeverAintEnough]

Hi all, I’ve just name changed but I’ve been on here loads and chatting to many of you under different user names ( irrational fear of being outed!). I wondered if there was interest in a ‘no transfer happening’ group? So those doing embryo banking or PGS or whatever.

I’ve just done one round of embryo banking and found the normal threads difficult with discussion of hoping for a Christmas pregnancies etc.

We are unfortunately taking the long way round with 3 rounds and no transfer. It looks like my first transfer might not be until June 2021.

If anyone wants to jump on feel free!

About us: Me 34, DH 36, TTC 3 years. Both male and female issues. x3 rounds of IVF all failed. Moved clinic to Lister for 3 rounds of embryo banking and PGS. One round of embryo banking just finished with x3 blasts sent off for PGS testing.

@Moonstarsun don’t be hard on yourself. I also had a cycle cancelled the day of trigger due to lack of response. I wasn’t particularly stressed bar the obvious of dealing with infertility and was eating well etc. It can just happen. Take a break now and recuperate then start to prepare for the next one. Treat yourself to a nice weekend over Easter maybe some nice food and a few drinks.

Thank you very much for your kind and reassuring words @ForeverAintEnough12 and @Moonstarsun, it is all so new to me... I understand now it is not so bad and there is hope

I am so sorry @Moonstarsun that this 3rd cycle was cancelled :( it must be very difficult to accept, I know you were waiting for this new one to start.... maybe a good time to take a break? It is only a small delay, try to be kind to yourself, although I know it must be hard
Sleep well xxx

@Sophfr17 Congrats on your results, really hope you find a couple euploid. The PGS 2ww is very tough, feels like so much extra stress but will hopefully be worth it.

@Moonstarsun So sorry your cycle got cancelled. There are so many upsets along the way with IVF. The gap may help you, some 3rd cycles seem to be too much to cram in a short space of time.

Hello, how are you girls?

Well, we got the PGS results back. From 5 blasts that were biopsied (from 11 embryos initially), we ended up with 2 euploids, 2 aneuploids and 1 complex aneuploid. I followed the statistics completey, 40% euploid at my age = 2/5.

I think we are happy, be can now discuss about a first transfer, and decide the appropriate medications for my medical conditions. If none work, i will do another cycle. We will do things step by step.

That wait was long, it was sad, hard and mentally/physically exhausting. But we got there.

I will update you on the next steps.

I hope you are doing alright; take care all xx

S.

Hi @Sophfr17 that’s great to get two normals!! I had 3 blasts biopsied and none came back normal - 1 abnormal, 1 undetermined 1 no result. So it’s the dream to know you have normals!!

I’m actually stimming for my 3rd embryo banking cycle. 1st was the one above, 2nd cancelled due to poor response and this one started off well with a good AFC on baseline scam but only a few follicles were growing bigger at day 5 scan. I’m hoping for better news tomorrow at my next scan but I’ve been sick with a bad migraine since Monday eve and am swamped at work so it’s all feeling very stressful.

When are you thinking of doing a FET

@Moonstarsun have you decided when you all go again?

@IslandStars how are you getting on? Did you line up your next FET and are you planning to do any testing before hand? (eRA etc)

Thanks for your kind words @ForeverAintEnough12, i am positive, more than before thats for sure.

I still have a few things to do, the dummy embryo transfer and the 3d-sis, although i have been checked so many times during my 6 pregnancies that i am not sure the last one is needed!

My consultant and Hematologist also have to decide on the medications, heparin, steroids etc, to give me the best chance with a first implantation.

Because i am still new to that, i dont know how long it will take to put these things in place. But i do know that my Dr want to try an first transfer rapidly. Let's wait for their decision.

I hope you will get some good news tomorrow @ForeverAintEnough12. I know that my follicles were growing slowly during my 2nd cycle.... i suppose you receive the highest doses of stimulations already? I feel you when you talk about work; it has been awful for me also lately, so it makes things even more difficult. Like sometimes, everything has to be the worst, on all sides. And the medications do not help...

xxx

@Sophfr17 That's fantastic, really pleased this has worked out, 2 out of 5 is better than i have seen in so many cases recently. Taking things step by step now is best, it's so stressful doing banking and waiting for PGS results.

@ForeverAintEnough12 Good luck for tomorrow. I had a migraine after my FET and it was awful. Mine are so bad i need prescription meds, but obviously couldn't take them after transfer. I took one lot of paracetamol which didn't even touch it and then felt so guilty like i was harming the embryo. I only took it because i felt the stress and pain would be worse for implantation.

I'm due to FET my last embryo next month. My doctor did not recommend ERA at this stage as I’ve only had 1 transfer fail, he said euploid embryos have a 50-60% chance in his experience, despite the often quoted stat of 70%, so for him 40-50% chance of failure is still significant, even though the odds are much better than non tested embryos at 42. I was undecided on ERA as there’s extra measures I could add to my protocol and he’s the lead consultant, so I do trust his advice. He said it was still largely unproven and he personally hadn’t seen enough success from it to recommend at this stage, but he will do it if I insist and i may do in future.

I’m adding Clexane, Lubion and Prednisolone to the Cyclogest and Progyova I took last time. I’ve had thyroid checked, which was fine.

@Moonstarsun hope you're well too.

@Sophfr17 I think it’s good you’re not rushing into it but doing some tests etc first. Hopefully this means when you do go for transfer the embryo has the best possible chance. Although I know the waiting is hard!

Yes I’m on max dose of Stims. So hoping that because my AFC was so good that a few more follicles have been recruited. I never get loads but usually have around 8-10 potentials! Fingers crossed. I feel like I’m not feeling top notch so maybe it’s not going to go well. Have to just wait and see I guess.

I hear on on work!! Sometimes I think I’d like to quit my job and just focus on fertility! But unfortunately have to just keep going.

Thank you @IslandStars, yes, I realize that we are lucky. Now we wait, but it is not that bad, I suppose 1-2 months before the 1st transfer?

I hope your next transfer will be a success. How did your Dr justify the addition of Clexane (what dose) and prednisone? Just in case? I sincerely hope these medications will work for you, heparin injections are not too bad, I will have one morning and one evening. I was on it already in my last two pregnancies, and during ivf

@ForeverAintEnough12, I which things would be easier too, but we all live in a world of uncertainties, so unfair, and it is draining us. Some days are fine, and other days we go so deep… and the impact on the couple, also.. But that is normal too, apparently.

@Sophfr17 Thank you, Dr said the extra medication to help implantation was precautionary, as in, I may not need them, but they won’t hurt and is the usual next step after implantation failure with a euploid. I’ve read some clinics abroad use these medicines as standard. They should help maintain lining, blood flow to uterus and any immune response to the embryo.

I’m not sure on doses yet, I’ve got a nurse appointment this week to run through how to take the medication etc, so will update soon. Glad the heparin wasn’t too bad for you. I’m happy to take the extra drugs as I wanted a different protocol to last time, but it’s going to cost me more, that’s the downside.

@IslandStars glad you are lining up FET number 2. It’s good the doctors being proactive with the steroids etc. I did the Chicago bloods and was recommended steroids for when I do a transfer so it sounds like they are being cautious and giving them regardless. Same with the Clexane. Fingers crossed it’ll make the difference.

Thanks @ForeverAintEnough12 yeah they’ve been pretty good in that respect, fingers crossed this works, we can only keep giving it our best shot.

Let us know how the scan goes tomorrow, hopefully will be a better day for you.

Oooh glad to find this thread. We are also doing embryo banking mainly for two reasons.

1. Despite being 32 my amh is v low and atm the quality is balancing it out. But in a few years when looking to have a second child it may not be the same.
2. We are doing this due to.my husbands very low sperm count. Its taken two years of meds to get his sperm count from pretty much zero to 1 mill. We have no idea whether the meds will keep working and its making his blood very thick so we don't want him to stay on it longer than necessary.

So what we bank now is our only real shot for what we hope will be two kids. We have three pgs blasts in the freezer from our first round but only 3 made it to day 5 in our second round which we are waiting for the pgs results of.

How many are people hoping to bank before transfer if you want two kids.

*only 2 not 3.

Also do people find others keep trying to talk them out of embryo banking. Find people seem to think I should transfer and worry about a second child when the time comes

Hi @Bells3032 welcome to the thread! We are doing embryo banking as we also have low AMH and low sperm count. It took us 3 rounds of IVF to get 2 blastocysts (not tested) put one back and it was negative and decided to see if we could make more from embryo banking before using our other frozen. We also would love more than one child. Despite starting ivf at 31 we seem to have a quality and quantity problem (I just turned 35 now)

I’m currently doing my 3rd round of embryo banking but I am not having your good luck. First round 3 blasts and sent to test - 1 abnormal, 1 inconclusive 1 no result. 2nd round cancelled the night of trigger due to poor response, currently doing the 3rd one now.

I think this will be our last regardless. We had hoped for one PGS normal per round of banking however it doesn’t seem to be happening for us. This is my 6th round of IVF and I’m finding it all very draining now so it’s getting harder and harder to keep going.

Where are you cycling? How many are you planning to do?

@ForeverAintEnough2
We originally planned three rounds with a fresh transfer after cycle 3 which should be starting in about 5 weeks time now.

But I'm being left very nervous about how many is enough for baby no 2. And no one will seem to give me a definitive number to aim for. We've been very lucky and my in laws have put aside significant funds for this as its due to my dhs cancer so money isn't an issue. Its just the balance or risk of how many is enough v the stress on my body

But I just don't

@Bells3032 Welcome! Nice to hear more banking and PGS stories. I think your approach its probably best under the circumstances. Banking as many PGS normal embryos as possible will mean getting the worst of the stress and physical toll out of the way now. Having 3 already is a great number.

I got 13 blastocysts over 3 rounds, which was great for my age (41/42), but 'only' 2 were euploid. I was hoping for 3 to give me the best chance. Sadly my first FET didn't work. Even with PGS, there is no guarantees with IVF, but it at least increases the odds and saved me a lot of time and money in failed transfers.

Of my 3 rounds, it was the middle cycle which produced my 2 normal embryos, so it seems i won't find them in every cycle, which poses problems if i need to do another round.

@Bells3032 I guess you could always do a 4th round of banking and postpone fresh transfer while you are in the middle of it all. Some women report that their response gets worse the more they do so you would need to bear that in mind too! You have had the most success of this thread though with 3 normals already from just one round of banking.

@IslandStars thank you for your support yesterday. Scan went ok today. 9 follicles all growing steadily so happy work that and migraine also gone so fingers crossed it’ll go easier from here out. I am back in bed with my laptop and a coffee!!!

@ForeverAintEnough2 glad your scan went well. 9 is a good number. when do you think you'll have the collection?

I guess I am struggling to know how many is "enough". I could get pregnant first time both times and all this was completely wasted. But it could also take me like 8 tries second time round in which case we'd run out and we just don't know are unlikely to be able to make more at that stage :( it's all making me super anxious

@Bells3032 most likely Monday-Wednesday next week for egg collection.

I guess I’d go by the stats, apparently there’s a 90% chance of live birth from 3 PGS normal embryos, so if you want two children you are talking 6 PGS normals. So if you get another normal from your round sent off that’s 4 and most likely then you’ll only need one more round so 3 rounds could be plenty for you. Theo Robles with a fresh transfer is you won’t know of any/how many from round 3 are normal so you could always say no to fresh transfer and then see where you’re at after 3 rounds and if you need a 4th. You’re in a very privileged position where you’re getting so many PGS normal. So I would be feeling hopeful! 3 normal was what we had hoped to get from all 3 rounds with low AMH and low speed count even though I was

@ForeverAintEnough12 You're welcome, it's nice that we all have each other for support here, as not so many people do banking, and/or PGS.

9 follicles sounds great, because you may still get a couple more over the line by next week. Seems to all be back on track, so hopefully the bad day and migraine was just a blip.

@Bells3032 Some good points raised by ForeverAintEnough12, i definitely noticed a drop off after my 3rd cycle. I had 11 eggs collected in the first 2 rounds, then 7 eggs for the last one. I've heard similar stories, so i think either my body had enough by then, or possibly it had got a little used to the drugs and didn't respond so well. A break can sometimes be beneficial. 7 eggs isn't bad at all, i'm just highlighting the drop off between 3 cycles.

I'm also thinking it might be worth making your 3rd cycle a freeze all, rather than fresh transfer. With 3 PGS normal already, would it really be worth transferring an untested embryo in your 3rd cycle? (if i've understood your plans correctly). Either way, you have a lot to be hopeful for, i know your aim is for a sibling, but getting over the first hurdle and achieving your first baby seems very likely as things stand.

@ForeverAintEnough12 I am happy your scan went well and it seems that your follicles look good! I am very glad. 9 is great!!! You must feel so much better of course. Have a nice afternoon and good luck for the remaining days of stimulation 🙂

Thanks for the feedback. i guess i never realised how lucky i was to get three blasts. From what i've seen on FB groups etc people seem to get dozens of eggs and like 7-8 blasts per round at my age. Was just feeling a little disappointed.

Wondering what other people's reasoning for embryo banking have been? I've really found i had to fight to do it (despite paying ourselves) have other people had the same experiences?

@Bells3032 My clinic suggested a 3 cycle package because I was 41 at the time. They recommended PGS, although there was no hard sell, so in order to get enough euploids, it made sense to bank. I did my rounds as quickly as possible, just had a post egg collection bleed then started on the next natural period.

The waiting has been frustrating though, especially 3 weeks for PGS results. Cycle 1 was in October, then I finally had my first FET in March, so I’ve crammed a lot in 6 months, even though I felt impatient when time was passing.

I guess with you being a lot younger, people don’t think you’d be interested in banking, but I can see your reasoning for it.

My 2 normal embryos came in my second round, so that made cycle 1 and 3 pretty redundant, but that’s just the roll of the dice with IVF I suppose. I was a little unlucky, but I knew it would be tougher at my age.

Hi all, another scan today found 11 follicles but growing a little slowly so I’ll do another 3 days of Stims and hoping to trigger on Monday for EC on Wednesday. I’m hoping so much we get a normal from this round and then we would go for a transfer. Another round would be round 7 of IVF and it’s just too much plus I’ve to do an ERA/EMMA/ALICE before a transfer too so that would be another month or so taken up before transfer.