Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Infertility

Our Infertility Support forum is a space to connect with others in the same position, discuss causes, treatment and IVF, and share infertility stories of hope and success.

Original poster

Is there any point doing egg collection?

31 replies

Seaswimmingdeservesasunnyday · 27/02/2021 09:33

Hello, first time on here. I am 40 and doing a first round of IVF. Have low AMH of 3.8 but ok AFC of 14 last summer and then 11 just before Christmas. Am on highest dose of Meriofert but day 8 scan had only 7 potential follicles and day 10 scan only had 2 above 20mm and then 2 above 15mm. The rest hadn't responded. Nurse said 2-4 was good for my AMH level. Egg collection tomorrow but is there any point if I might only have 2? And how did that ok AFC translate to only two potential eggs? Feeling really despondent. Anyone had similar experiences and did you collect or not?

OP posts:
KB2209 · 27/02/2021 10:25

Hi, I m really sorry you are feeling low. I have had 3 failed cycles before 39. Also had low AMH, so consultant pumped me up with high doses to get 7-13 eggs, all above 18mm, in every cycles. But still no luck and I m getting ready to go through 3 more :(. And I have heard that in private they extract after 13mm. So it sounds like you atleast have 4 very good follicles. And my wise Accupuncturist says, you only need one good one. So don’t feel disheartened by the numbers, you have come this far. Go ahead with the collection...you might get 4 mature eggs and hopefully multiple good grade embryos to transfer and hope it all works out.

Lots of positive energy your way...

Original poster
Seaswimmingdeservesasunnyday · 27/02/2021 10:54

@KB2209

Thank you so much for your message.
I am sorry that you have not had any luck yet and I wish you success with your next round.
I will try to be more optimistic and I didn't know about the 13mm so that is good to know!

Positive energy back at you and thanks again for the reply!

OP posts:
LongerthanMrTicklesarms · 27/02/2021 11:46

Hi OP, is your IVF NHS or private?
If NHS some CCGs allow you to cancel before egg collection and try again (egg collection and creation of embryos is the expensive bit!)
If private then I'd expect a steer from your consultant but ultimately your decision, basically are they surprised at where you are now, and expected you to have more, or not. There's no way of knowing the quality, they may be good, they may not (statistically at our age fewer are good quality).
If you decide to abandon this cycle when could you start again? If you go ahead, in a few weeks you'll know the outcome either way. Will you be having ICSI?
I know that's more questions than answers but don't want to sway you either way as it's so personal!

ivfbeenbusy · 27/02/2021 12:14

I think with your AMH and age (sorry!) then you need to take what you can get especially if you are already on the highest dose....

I purposely chose a protocol with low dose drugs and targeting very few follicles to boost quality - my twins are from the egg collection where I only got 2 eggs. My previous 3 transfers failed where I had 14 eggs collected on each cycle

Ilikeviognier · 27/02/2021 13:12

I only had 2 eggs. I embryo, 1 bfp and he’s now 6. It can happen. I was 35 though so I can’t say how much difference that will have made. It’s definitely possible.

Galgal15 · 27/02/2021 13:56

Hi, you should read the thread ivf Dec 2020-Jan 2021. A lady on that low amh, only one egg collected, transferred on day 2 and she saw her baby's heartbeat on a scan yesterday. I found it such a positive story against the odds.

FingersXssd83 · 27/02/2021 14:37

I had 3 follicles, got 4 eggs, transferred 2 on day 3 and by baby is asleep upstairs.

I'm a under responder for my age and stats. I'd say, go for it!

Rosiestraws · 27/02/2021 14:59

Just to add to the go ahead comments...I would also go for it if you might have 2 eggs. I'm starting egg freezing at 34 with DOR- amh of 0.8 and 4 follicles (which was devastating when I first found out). So knowing my best case is a couple of eggs but you only need 1 to have a baby and it's a case of nothing ventured, nothing gained. Just to play devil's advocate...what if you abandoned and then tried again (I assume the only reason you'd abandon would be to do this?) and then for whatever reason got less than 2? There's no guarantees in any of this and more eggs doesn't meant they'll be all mature good eggs so I would go for it.

Good luck with it and fingers crossed they're good eggs 😊🤞🏼

Original poster
Seaswimmingdeservesasunnyday · 27/02/2021 15:33

You've all properly cheered me up. Thank you all for your positivity.

@LongerthanMrTicklesarms it is private. Not seen the consultant since before I started the meds though, every message is from nurses who check stuff with the consultant. I just get told what is happening and when.

I asked the scanning nurse whether to carry on and she said the result was good for my AMH. Didn't seem surprised or worried, and was surprised that I did. There was no question in her mind about not doing egg collection, but the cynic in me says they don't mind multiple cycles as it's more money for them that way...I am having ICSI.

@ivfbeenbusy , @FingersXssd83and @Ilikeviognier thanks for your stories, pleased it worked out for you. Fair point about age, I knowGrin

@Galgal15 made me a bit emotional!

@Rosiestraws that is a really good point about a new cycle. I wish you lots of luck with your journey too

OP posts:
Original poster
Seaswimmingdeservesasunnyday · 27/02/2021 15:34

I will be taking all of your advice and going ahead. Thank you all!

OP posts:
SpyroC · 27/02/2021 18:39

My story in brief: Round 1 7 eggs-3 day 5 embryos, r2 6 eggs-2 day 5 embryos, r3 2 eggs-2 day 5 embryos including a better quality one than we had previously . Round 3 is the one that worked so numbers aren't everything. Good luck x

Original poster
Seaswimmingdeservesasunnyday · 27/02/2021 22:24

@SpyroC that's really reassuring and I am so pleased it worked for you! Thank you Smile

OP posts:
Marty13 · 28/02/2021 00:03

"but the cynic in me says they don't mind multiple cycles as it's more money for them that way..."

You're wise to be a cynic but remember that clinics also care about their statistics. So they wouldn't encourage you to do endless cycles if they're doomed from the start.

2-4 eggs doesn't sound so bad. I do understand that it's disappointing, but usually people who have lots of eggs don't end up with a lot more embryos - there does seem to be a decrease in quality when quantity goes up.

KB2209 · 28/02/2021 10:14

Lovely to see such amazing positive stories, gave me a lot of hope for my next set of cycles starting next month.

@Seaswimmingdeservesasunnyday: good luck with the procedures, looking fwd to hearing a positive result...hang in there !!!

Original poster
Seaswimmingdeservesasunnyday · 02/03/2021 11:26

EC went well as they got 6 eggs, all mature. 4 fertilized. ET on Friday.

Thank you so much for persuading me to dump my pessimism!

OP posts:
LongerthanMrTicklesarms · 02/03/2021 11:44

That's great news OP. Fingers crossed for Friday. And beyond!

FingersXssd83 · 02/03/2021 12:14

Brilliant news! My cycle worked on the one I was least expecting... best of luck to you xx

Rosiestraws · 02/03/2021 21:32

Great news OP! So glad you went ahead with it!

KB2209 · 03/03/2021 15:04

That's brilliant OP. Good luck with embryo transfer, hope you get good news this time. Stay positive...

Yokey · 03/03/2021 17:52

Ah well done, OP. Keep us updated and good luck!

FingersXssd83 · 12/03/2021 18:41

How are you getting along @Seaswimmingdeservesasunnyday? xx

Original poster
Seaswimmingdeservesasunnyday · 07/05/2021 05:50

Currently 11 weeks pregnant

Still scared something will go wrong, but starting to hope

OP posts:
IslandStars · 07/05/2021 09:24

That's fantastic, so pleased it's worked out! I love reading these success stories and it was your first round too! Best of luck for the future.

Yokey · 07/05/2021 14:40

Oh brilliant! Congratulations 🎉 All the best for the rest of your pregnancy and beyond

Original poster
Seaswimmingdeservesasunnyday · 07/05/2021 16:17

Thank you both Smile

I am just so glad I listened to people on here!

Wishing success for everyone else Smile

OP posts: