Drop off rate with ICSI

[swirls3468]

Can anyone shed some light on my situation ? I suppose I'm writing on here because I over think everything and this makes me feel better.
I had EC yesterday and got 17 eggs. They performed ICSI and I got the call today that 7 had fertilised. I know 7 is still a good chance but just seems a massive drop off and I can't understand why. I thought ICSi had a higher fertilisation rate.
They did say 2 eggs were immature so only 15 were injected with sperm. But that's still 8 that didn't fertilise. I have PCOS and partner has MFI. I am 25 partner 34.
Is it just bad luck? Egg/sperm issue?
I'm worried now about these 7 growing to blasts. I will have to wait till Monday to find out which will be transfer day (hopefully).

I thought they might make you want to wait but then because it was a FET I don't know if that's the same. Just don't know whether to delay my period or just accept that its rubbish and will probably have to wait longer!?

@Charl32 hmm I'm not too sure with the FET side of things. As frustrating as it is I guess we have to go with the clinic and their suggestion, but at the same time it's your body and your choice so always go with your gut x

I was previously swirls3468 I've just changed my username.
Hi just an update for those of you wondering what happened.
Out of the 17 eggs collected, 15 mature and injected, 7 fertilised. Only 2 made it to blastocyst stage, one wasn't good quality but one was top quality.
They transferred the top quality embryo and none to freeze. I got my positive the other day! I couldn't believe it. I still can't. I've been so ill with ohss. It went away but come back with a vengeance because of the pregnancy. It will all be worth it 🤞

Congrats @lottie198 . Hope you feel better soon and are getting good advice from your clinic on the ohss
I seem to be hearing more and more negative reports about ICSI lately which worries me.

Now wondering if normal fertilisation followed by ICSI if necessary is possible. Did you ever get any reason why the fertilisation rate was so low?

Omg @lottie198 (side note that I am assuming a few of us here share a first name lolol) that’s great. I think we spoke the other day and you said you didn’t want to go through it all again after your experience this time?

@Hoping1 thank you! We have motility issues, his last result was 9% with a high count. He’s currently on impryl but I don’t know whether to swap or stick with it for a few more months. It’s not been three months yet.

@Charl32 can I ask you why you were on progesterone? Mine is low and we’re likely starting ivf or ICSI in the next few months so I’m just learning from everyone else’s experiences on here right now.

Can I also ask what all your partner’s results were to need ICSI? I’m worried it won’t work for us right now as we get nearer to our next appointment and clinic research etc.

@Bluemeadowbaby did you or your partner make any changes between rounds? Lack of fertilisation is something I’m thinking about at the moment like @mowglika mentioned.

@thislittlebird I would deffo never do it again I've been so ill! The thing is the ohss went and I got negative test so thought that was that. I didn't test then till OTD just to go through the motions and much to my surprise it was positive. Which explains the ohss coming back so badly ! X

@mowglika I've not asked yet , I think we will get a follow up with the embryologists. Not sure if it will do me any favours knowing the details though as I never want to do ivf again!
The fertilisation rate wasn't very high for one so I didn't have a lot of hope for blasts but it only takes one good one.
The only thing I can think is I was stinking for quite long for a short protocol. They weren't open Easter and pushed my EC until after that. I do wonder if some eggs had gone post mature because they did say quite a few didn't even survive the injection process! Poor little eggs 😂

@mowglika sorry I mean STIMMING not stinking lol . Bloody auto correct x

@lottie198 oh, so you tested negative first of all? How did the ohss go? Did you have it and then it calmed down and then it came back again?

OHSS is definitely one of my big worries. I’m surprised they did fresh really since you were suffering.

[quote thislittlebird]@lottie198 oh, so you tested negative first of all? How did the ohss go? Did you have it and then it calmed down and then it came back again?

OHSS is definitely one of my big worries. I’m surprised they did fresh really since you were suffering.[/quote]
I tested negative 6dpt and then waited till test day.
I developed ohss about 4 days after egg collection! I told them and they still went ahead with fresh transfer. It got worse for a few days after that. Then it settled right down. Nearly almost gone (last Sunday) and then it flared up again about 4 days before test day. I mean worse than ever. Worse than before. It was sharp to breathe in. I'm still suffering now. They've put me on blood thinners. They said it's because of the hcg it makes it worse.

@thislittlebird the only thing which changed was a higher dose of stims, patches and pessaries, I had 3 vials instead of 2 which I did on the first round. The only other thing they changed was instead of trigger being burselin they gave gonasi instead due to possible ohss as I was very bloated and uncomfortable that cycle. We also used estrogen patches that cycle, the first they only gave me pessaries. I have severe endometriosis and my egg reserve was quite low as my right ovary is very damaged from previous laps so they tried not to give too much estrogen but I'm glad we went with that plan. We had icsi as my hubby has low sperm count too and stuck with that on the second round x

They just said to go on from my first transfer, I assumed most people had it?!
Husband has non progressive motility, think they took 7/8 eggs (was in November) 5 fertilised, 1 didn't make the 5days and 1 wasn't great so we were left with 3... All done with icsi. Hope that helps xx

Yikes, I can’t believe they didn’t listen when you told them. Was this private or nhs?

That was supposed to have had a quote message in response to @lottie198. Mn fail.

@Bluemeadowbaby I’m glad it worked, whatever did the trick. We’ve got double problems too. I’ve got very low progesterone and he’s got very low motility. It’s good to hear stories where you’ve been successful despite multiple issues.

@thislittlebird absolutely, I think the first time round I was very excited to get onboard but when it didn't work I felt quite shattered. But in my own experience, having the faith and the hope is so important. I know how frustrating it feels with the double issues, drop offs and feeling a bit out your depth with it all. Which stage are you at in your journey? X

@thislittlebird

Yikes, I can’t believe they didn’t listen when you told them. Was this private or nhs?

Nhs ! It was my first ever round so new to the ivf world x

@Bluemeadowbaby how many rounds did it take in total? So we’ve been trying officially since October 2019. Stopped using contraception before that. We’re over 35 so saw the doctor in July 20 for tests. They told us both mine and my husbands were fine, they were not fine but I only realised in December when I requested copies after still not having a BFP. By February 2021 we had a referral, and here we are still waiting for our first appointment at the hospital in May 2021. The time it takes gets me down, especially since they cost us 6 months. I would really like my NHS IVF or ICSI round, I’m just worried they’re going to take too long. I’m 38 next month 😔.

@lottie198 well, that’s good that it worked. Hope you’re doing ok!

@thislittlebird bless your heart, I completely understand the frustration you're feeling. The waiting is honestly more torturous than ivf in my eyes. We were the same with waiting around it felt like forever! But once the first consultation goes ahead it goes very quickly after that even with nhs. We had our first consultation in the January 19, last consultation end of March 19 and started in the April on that period. Sadly that round didn't work and we didn't get any embryos to freeze from that cycle which devastated me. We were fortunate enough to be able to fund a second fresh round, the clinic wanted us to wait 3 more cycles but I refused as I just wanted to carry on so we started back up in the June and that resulted in my little boy. I really do hope everything works out for you, we had a lot of issues on my part with the endo, cysts and a damaged ovary and I hope in a way that brings a little comfort that things really can happen despite the odds. We were told on our first consultation it probably wouldn't happen for us due to the severity of my endo so of course we ended up paying stupid amounts for a refundable programme if ivf didn't result in a pregnancy 🤦🏻‍♀️ but of course I shouldn't complain lol. How many rounds do you get with the nhs? X

@Bluemeadowbaby so I have some good news! I wrote to PALS and they called to move the appointment forward and changed it from gynaecology to fertility at another hospital! I’m so relieved we can finally get going. They’ve rang us twice in two days to confirm this appointment so the complaint must have worked.

I can imagine, no embryos is a nightmare and so upsetting. I bet you’re so pleased to you went ahead in the June! Why did they want you to wait?

We have saved enough to afford a few cycles and we get one round on the nhs here. So my hope is to use the nhs one in the next few months, and maybe buy a 2 cycle package from Access if that’s unsuccessful. You paid for the 3 cycle package I assume and it worked on round one? Because of my age next month I’m not eligible for anything refundable now, I think.

Yeah, that does bring some comfort. We have his low motility and my low progesterone but I’m hoping we can be successful in spite of those.

Round one private, I mean

@thislittlebird this is fantastic news! I'm so pleased for you 😍 when the balls gets rolling it soon comes round quickly and I have everything crossed for you - I've made a thread for support called May/June FET buddies and have a few ladies joining with ivf you're more than welcome to join too.
Ah yes, that's the package I did and it worked on that first round. It's very expensive (but I guess expense isn't really considered when you're wanting that sweet babe) so we're just going again from scratch directly to the clinic for a FET cycle from the embryos from the package round - when the round is complete it closes the package if that makes sense.
I think they just wanted me to give my body a rest as from the July the year before I had had back to back surgeries, prostap injections, ivf with a fail and I think they wanted me to just be a bit kind on myself. I think they were right in that aspect as it all hit me after birth but hey I guess it's just a bit of a learning curve for me personally next time around x

@Bluemeadowbaby I hope it flies by now because it feels like it has taken f o r e v e r to get to this stage. I would love to join, obviously I'm a little way off from starting but it would be great to chat to some people at various stages of the process. I'm looking at the private test results I had done in Jan right now and trying to come up with good questions to ask them, getting prepped!

Yeah I have seen that package online, I balked at a cost and decided it was a little too much to hand over in one go, and I don't get the refund option which is frustrating but hey ho, probably will do the two private rounds since there's no refund but that's after the NHS situ has been sorted.

Makes sense to rest, but I guess the outcome was worth it. How long ago was your first successful IVF and then baby?