3rd failed IVF Cycle. What next?

[Katty123]

Hi everyone,

Just got a BFN on my third IVF transfer. Looking for some advice as don't know where to start with next steps.

I have been TTC for 4 years. Was diagnosed with "unexplained fertility". Both my partner and I are healthy and all the standard tests have come back normal. I am 36 and my husband is 35. We were fortunate enough to get three funded rounds of IVF on the NHS.

First fresh cycle (long protocol) collected 17 eggs, 13 fertilised, all still there on Day 3 and on Day 5 but only two were good quality blastocysts. 1 transferred (resulted in BFP but ended in early miscarriage). The other was frozen and I had an FET but this time MMC at 10 weeks.

Just had another fresh cycle (short protocol). Collected 9 eggs, 7 fertilised, all progressing well on day 3. On day 5, same as before, all were still there but only one was a blastocyst. Transferred this and one other embryo that was close to blasto but not suitable for freezing. Just got a BFN this morning. I took cyclogest, lubion and aspirin this cycle.

The clinic keeps saying it is bad luck and won't give me any explanation as to why I can only seem to make one or two blastocysts. I will be switching clinics now but don't know where to start and what other testing I should prioritise?

Thanks for reading xx

Hi OP, I don’t know if this is the solution, I’m hoping it is for me too. But after an 8 week MMC from our last transfer we decided to PGTA test this cycle.

Similar to you we got 14 eggs first cycle but only 1 blastocyst and 15 eggs second cycle but only 1 blastocyst again. This time we tested the blastocyst and it came back normal. I don’t know if this is the solution, we are about to do a transfer so we will see, but it was the only option I could think of.

It might be worth considering? I wish you lots of luck

I wish you the best of luck x

My story is similar, but I'm way down the line;
Unexplained infertility, tried for 3 years before starting IVF at 34 (husband 38). We also got 3 funded rounds.

2018 1st round - short protocol, 12 eggs collected and 3 got to day 5. 2 frozen and 1 fresh transfer (BFN)
Transfer 2 and 3 - frozen day 5 both BFN

2019 2nd round - short protocol, 14 eggs collected. Only 2 poor grade got to day 3. 4th transfer double fresh - BFN (not told why that round was a disaster, but think I was triggered too early)

2019 3rd round - short protocol, 3 eggs collected. Stims lowered after last disastrous round and 1 ovary now behind uterus so couldn't collect all eggs. Punctured my uterus to get the 3 they got. Only 2 eggs fertilised and frozen on day 1 as I was put on antibiotics for the puncture.
2020 - 5th transfer - the 2 day 1 embryos and got a BFP. She is now nearly 2.

2021 - paid for 2 rounds private for a sibling, 8 eggs collected (ovary still hiding, but they didn't puncture me this time, felt they got enough from the single ovary) 2 eggs got to day 5 and transferred fresh - 6th transfer BFN

2022 - find out I'm pregnant, natural conception. Miscarried at 16 weeks.

2022 - find out I'm pregnant again, now 12 weeks and counting.

Im now 38 - no idea how I've managed to spontaneously conceive twice this year, especially as IVF isn't even a quick fix for me. My clinics always said it was chance and there's no reason why some rounds fail and some work. It's so hard to believe them when so much rests on them getting it right. I know I can't be a usual case, just based on the amount of failure aside from the spontaneous conceptions as well, but just because your first few transfers haven't worked, it doesn't mean they always won't

Thanks @rollercoastertobaby definitely something for me to consider. Wishing you the very best of luck with your next transfer. Fingers crossed this one sticks xx

Thanks for sharing your story @MrsC2018 and congratulations on the latest pregnancy!

I think you're right, I am just having a tough time accepting their advice. Probably need to step away from Google and focus on resting before the next cycle xx