Early Embryo Transfer (before day 5)

[spinkupromise]

Hi all. Question about embryo transfer before day 5 please.....!

So I have (unfortunately) had 9 x day 5 single embryo transfers and have had 1 live birth and 1 miscarriage from these...

Now I am older and only getting 1-2 eggs retrieved per cycle my clinic has said if I want to transfer the 1-2 collected, I can transfer from day 1 onwards (any that fertilise) rather than waiting for a day 5 blast, as if it's gonna survive it'll survive whether in or out, and that waiting for a day 5 blast makes no difference to outcome.

Hope that makes sense. Have you ever heard of this? I somehow feel waiting til day 5 will give me a better chance of a positive outcome.... (It won't be weeding out the strongest embryo as we will only have 1-2!) No medical reason towards this, just a feeling and I've never heard of this before.

With low egg numbers it's not unusual that embryos are put back on day 3 with the logic that by being put back in they are in the best possible environment to succeed. I've not heard of day 1 transfers but following the same concept it sounds fairly sensible. All that happens by keeping them out is you know what progress they're making! Good luck.

Thanks for your reply... it makes logical sense but I feel my body is so shit at reproduction they are safer out than in.... (unofficial feeling not medical knowledge!)

Pushing embryos to blastocyst is a selection method so they know which are most likely to be successful, transferring them early doesn't compromise them and is common when numbers are low as there no benefit to waiting to see which make it to day 5

My DC is a 2 day transfer.
In fact the other 3 parents of ivf/icsi DC that I know all had day 2 ET’s as well.
Although I think day 5 wasn’t really done much at the time we were doing ivf.

Anyway, just to say that all our teens are proof that earlier than day 5 can be a good thing. Good luck!

@spinkupromise My DD was a day 3 FET. I'd previously had 2 separate tranfers of 5 day top grade blasts which both ended in chemicals (one fresh, one FET). Did the day 3 transfer make a difference? I don't know, but it certainly didn't do any harm.

Thanks everyone for your replies 🙏

How are you progressing @spinkupromise?

I had my first cycle but only retrieve 1 egg which resulted in abnormal fertilisation and no transfer. Very disappointing 😕

I will be 41 in August and have a low egg count and current awaiting a meeting with my consultant to discuss next steps. I cannot find many people in this position which isn't to encouraging, but still have hope.

Hi,

Unfortunately it's the end of the ivf road for me.

My final cycle ended up with no eggs retrieved and I've called it a day.

Separately through all the testing I've discovered im peri menopausal (zero estrogen, high fsh, osteopenia) and have just started hrt. If there's any Silverlining to stopping Ivf "unsuccessfully" I at least feel human again.

Sorry to hear that, I also think I may be peri menopausal, so depending on my next meeting with the consultant will determine whether to have one last try but HRT sounds like a way forward to help overall wellbeing due to the numerous symptoms that come with it for some. Whilst I'm sure it was probably not the news you wanted, stay positive and enjoy feeling human again xx