Create Fertility - Experiences

[Sunflower360]

Hi 👋

I was hoping for people's experiences and thoughts on Create Fertility? I am considering them, so any thoughts would be much appreciated.

I am currently going through a short protocol with high stims with another clinic, baseline scan showed 4-5 follicles (expected that as I have low AMH/low ovarian reserves) but through my high stimulation am only showing 1, maybe 2 follicles that are growing...so cycle is not looking great.

So I wanted to consider Create as they specialise in natural modified and mild IVF, but would appreciate feedback on people's experiences as we would be going in multi cycle with my low AFC/AMH and want to ensure it's the best decision in those circumstances.

Thanks!

I had an endometrial scratch before frozen transfer. It was awful - the most pain ever - for months after you could see the scar on the scans and nurses asked if I’d had a c section. No, never been pregnant… I think it was about £200 and it increased likelihood of success by 4% (that’s what I was told by my previous clinic). You need the transfer within 3 months after as that’s how long the benefits of it last.

@Sunflower360 No. Couldn't get hold of them 😥it is still a negative this morning (8dp5dt) with a 'test 5 days early' CB so I am officially losing hope. It has been a difficult weekend... beta is tomorrow so I will continue my meds for one more day.

@Doxy21 How is it done? I'm pretty sure that's what the doctor will order next - check my endometrium for fragments, which involves a scratch...

I am also researching IVF in Prague. I have heard good things, and in need of a holiday... it is a fraction of the price Create charges. I do have 2 day-5 and 1 day-3 frozen left... but wondering if I should give Prague a go before my eggs get any older! I am going to be 42 next August... and that's the age % success rate declines sharply 😭

@VSRCM really sorry to hear that, it's so hard but it could have been aneuploid, in which case there is nothing that could be done and there is still a chance with your other embryos. Have you considered PGTA? I'm really on the shelf with it, think I would rather do double transfers to give them all a chance (if I had enough for double transfers of course)

The endometrial scratch is essentially them creating a cut internally in your lining. So there’s a speculum, which I hate, and it took a few minutes and I had to keep getting them to stop because it hurt so much. They were very apologetic but I was pretty much crying.

I hear people rave about abroad being cheaper and having better results but I can’t get my head around it. Do you need at least 2-4 weeks off work to go in for scans, collection, transfer etc? And what about the 2ww - Do you stay there or fly back straight after transfer?

I think if this doesn’t work for me I might approach nhs. It doesn’t appear that having been private will preclude me but my low AMH might.

@Sunflower360 My last transfer was a euploid and it didnt stick either.. which is why I decided not to PGTA this time.

@Doxy21 That sounds painful! Definitely try the NHS route if you are still young.

https://www.pragamedica.com/medical-treatments/ivf-fertility-treatment/ivf-in-vitro-fertility-treatment-complete-cycle - this is the clinic recommended by someone from another thread last time. I have enquired and waiting to hear back. Someone else also said they were successful in Greece and was there 14 days in total.. I could use a break! If my bank account allows that is..

Thanks @VSRCM - I think not an option for me unfortunately. After 5 private uk rounds I think it’s just not an option financially. Emotionally I would need to think about approaching the nhs. I’m 38 but we’ve been trying for 3.5 years and on the ivf route for 2.5 years. We had said this would be it. But I see so many ppl have success abroad in Cyprus, Greece and India so if it’s an option for you then it’s definitely something to consider!

@Doxy21 hadn't realised you had 5 rounds, it's such a hard journey. You may have already said previously but have you had investigation tests done? I'm starting to think its all just trial and error and I'm not sure even with these tests how much it actually improves chances

@Doxy21 dont give up just yet you have a few more years than me. Definitely use the NHS with all your notes/learning. A chance is a chance!

No, no tests. I’m not sure what would be worth it with my circumstances.

With my first round (July 2022 - prior to this I had done IUI) I got 1 mature egg, 1 immature and 1 damaged. The 1 egg gave a grade B 5 day blast and with fresh transfer didnt implant. At this point I had AMH 13, AFC 11.

I then tried another round with every med under the sun in Feb 2023 (after not being able to go ahead in Dec 2022 as too close to Xmas) didn’t respond so it was cancelled.

Then mild stims (March 2023) 3 eggs which fertilised and resulted in 1 5 day blast which was low quality (25% chance), had the scratch (May 2023), frozen transfer (June 2023) - didn’t implant. At this point AMH 4.

Then to create with natural modified - first round (August 2023) no eggs. Second round (Sept 2023) 3 eggs, all fertilised but ended with 1 day 3 which of frozen. At this point AFC 5.

Awaiting my 3rd with Create/5th overall.

Thanks @VSRCM - the nhs in my area says all ppl under 40 get up to 3 full ivf cycles but you need 2 out of 3 of the following

1. AFC 4 or above (fine atm)
2. AMH 5 or above (I don’t meet this)
3. FSH less than 9 - I don’t know what my FSH is

That’s interesting @Doxy21 my criteria was under 40 and had been trying for 2 years. Is it because you had gone down private route first?

So ours was under 40 but now 40-43 get 1 free round. That’s a new policy. We did private route as we were told we had a 50/50 chance with ivf (or try naturally for another year as was nothing bad/wrong with either of our results) and I didn’t want to wait. Plus we could afford that and I didn’t want to burden the nhs (hubby is a doc). So we bought a 2 cycle package to cover the 50/50 odds. After the first round our ivf clinic were baffled by my poor response. We never considered we would only get 1 or no embryos each time. And now with create my chance is 10%. It all went downhill v quickly, especially my AMH. I’m not a conspiracy theorist and I don’t want to believe it but I’m worried it was the Covid vaccines. But we’ll never know (or at least not for a long time). When I was going for the initial fertility tests it was as I had my vaccine and then my period didn’t come for 3 months so pushed us back - the only time my period had never been 28 days on the dot.

@Doxy21 I think bottom line with Covid vaccines benefits outweigh risks but yeh it’s something may never know.

Did you try both natural and mild with create? I never had natural, probably because of my age? My experience is NHS gave me the max dose and 16 eggs were collected, but they didn’t do ICSI even though they advised that. So I’m still pissed off that only 3 eggs got fertilised. So if you do go down that route, make it very very clear what you want (assuming you have a good idea based on your own experience). NHS will have a focus on quantity rather than quality is what create said. Of the 3 fertilised, a 2BB transferred and implanted but lost 1.5 wk later. One didn’t make it and there was a 5AA frozen but found out to not be normal (PGT with create’s first cycle’s outcome).

@VSRCM so mild was at Crgh. Create won’t let me to mild unless on my day 1-3 scan I have 6 or more follicles. Last 2 rounds I’ve had 5. I said to them with mild I got 3 fertilised and 1 embryo, which was more than the 0 eggs I got on round 1 with create but all they were focussed on is ‘yeah but no baby’ - my argument was 3 eggs is still better than none

Sorry about your loss @VSRCM what does the 2 mean on the 2BB?

So far no one on this thread has had a baby via ivf I think? That’s depressing

@Doxy21 That’s unfortunate that you have tried mild and was successful and another clinic won’t do it because of the policy they have to follow. It is all so very subjective. I hope your 5th cycle is more successful.

2 = early blast. I was surprised it implanted, all very short-lived.

@VSRCM oh that’s really helpful thanks! If I get a day 5. I have a frozen day 3 but apparently they are measured differently

@Doxy21 day 3s are measured by number of cells. You want more cells and less fragments. It’s relatively easy to get to day 3, but the attrition rate increases from day 3. Which is why they freeze embryos at day 3 if there aren’t many to gamble with. I also read that the best environment for day 3 embryo is the womb so I want to ask if they can transfer my day 3 and day 5 together for my FET, (rather than wait 2 days to see how my day 3 progresses).

@VSRCM that sounds ideal. That’s what my husband wants to do if we get a day 5 this time but they said that my day 3 has to be transferred on day 3 after a collection

@Doxy21 @VSRCM if you don't already have this it gives an idea of where embryos sit in the grading.

@Doxy21 will you go for the 3 cycles with the NHS if for any reason this cycle didn't work (hopefully it does)? Are you hoping to start your 3rd cycle with Create end of this month too? I'm just waiting for AF, in less than 2 weeks

Thanks @Sunflower360 my 2 transfers so far have been 5BB (fresh) and 5BC (frozen). If they let me have 3 on the nhs I might but not sure I will qualify or if it’s even worth it if I’ve already done 5 previously at that point. Yeah AF should start in a week or so and we go again for the third cycle

@Doxy21 they were good/average grade embryos you had transferred. Hope this 3rd cycle goes ok for you

Thanks @Sunflower360

@Doxy21 last week (11.5 months later) I got my call from the NHS following initial tests. I obviously went private in the meantime, but they’ve now said that having gone privately excludes me from NHS treatment. My GP told me this restriction wouldn’t be applied due to excessive waiting times, but it seems it still is.
After the call I wondered whether they would even have known about the private treatment, if I hadn’t mentioned it? I know it varies by location, but just something to keep in mind.
A friend of mine is being treated at Create having been referred within 5 weeks. The difference by location is so extreme!

I don’t regret going private and would likely have been excluded from NHS based on my AMH/AFC anyway.