Only 4 follicles. Looking for success stories.

[Raleighx]

So I’m only 32 years old. AMH good / baseline scan looked normal. Been on stims for 10 days. Had my scan today and I only have 4 good sized follicles on the right. My left has not responded at all. No one can say why I’ve responded this poorly. I do have a cyst on each ovary but the clinic are adamant this has nothing to do with my poor response.

They said I needed 3 follicles to get to egg collection so it’s booked for Thursday.

I’m just feeling so hopeless about the whole thing. I keep seeing people with huge numbers. Surely with 4 follicles I have next to no chance.

Does anyone have any success stories to make me feel better?

Hiya, I have had 3 egg collections, as qas doing a freeze all.

1st - 1 dominant folicle 2 small, 2 eggs collected, 1 day 5 blast
2nd - 1 dominant folicle, 3 small, 3 eggs collected, 1 day 5 blast
3rd - 2 folicles, 2 eggs collected, 2 day 5 blasts

Just FYI it can change from month to month, there are so many factors in play, ypur bodys natural hormones FSH, LH, oestrogen the medication protocol. I did 9 cycles of mild stim and 2 got to egg collection (my 1st 2) then after 7 back to back cycles where I didn't respond at all we went more aggressive and that's where I got the 2, but all the way through there were 2 folicles, 1 in each ovary.

I have a dominant right ovary, 1st cycle all were right, 2nd cycle dominant was in left the rest were right, 3rd cycle 1 in each.

i know its easier said than done but everyone's IVF challenges are different so try not to compare. I remember being im the recovery bay after egg collection and there was a lady next to me wailing and i mean wailing because they "only" collected 10 eggs, she was still sobbing when they came to tell me they got 2 eggs and i said..."yay!" Because that was a good result for me.

I wish you all the best for your collection on Thursday and hope this is helpful xxx

@SPR40 aw I know it's true what they say.. comparison is the thief of joy! I think it's hit me so hard as we aren't doing ivf because of any known fertility problems. it's cos we're in a same sex relationship. My wife did ivf 2 years back which resulted in our DD and she got 14 eggs so it's difficult not to feel like I'm letting everyone down.

thank you so much for sharing! that gives me hope. If I get one blast I will be so happy.

@Raleighx I only got 4 eggs in my EC. 2 of the 4 were immature but the 2 mature ones fertilised and both made it to blastocyst!

Don't feel down about having 4. Everyone is different and just because you have less to start with, it doesn't mean you'll have less at the end. I've read many stories about people getting 10-15 eggs and none getting to blastocyst stage x

I am so sorry - I know how disappointing low numbers can be but it can result in success still. I did two rounds of IVF when I was 35/36

• First round I had 4 eggs retrieved. 2 made it to blast. (1 fresh transfer failed and 1 frozen).
• Second round I had only 2 eggs retrieved and was so upset. Only 1 fertilised normally. Had a day 3 fresh transfer and somehow that resulted in my son.

So there is hope for those of us with low numbers. Sending you lots of luck xx

I had three follicles and one egg and had my baby, previous round I also got one embryo out of 7 eggs, that’s frozen. Some of us just make 1 or 2 good embryos!
I see on here women with large numbers of follicles/eggs but many times equates to 1 or 2 good blasts in the end. Good luck

So a little update.. got 4 mature eggs out of 4 follicles. Waiting for the fertilisation report tomorrow 🤞 keeping everything crossed.

That is fantastic news 🥳❤️

Thank you so much! Felt sick all morning waiting for the call but 4/4 have fertilised 😁so relieved. Really hoping we get to transfer!

🥳❤️🥳🥳❤️❤️❤️❤️🥳🥳❤️❤️ what fantastic news!!!!!!!!!

I wish you a peaceful 5 day wait and staying positive as its looking fab 💖✨️

Thank you so much! ❤️

Popping on with another update. We had a 5 day transfer yesterday with a blast the embryologist said was ‘the best quality you can get’ 🤞 also got a good quality one frozen and they are watching the other 2 to see if they catch up!

can’t believe I’m currently in the 2ww. amazed I actually got here considering they nearly cancelled EC!

I am so unbelievably happy for you!!!! 2 get 2 from the 4 folicles is amazing! 🥰🥳❤️

Have a peaceful 2WW and sending you all the positivity ✨️ ❤️✨️

Thank you so much for your kindness! These boards have been my saving grace over the last few weeks ❤️❤️❤️

Had the news that one of the others one caught up today and is good quality so now I have 2 frozen!

I hope anyone losing hope with lower numbers finds this thread and it reassures them xx

That is absolutely fantastic!!! Out of 4 folicles to get 3 embryos is amazing. I hope you are feeling fantastic and your thread will be so helpful for others who have similar experiences 🥰❤️

Also with my wife’s 14 eggs collected in our last ivf she ended up with 1 transfer and 3 in the freezer so I almost got the same outcome! Just goes to show quality over quantity can be a thing 🙌🏻

Absolutely over the moon! Aww I really hope so 🥰 have a great rest of your week! Xx

Just a further update to this thread. OTD today! 9dpt 🥰🥰🥰

Woo hoo! Congratulations xx

🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳❤️ so happy for you! Congratulations 🎊 Have a beautiful pregnancy xxxxx

@Jane1284 thank you! 💕💕

@SPR40 oh thank you so much! 🥹I appreciate your responses to me and your kindness recently. all the best to you for the future xxxx

Just stumbled on to this thread and the progression is absolutely lovely to read. Congratulations OP 🥰

Aww thank you so much I really appreciate it!

As I’ve said I hope it gives other people hope with numbers on the lower side. My egg collection was very nearly cancelled and I was frantically searching for similar threads with a good outcome at the time to try and get me through.

I know it’s super early days but hopefully it will all work out ☺️

Hi everyone so glad I found this thread. I have been so so sad nd hopeless. I am on day 9 on stim taking gonal f and fyremadel. I was told on Monday I only have 4 follicles but they expected me to perform better as my tests said I had high egg reserve. Anyway they have said to see if I can develop a few more till tomorrow or will ask us if we want to cancel the cycle. I've been waiting to start the cycle since two and half years and I'm so distraught at having just 4 follicles . Everywhere I look on the Internet women give atleast 10 if not 20/30 follicles . I feel I have practically no chance.

To add context I am 35 and have endometriosis two small cyst. Otherwise healthy individual and never in my life smoked or drank alcohol.

Hi lovely! I’m so sorry to hear this and I hope you’re okay. I know exactly how you feel because this was me as you can see. I was absolutely devastated at my scan when I was told I had so few follicles. Like you it was a total shock as all my tests came back great, good egg reserve etc. and I’m healthy and don’t smoke, rarely drink so it was a complete surprise. All I saw when I read threads on here were people with high follicle numbers and if they were low there was an explanation such as low AMH etc.

I contemplated cancelling the cycle but in the end I went ahead with it as it was only going to cost 1k more to chance it and go to egg collection. I am so glad I took a chance. It was the most stressful time of my life waiting for the news at every stage but I’m now pregnant with two good quality blasts in the freezer. There’s nothing to say if I had of chose to cancel and do a new round that I would have responded any better. Although they did say they would’ve tried me on short protocol with a higher dose if I had to go again.

Are you paying private? What do you stand to lose if the cycle is cancelled? I think with 4 definite follicles it’s worth taking a chance.

there is a theory and I have found with my hours of research that lower numbers tend to yield better quality eggs! Seems people with the higher numbers sometimes only end up with 2-3 blasts in the end.

Thanks so much @Raleighx this gives me so much hope . My situation seems so similar to yours. They gave us he choice and we have decided to just take the chance. I'm really nervous and even if I get just one good egg I will be super grateful.. I'm really glad your situation has turned out so well this really gives me hope and perhaps others out there too. Wishing you a smooth pregnancy and safe arrival of your child. I will update on here if I had any good news to let you know my outcomes. I am on the nhs so I know its like taking a chance but we decided to go for it rather than cancelling. It really has also been the most stressful time of my life whee every stage I waiting and anticipation. You can't even get too happy or hopeful because then you are internally frightened what if my next stage doesn't go good etc but I even bought baby clothes so I'm really trying to manifest this . Wishing goodness for everyone else in similar situations to us. My god bless us all with a healthy child. Amen