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Original poster

IVF too many follicles

11 replies

180monkeys · 15/08/2023 12:27

Hi everyone, I am due to start IVF due to MF. I had an internal scan to check everything was ok with me and the consultant seemed happy with everything. However I have just been reading our referral and it states that I had 14 follicles on one ovary and 16 on the other.

Will this be too many follicles and cause a problem during IVF? I’ve read of people having to freeze all their embryos because of this and not being able to do a FRET. I’m 27 if that makes any difference.

Thanks in advance for any insight or advice!

OP posts:
SErunner · 15/08/2023 13:11

With that number yes there is a good possibility you might have to do a freeze all cycle. Frustrating but not the end of the world. Speak with your clinic and they'll be able to advise best.

AM08 · 16/08/2023 06:43

Ah it’s so confusing when this happens, I had around 20-24 follicles in total and had to move to a freeze all round. My clinic had to ‘coast’ me for 4 days, where I was took off all stims medication but they couldn’t trigger me / go for egg collection until the hormone estridiol came down (the hormone is linked to the number of follicles.)

Hope it all goes well for you!!

Original poster
180monkeys · 16/08/2023 07:38

Thank you for both your responses!

It’s so frustrating when I originally seen the high number of follicles I assumed that was a good thing!

@AM08 can I ask you a few questions about this please? Were you able to get a lot of eggs at your EC? And did you have to wait long after to do the FET please? Hope you don’t mind me asking!

OP posts:
Ellenn · 16/08/2023 07:41

@180monkeys it definitely is a good thing! Generally more follicles you have will mean higher chance of more eggs collected and possibly more embryos. Although might be more likely to develop OHSS your clinic will be monitoring you closely. You may need to just do a frozen transfer at a later date 😊

I Had freeze all cycle in May and just had my transfer the 1st august in terms of timescales . It may be different at other clinics though!

AM08 · 16/08/2023 08:43

I got 12 eggs in the end which I was disappointed with at first after so many follicles, but the clinic said I had to bring down the number by coasting to be safe as I was at high risk of OHSS - I did end up with 6 embryos which we were really pleased with.

I had to wait about 2/3 weeks to start the down regulation for the FET process after the egg collection (think period took about 10 days to come) and then I had my first FET (the actual transfer was probably 2 months after the original egg collection), I was convinced it would work as we had an AA embryo, I’d let my body regulate after all the hormones and we were MF to begin with but unfortunately it didn’t.

I then did another transfer round 2 weeks after that one failed and I’m 20 weeks pregnant now and have 4 really good quality frosties in the bank so feel it worth it really.

Original poster
180monkeys · 16/08/2023 08:57

@Ellenn yes you’re definitely right I just need to stop being inpatient and be thankful there will hopefully be a good number of eggs!

Have you been testing yet since your FET? Fingers crossed for you!!

OP posts:
Original poster
180monkeys · 16/08/2023 09:00

@AM08 thanks so much for explaining that all makes so much more sense to me now!

aw I’m sure it was so hard it not working the first time round but that’s great you are now pregnant! Congratulations! Will this be your first?

sounds like we will be in a similar position to you with possible FET and MF so I’m glad to hear a success story! Did you use ICSI?

OP posts:
Ellenn · 16/08/2023 09:02

@180monkeys yes this transfer so far is looking good although still very early days yet as only 4+6 wks atm.

wish you luck on the rollercoaster of fertility treatments, hope it all goes well xx

marshk · 16/08/2023 09:05

Hi everyone - I'm in a similar position. I've got 23 on one and 18 on the other! We're having ICSI due to MFI. We're starting our first cycle in September. They haven't mentioned a freeze all to us yet but I'm preparing myself for it. Just wondered how long they make you wait until you can transfer again or is it v much dependent on your own hormone levels rather than a set timeframe

marshk · 16/08/2023 09:09

AM08 · 16/08/2023 08:43

I got 12 eggs in the end which I was disappointed with at first after so many follicles, but the clinic said I had to bring down the number by coasting to be safe as I was at high risk of OHSS - I did end up with 6 embryos which we were really pleased with.

I had to wait about 2/3 weeks to start the down regulation for the FET process after the egg collection (think period took about 10 days to come) and then I had my first FET (the actual transfer was probably 2 months after the original egg collection), I was convinced it would work as we had an AA embryo, I’d let my body regulate after all the hormones and we were MF to begin with but unfortunately it didn’t.

I then did another transfer round 2 weeks after that one failed and I’m 20 weeks pregnant now and have 4 really good quality frosties in the bank so feel it worth it really.

Congrats :)

AM08 · 16/08/2023 11:14

@180monkeys yes my first, I’m early thirties so hoping as long as this pregnancy goes smoothly (I slightly won’t believe it until the baby is in my arms) then we’ll have to enough embryos for baby number 2. Yes we did ICSI which I think made a big difference.

Good luck with your egg collection and keep us posted on how you get on.

@Ellenn tentative congratulations, I know it’s early days but that sounds positive!

@marshk thank you, I think I’d say the norm is you’ll transfer 2 months after your egg collection if it’s a freeze all round, some clinics/nhs can leave an extra month in between so it can be slightly longer

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