ERA/ EMMA /ALICE testing - is it required ?

[biscuitsndtea]

Good afternoon

I have just started my IVF journey for secondary infertility. We have gone for freeze all cycle. We will be doing FET in 1 or 2 months. It will be my first FET. My consultant suggested to ERA/ EMMA /ALICE testing for FET. It comes around 2k in my clinic.

Wondering if its really needed since its just our first FET (and the cost is high)

No it's not, especially not when you haven't even done a transfer yet. Was there a reason you did a freeze all? I would be a bit cautious of a clinic pushing you into spending such money this early. Robert Winston's website the Genesis Trust has a great FAQ page and he covers these tests. The HFEA website also has info.

Thanks @SErunner We were planning to do PGS screening, so went for freeze all.

Yeah I also got the feeling that they are pushing for it very early. Is there any place that does the testing at reasonable price ( if needed in future) ?

Ah okay. Is there a reason you need to go straight for screening? Prices will vary a bit so it would be worth shopping around. I can't advise on anywhere specific im afraid, as we've not gone down this route due to the lack of scientific evidence supporting its usage.

I had endemtrio testing. Made all the difference for me after two failed transfers. I wouldn't have had it first time around. My second failed transfer was with a pgta rested embryo which was another reason for doing the endemetrio testing

My implantation window was displaced and my microbiome was off

I took vaginal probiotics and my transfer was delayed in line with the findings.

I was given different drugs also including steroids, blood thinners and lubion to address my low progesterone and my transfer worked. I'm now 33 weeks pregnant

Ps no where does cheap genetic testing. It's so specialised and scientific you can't scrimp on it

@CR7 how often do you take the vaginal probiotics please? And is it safe to take it post transfer too? I was told to take it by NHS prior to my first transfer but not by Create fertility so I kinda just forgot about that.

I’m consulting with a Prague clinic at the moment and they have mentioned oral probiotics too, not sure what that is either!

@biscuitsndtea I asked the clinic why they didn’t advise on Emma and Alice test prior to my second (failed) transfer with them and doctor said because it’s inconclusive what benefits that bring, and that my lining looked perfect. Also, that a hysterocopy is better as it does more than the Emma and Alice test.. I asked him what the treatment is and it’s just antibiotics..

@4thcyclelucky I took one course of caneston vaginal probiotics.

I had the Hysteroscopy at the same time as the era and the consultant suggested after that, that I take the caneston to reset everything so when the results came back I was already taking the course they would have recommended luckily. I just had one course (box) and that was it xx

I had always had issues with a thin lining x

Have you ever had a progesterone blood test on transfer day? I did on my third and successful transfer and it was ever so low. Almost cycle
Cancellable! So I was given libiom injections x

I considered these endometrial receptivity tests but my consultant advised all they would do if they found something would be to prescribe antibiotics (I think it was antibiotics for me, but I see others are saying probiotics so it may vary?)
He was happy to just prescribe a short course of antibiotics at the start of my cycle without doing the test, so I wonder if that could be an option for you?

@sweetpea2000 I asked the same question to my doctor re. just giving me treatment without doing the tests. He said it will disrupt/damage the vaginal environment if treated without a diagnosis.. I'm surprised this isn't more regulated, feels like the treatment plans can be really subjective.

It depends what they find. I did a mock transfer and on transfer day we did the testing. I would have wasted another PGT embryo if we hadn't done it as there was no way the transfer would have worked without the findings we discovered x