5 embryo transfers

[Sofie19]

Hi

Does anyone have any advice or words of comfort out there? We have had 5 embryo transfers for a sibling and they have all either failed, chemical or early miscarriage. We had a son born 4 years ago after our 2nd transfer so weren't expecting it to be like this. 3 transfers were from the same EC as him and 2 transfers from an EC in May. I will be 36 in February. We are unexplained.

Thanks

Hi @Sofie19 just wanted to reply, no advice sorry but I'm in a similar boat, DD is 2.5 (first ivf round, first transfer) and since then we've had one embryo not survive the thaw, two failed implantations and two miscarriages at around 8 weeks.

Have your clinic said anything about additional testing? We've done recurrent miscarriage tests and I'm having a 3d scan tomorrow to check my uterus. Our consultant thinks most likely we've just been really unlucky.

Anyway, just wanted you to know you're not alone and send my love. It's not an easy road, particularly parenting a little one at the same time, and I hope you're able to take good care of yourself x

Hi @Eggling thank you for replying to me. How was your 3d uterus scan today? My clinic have jus said that it takes some people multiple egg collections and that I was just lucky with my son. That might be true or it might not. My recurrent miscarriage tests are normal. I am on a waiting list for hysteroscopy and biopsy but it's more to rule things out rather than expect anything to show as they think anything would have flagged on one of the ultrasounds during one of the embryo transfer cycles.

Sorry @Eggling. I'm sorry about the miscarriages/fails. It's terrible isn't it? And at 8 weeks. I know for most people that's 'early' but my goodness, I expect there was hope and excitement building up inside you. It's such a cruel process. I hope your little on gives you some comfort in this. Mine does. But equally because he is here I know it can works an that's what makes it harder to stop.

Sounds very similar - all my tests have been fine, my scan was fine, everything looks normal. I have a tiny niche in my c-section scar but it's only 2mm so not a problem. Essentially they think we've just been unlucky.
Yes like you I know it can work and actually I've spoken to multiple consultants from different clinics and all have been confident we will be able to have another child so stopping doesn't seem to be an option at the moment. We are planning a new egg collection in January then thinking of pgt testing if we get enough embryos - issue is we've only had one embryo the last two rounds (last round only one fertilised of 7 mature eggs and they have no idea why!) so we need a better result to take that forward. Then I'll be on some combo of steroids from transfer - I've basically asked them to throw everything they have at me and see if it works. I find having a plan helpful to be honest, my latest miscarriage was very recent (would have been coming up to 12 weeks now) and I've really needed the plan to be able to move forward.
I'm so sorry you've been going through this too. It's really hard, and whilst I'm lucky to have supportive friends and family I think it's difficult for those who haven't experienced it to understand how all consuming it is. Have you had any counselling? I had some after my first miscarriage and have had a couple of sessions recently. I don't know how much it's helped but it has given me an outlet at least.

I had an endemetrio test after two failed transfers - this came back with a displaced implantation window and my micro biome was off. I also had a progesterone test on my third transfer and my drugs were changed.

I hope are changing things up and doing more investigations before each transfer c

@Eggling I'm sorry it's coming up to the 12 weeks soon. How very very painful and sad. I'm sorry. We really do sound like at similar timings - my cp was in September so I would have had the 12 week scan fairly recently (refuse to work out specifics for my mental health!) You sound like you have a really good plan and yes, I think that helps. I am waiting for a hysteroscopy but it could be a while as it's on the NHS. Once I have done that I'm not sure what we will do. I'd like to move to one of the London clinics to give it all but that will be so stressful with travel, time and everything. It's hard to know. I look at CRGH's statistics on the hfea website and think...how are the births per egg collection so much higher than elsewhere?! It sounds strange you didn't get much on the last round. Did you follow the same stimming protocol as previously?

Hey @Sofie19 yes sounds like a very similar position. I don't know about CRGH, I think either clinics whilst obviously the stats are informative it's also a lot to do with how you feel and whether you trust them.

Yes the low fertilisation was a mystery last time! The possibilities are dna fragmentation in the sperm (we haven't tested this but taking supplements etc that should help) or, as the consultant put it, "just a bad batch of eggs". It's definitely going to be something else to worry about this time around 🙄 I actually had higher dose stims than my first round and only 3 years apart so it's not like my eggs have scrambled themselves completely in that time (I'm 33). So who knows.

I hope you're hysteroscopy comes through soon. It's so stressful waiting isn't it?