IVF/ICSI February 2024

[Sherr33]

Hi all just wanted to a thread for anyone starting February ✨ 😊

Im 33yrs old by the time my eggs are collected I'll be 34 😆
AMH = 17.9 all other parameters fine.
Partners S.A - test 1. Low morphology. test 2. Borderline everything
CARE Fertility add ons to be used - zymot and embryo glue

Starting northisterone on the 24th Jan
15/2 gonal f 225
20/02 Ganirelix joins in
23/02 scan
And potential egg collection 26/02

That's my plan 🙈
And this is our first cycle

Congratulations! 💛

Our consultant has mentioned PICSI but never heard of calcium ionophore, what is it xx

@waitiwaitingforourmiracle We used calcium ionophore to assist with the development of blastocysts. I assume our clinic didn't want to improve our low fertilisation with PICSI only to still get low blastocyst numbers, so they recommended this extra treatment as well, just in case.

This is the summary about it from our clinic:

"Release of specific sperm factors into an egg when they meet triggers waves of calcium oscillations across the egg to 'activate it' allowing fertilisation to take place. Once fertilised the single cell egg undergoes successive rounds of divisions to create an embryo. Prior to each round of division, stores of calcium within the egg are released. If there is a deficiency of calcium within the egg it is believed that this could lead to embryo arrest. It is hypothesized that exposure of an egg following ICSI to Calcium Ionophore could help to replenish these stores, giving the embryo a chance to continue to develop rather than arrest."

They also mention that there are many other reasons why an embryo might 'arrest' eg chromosome abnormality etc, which calcium ionophore wouldn't help with. It just seems to be an energy boost for embryos in with a chance of developing.

Hi everyone just wanted to check in on the girls left in TWW hope you are getting on okay...not sure how many were left or coming towards the end of their cycle

Are any of you going through to FET?

I have three more days to wait until testing. But i, dare I say it, have a good feeling about it after three previous failed transfers. Because yesterday at 10pm I could not keep my eyes open. I closed them just a little bit while watching tv and it felt amazing. Forced myself to Open them again then went straight to bed, battery totally drained. I normally go to bed around midnight so just thought the week was catching up with me. but when I woke up at 3am this morning I realised that the only time I have felt that kind of tired was when I was pregnant with ds.

i am scared it won’t work and scared it will. ds is 4 and a total joy. But I can see freedom round the corner- with school and more sleep etc. but then I would love to experience another little person if it is fated for us….

will know in a few days.

thanks for listening.

where are you at? @Sherr33

@Okeydokedeva 🙏 that sounds positive and I've everything crossed for you. Aww that sounds so sweet and blissful when you put it like that. Another tiny being. 🥰

I had my first fresh cycle, day 5 embryo transferred but unfortunately it didn't stick so I'm just waiting for my call from clinic to advise when I can start with a FET. Was this a FET for you? Was your DS through ivf or natural?x

5 made it to PGT-A and of those 2 were euploid. I'm so glad I did the testing, transferring 3 with chromosomal abnormalities would've been hard. I don't know how anyone can blindly transfer without knowing, you're so brave. I'm so grateful for the 2 we got, but also really sad about the ones we lost. I was attached to them all on day 3 once I was told their stats. The clinic was so positive with 22 embryos that we thought we'd have enough euploid for 2 children without having to go through another cycle so it's been hard to wrap my head around it all.

I'm only just recovered from the OHSS after being hospitalized and had a horrible time week 2-3 after collection due to the Prostap side effects. My first period was scary, I've never had my endometrium shed like that so it was distressing. I'm still very tired and having night sweats and hot flashes, but finally starting to feel like myself again. Did anyone else get these side effects?

They said 3 euploid for each live birth, so to lose so many and have to do another round of IVF is overwhelming (and expensive). Is anyone else planning a second IVF?

I know many women including myself
who have not sent their precious embryos off to PGT testing just to have them discarded and binned due to not ticking every single box on the very strict PGT testing protocols. Embryos that can go on to live births are being discarded due to PGT. If you don’t have the funds to keep going round after round then why would you send them off? You may aswell transfer them as at least there’s a chance there.

This is one of the reasons I wouldn't because I feel there may always be a chance. But I guess everyone had their own opinion and thoughts on this. Right now I'm worrying about FET and the fact that there's a drop in how many survive the thaw etc 😩

I think PGT-A is very personal choice. We are having our embryos tested, I know the risks but I am also in my early 40s so for us it’s worth it given the stats for my age group. It doesn’t guarantee anything but it’s a chance. I probably wouldn’t do it if I was in my 30s.

@Sherr33 it should be a low risk these days about embryos not surviving the thaw.

@mt9m I know it’s painfully expensive. We wanted to do 2 cycles but are doing our third cycle in April & it will be definitely our last regardless of the outcome. Still I am grateful to have no other issues except low reserve. It could always be worse.

Hey, hope you are all keeping well. There doesn’t seem to have been many positives on this thread :( which is such a shame. But you ladies are doing so well, with testing and freeze all rounds, plus lots have got Frosties out of this….. so not all bad at all :) did update that my fresh cycle failed end of February, but was lucky to have 3 fairly good Frosties, getting out 4BB transferred tomorrow, super excited, and can’t believe how quickly we have managed to get it done :) an all natural round too :)

love and baby dust to you all x

@ExhaustedPigeon1988 amazing news, that’s such a quick turn around to go for another transfer. Wishing you all the luck 🍀 come back and update us if you can! Xx

@ExhaustedPigeon1988 that sounds great. We are on batching embryos plan so haven’t had any transfers yet. Hopefully May.

Hi everyone,
I have taken some breaks from the thread because I am not too well.
lLittle update:
i did a fresh transfer and managed to get two embryos. One was transferred and the other was freeze both day 5. I got a positive pregnancy at 8dp5dt. My OTD was yesterday wish was positive too. Also I had spotting ( fresh blood ) on day 8 night and day 9 morning. Clinic has informed and increased my pessaries.

now waiting for my scan next month.

@Mymiraclebb warmest congratulations!! ❤️ nuce to read positive news here

Nice not nuce

Thanks ladies, only on 2dp5dt and already feel like I’m going crazy, it’s so hard trying to be normal when you feel anything but isn’t it! X

@ExhaustedPigeon1988 this bit doesn’t half drag hey! Are you off work? Got everything crossed for you 🤞🤞🤞

@Btowngirl transfer was Tuesday, so took Tuesday and Wednesday off, been at work today, then happened to be off for 4 days…. But I always test super early, so hoping to know by Sunday- the wait drives me insane! I literally have no idea how anyone waits the full time- I am honestly in awe of anyone that can lol x

No we have never waited either lol it’s so impressive that people can manage it! Will you test every day then? Thats what we do 🫣 and wow do u think you’ll get an accurate result on sun (5dpt I think?) we got the faintest on 7dp5dt but if that had been a test I wasn’t desperately looking for a line on I probs would’ve thought it was neg!

Yeah I’ve got both my positives on 5dp5dt, but I use the early digital one by clear blue that picks up 10units, so super sensitive. I started testing this morning- even though I knew I shouldn’t lol, but it doesn’t worry me til 5 days, then I kinda just accept its negative by that point…. HATE this bit :-/ x

@ExhaustedPigeon1988 i havent read all the messages but im assuming this is a FET? Everything crossed for you! If you have any advice on how you prepared for a FET please share. ❤

Hey @Sherr33 yep FET, will be my 4th in total now. I have done 2 medicated, and this is now my 2nd natural. Personally I would never go back to medicated… takes much longer, the buserelin caused constant headaches (which sucks if you’re on it for 6-8 weeks like I was), and the natural cycle is what got us our son :) no real advise other than to push for a natural cycle (personal opinion), I haven’t taken any meds at all until after transfer, snd that’s only for support as really my body is doing everything it should be anyway. If you do end up doing a medicated cycle, drink as much as you can to keep the headaches low x

@ExhaustedPigeon1988 with the natural cycle what do they base it on? And do they ask you to track ovulation because im absolutely rubbish at that and never have been good at tracking :-/

@Sherr33 yeah you track it, I have a clear blue monitor, it’s absolutely brilliant and you can’t go wrong. Some clinics will have you in for scans every 2 days the week they expect it to be ovulation week- but my clinic let me just crack on with the monitor then 1 scan to confirm I’m ready x

@ExhaustedPigeon1988 did you take nothing at all before transfer? I was on a so called natural cycle too on my last one but took Merifert and Fostimon every day based on my blood results.