FET March thread

[Copenhagener]

Hi all 👋

I have a failed first transfer (fresh) and have one embryo banked from my first retrieval.

I’ll be doing my first FET with it in March. Anyone else joining me for the wait?

I’m still waiting to find out what went wrong with my fresh transfer. Hopefully next time is the charm!

Also yep in the UK, midlands based

We're private too, but it does appear different Drs have different approaches

We have 6 Grade A and 2 Grade C. They don’t give numbers or double letters. We haven’t had any genetically tested though.

what are you doing RE testing? Are you waiting til OTD?

I think I’m going to bin all my wee cheap strip tests else I will never have the will power to wait and I don’t want to put myself through testing every day. We’re coming up 2 years since we started trying and I’ve never made it to 10 DPO without testing 🤦🏼‍♀️.

@JulesIVF that is a good number of numbers and sounds like good quality from the grading! We haven't tested our embryos so don't know if any are truly any good hence why I'm considering double transfer to whittle it down quicker then can decide if another EC is worth doing or not. I have tested 5dp5dt which was yesterday on a cheap stick and it was negative so not holding out much hope as I don't have any symptoms any more now (I had a few over the last week but they stopped yesterday)

@Sunflower360 no fresh, just the first FET. Our clinic seemed to think it wasn’t over until a negative blood test at 14 days post transfer. Transfer was 7 days after trigger for us. Fingers crossed tomorrow is better news for everyone

Hello. I didn't know this thread existed abs I've only been hanging out on the scotland one.

I'm having my 1st transfer on Sunday. Its not a FET or a fresh but a "thaw. Fresh" transfer as it is donor eggs.

So process I have gone through is same as an hrt fet.

This is our 3rd cycle and never got this far before!!! 1st time my eggs, 2nd time a donor and this is a new donor.

@IVFlife hey! What’s the Scotland one called? Best of luck for Sunday 🤞🏻. Are you NHS or GCRM? I have my transfer on Friday xo

I'm pretty sure its BFN this FET for me did a FRER this morning 7dp5dt and its a negative, they pick up really low levels so it's quite definitive.

Crazy how you respond can vary - when I had the natural chemical last summer I'm pretty sure that was aneuploid/chromosome issues then this time it didn't even implant (again likely aneuploid/chromosome issues), but I suppose it varies on each set of circumstances.

Got my review with Dr on Weds anyway so will see what is advised in relation to next steps, any tips on what I should ask/ bring up would be much appreciated! I'm hoping I can go straight into another FET

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/infertility/4772577-ivf-scotland-thread-5?page=7&reply=133777903 that should be the link if it doesn't work then hopefully the name of it is visible anyway.

I'm GCRM. I have had some stuff at the Royal too mainly in 2020. Again recently but their donor egg list was too long. Are you gcrm?

Thanks so much! Yeh we are GCRM. Got my trigger shot today. It’s our first transfer on Friday. Have they told you if they have completely stopped doing beta blood tests? I keep forgetting to ask and was told back in November that they were moving to just at home tests.

Not sure actually they haven't mentioned that but I'll let you know tomorrow what they say.

@Sunflower360 sorry to hear that. Negative here 4dpt on both FRER and Amazon cheap sticks. Was so sure it had worked, now feeling stupid for thinking that, but then still expecting tomorrow will be positive. Feel like if there’s nothing at 5dpt then that’s it?

@FlowerWheel that is still early so fingers crossed, in any case at least you know the trigger is out your system by testing today. You may still be implanting too at this point and HCG can take a few days to show up. The tool at the link below is quite useful in providing guidance, hence why I've ruled myself out now as I got a negative at 7dp5dt on the FRER (still taking Progesterone etc until OTD but I just like knowing, I like to mentally prepare myself for the result!)
www.countdowntopregnancy.com/pregnancy-test/dpo-chart.php?dpo=10

What grade was your embryo if you don't mind me asking?

Thanks @Sunflower360 I’m not quite sure with a trigger shot, then a 5dt 7 days later and now being 4dpt where on that scale it would be? How many days post ovulation would that be? I can’t work the maths!
we’re not in the U.K. so the clinic doesn’t use a grading system as such. We had 5 PGT-A tested 5 and 6 day all hatching blasts when frozen.

@FlowerWheel no problem, it can get quite confusing! So you would be 9 DPO now if it wasn't a FET. So 4 days since the transfer plus the age of the blastocyst, I'm not sure it makes a difference if its a day 5 or 6 embryo as they place it back in at the same time in your cycle. You sound like you have great embryos as their all PGTA tested, which in itself overrides any grading system as their euploid by the sounds of it

Happy Sunday all!

I’m curious if any of you have a short luteal phase. I’m having another scan tomorrow (day 20) to see if I’m near ovulation to schedule the natural cycle transfer, but my period is due in 8-9 days now. I knew I had a short luteal phase, but I’m starting to wonder if it’s actually THE problem itself. I also tend to spot before my period is due.

I’m not sure it’s even physically possible to get pregnant if your ovulation takes place on day 21 and you have your period always comes on day 27-29.

I’m concerned that my transfer could end up being wasted if I’m due my period 2-3 days after the transfer takes place.

I’ve tried to ask my doctor a few questions, but they say they don’t have time for questions during the scans. I’m starting to feel really stressed out that no one is listening to me.

@Copenhagener thats a shame that they are not allowing you to ask questions etc! Can you arrange a separate appointment to raise your concerns? Are you on progesterone? Otherwise it’s not giving the embryo much time to implant before your lining would start breaking down. Do they know you have a short luteal phase?

@JulesIVF thanks for the reply :)

I’ve told them, but I end up seeing a different doctor every time, and they always default to saying it must just be a weird cycle (it’s not) and book in another scan. Supposedly you get a consultation, but only after a full failed cycle and if you need a new egg collection (so after if this FET also fails).

I’m not on progesterone (yet) but I’ve taken it in the past vaginally after my 3xIUI/1xfresh transfer and bled through heavily each time around 4 days after the transfer/insemination.

It’s making me doubt sticking with the public system, but I’m not an expert and I’d like to trust they know what they’re doing. I’m half tempted to not let an embryo go to waste if they’re not taking any of this into account, but maybe I’m being silly. I can’t really tell.

@Copenhagener I think if you're having those concerns it may be worth pausing and reviewing with them or perhaps transfer the embryos to a private clinic that are more tailored if that's an option and restart in another cycle?

@Sunflower360 It’s so hard to know what the right decision is. It’s hard to turn down six rounds of funded IVF, but I also don’t really want to be getting to that point!

I’m going to raise my concerns firmly tomorrow (hello 7am scan!) and then make my decision. My boyfriend is coming with, so there’s no chance of a language barrier issue either.

Sorry to hear that @Sunflower360. How are you feeling?

I would ask the consultant whether they suggest any additional testing for you or your partner now. My consultant didn’t seem to think it was necessary after our second failed transfer but I’ve already decided that if this next one doesn’t work, I’ll be demanding further investigations.

@Runner77 I'm ok, this was our first FET so would have been surprised if it worked but you never know, it was a good grade although I know grades are irrelevant really.

I've already had a fair bit of investigatory tests done before, during and after egg collections:

*Karyotype: clear for both of us
*Prolactin: normal
*TSH: normal, below 2.5, but will also keep retesting through GP every couple of months
*OH's SA: normal, good parameters (we did ICSI anyway)
*Miscarriage tests: all clear, bar Thyroid as I found out I have Thyroid Antibodies, so I am on Prednisolone during FETs
*Hysteroscopy to remove polyp, adhesions and widen cervix for FET. Biopsy taken and clear.

So I'm kind of not sure what other tests now, suggestions welcomed! Because I've had a natural chemical pregnancy last year that showed I can implant an embryo so I'm not sure what else can be suggested bar trial and error of embryos?

I had my scan today - and they’re ready to move forward with the transfer. Lining is 8.5mm and my follicle is at 19mm. I’ll take the Ovitrelle tonight, double dose of progesterone daily from Friday; and then transfer on Monday.

I made them very aware of my short luteal phase, and they said if I start spotting/bleeding before Monday they’ll cancel the cycle and I’ll have to have a fully medicated cycle next time. I get the feeling they think I’m a bit of an idiot, but I’ve been tracking my cycle for two years now, and I know it very well!

It’s my second (and final) blastocyst from my January egg collection, so it would be wonderful if it could work.

@Copenhagener That’s great that you’re good to go! And that they listened to your concern. Hopefully the progesterone will help to stop any spotting or your period coming.

I started progesterone today as well.

im a bit concerned as I BBT and my temp hadn’t rose this morning so I still haven’t ovulated after taking my ovitrelle on Saturday afternoon. I’m new to all of this so maybe that’s totally normal but if it hasn’t risen tomorrow morning then I’m just a bit concerned RE transferring a day 5 embryo when I’m not technically 5DPO (hope that makes sense lol)

Hello all, can I join this thread?

I am due to have my first FET after a failed fresh transfer in January.

Just had a scan today and was given the go ahead to take my Ovitrelle trigger this afternoon, start progesterone on Friday and will have transfer on Saturday!

So glad to have an official date as I've had to keep moving my annual leave, nobody at work knows we're doing IVF so I find that all quite stressful.

@Copenhagener I remember you from the Jan thread, good luck for Monday!

Good luck to everyone else too :)