Create Fertility - Experiences (Part 3)

[Sunflower360]

Hi 👋

A thread for anyone who wants to discuss their Create Fertility experiences.

I'm 38, have had 3 egg collections with Create (2x natural modified and 1 x mild) and am about to go through my first FET following embryo banking and after having a Hysteroscopy and discovering I have thyroid antibodies...joys of fertility challenges.

Tagging as follows from previous chat, please tag any others I may have forgot.

New joiners to the thread welcome to share your experiences - it's a never ending learning curve for all!

@Maddie23
@gemso2020
@Doxy21
@Plantymcplant
@Jennaqua
@Hopesandsunshine
@jolly86
@VenusStarr
@muddlingthrou
@junieS
@littlebitsocial

@VenusStarr so sorry to hear that. Please don’t give up on your blasts, though, or at least don’t make any rash decisions yet. Give yourself some time, but you have a great chance with those 3 x

Hi Ladies,

I hope you are well. Sorry to drop in. We have finally started our first cycle with Create, like right now and had our day five scan this morning. They found three follicles that were large enough, nine in total, but they don't think the other six will mature enough, back again on Friday to check.

This is our one-last-shot cycle. It feels very real now. I just wanted to say hey, really, and keep my fingers crossed for you all.

@alittlebitsocial Hi! 3 follicles is still good and it does only take one. Not sure what you're journey has been to date but in any case wish you the best of luck!

Hi @alittlebitsocial - I have never had more than 3 follicles total, it can work! Best of luck for Friday & with your cycle in general.

@Sunflower360 has kindly shared this thread with me. I’m really hoping for some honest help and advice from those who’ve been through similar experiences. I know everyone’s journey is unique, but I’m currently trying to decide between having ICSI treatment at Create Fertility (either Wimbledon or St Paul’s). I’m turning 40 soon and have low AMH. After two failed NHS-funded ICSI cycles (1st round caught bad COVID, and the second resulting in only 1 egg that didn’t fertilize because my body didn’t respond well to the NHS approach of maxing out stims), I’m feeling overwhelmed and so many options! Starting a family means everything to me, and with limited funds, I want to make the best choice for this crucial stage. I know Create is known for its tailored, more natural approach (this is why I'm keen), especially for 'older' women, which sounds appealing. My NHS experience wasn't great - no blood tests during IVF protocols, very minimal scans, and a "pump and hope for the best" mentality - this is why the next clinic needs to be the right one and I ideally want to be monitored. I’ve read about Create’s three-package options but would love to hear from anyone who has experience with their care. Were you happy with the treatment and results? Any advice or insight would mean the world to me. I’d love to know if, in cases where the stims don’t work as expected, it’s possible to hold off on egg collection and instead wait to try another round? Thank you all so much in advance! x

Hi @SocialPR - no experience with abandoning a round after poor response, but I did do 3x cycles of egg collection with Create Wimbledon after being diagnosed with very poor egg reserve and my DH with low sperm quality.

The Create approach of quality over quantity worked wonders for me, as I am currently sitting with my two daughters! I never got more than 3 eggs in collection, but had good fertilisation rate and ended up with a handful of good-quality embryos and two that stuck.

I found the clinical side of create fantastic, the admin side pretty woeful but with lots of chasing we got there in the end! I don't have any experience of any other clinics but have no regrets about choosing Create for our treatment. Wishing you lots of luck!

@muddlingthrou Thank you so much for sharing your honest experience. I’ve been considering a couple of clinics, but what’s really drawing me to Create is their more gentle, natural approach. High doses of stims just didn’t work for me, so hearing that your experience with them was successful is truly amazing. I’m assuming the 3-cycle package means back-to-back cycles with three egg collections? I’m so grateful you took the time to respond as it really gives people like me hope.

Hi @SocialPR, I did a 3 cycle package with Create and abandoned several cycles. This was for various reasons; cysts/blood work showing levels not optimal/poor response etc.
in the cases where cycles were abandoned it was always my choice not to proceed to egg collection, and I was charged for scans up to that point. I think scans were charged at £200-250. After having cancellations I asked on subsequent rounds that they assess my bloods before starting scans as I felt that in my case cancellations could have been called without the scan and associated costs, so that’s what we did. It ended up taking us 9 months to ‘complete’ 3 cycles.

My only IVF experience was with Create so I have no comparison, but my AMH was shockingly low (0.4) and my follicle count was never more than 3. Across 3 cycles we only ended up with one good embryo, but got exceptionally lucky and now have a two week old son.

I couldn’t fault Create for the medical treatment and detailed monitoring - I was there daily at times - and of course for the wonderful outcome in our case. Like others, I found the admin side diabolical, but it wouldn’t stop me from recommending.

Best of luck x

@SocialPR - I had 3x rounds of egg collection, two back to back, one cycle off and then the third and final one. I had a fresh embryo transfer straight after finishing. Then had a frozen embryo transfer in February this year for my second daughter.

Hi @HopefulElle
Thank you so much for sharing this. Honestly, your post brought me to tears as your username holds a very special meaning for me. My AMH levels are so low, and your honesty has been incredibly comforting. It’s really helpful to know that cancelling is sometimes an option if the chances are slim. The NHS just went straight through with my cycle, even though I only had one follicle, and my body didn’t respond to the medication. I’m so thrilled and overjoyed your wonderful news with a little one! I also have mild endometriosis, which doesn’t make this journey any easier. If you don’t mind me asking, who was your consultant during your journey?

@muddlingthrou Thanks for this as it is good to understand how this all works! So your body went through a lot of stims in a short period of time! Amazing with a 2nd daughter on the way. Out of interest, do you have low AMH? I'm turning 40 soon so I also have age against me!

@SocialPR - yes, I have a low AMH. Can't remember the exact number, but Create told us our chances of success were on the very low side due to the combination of mine and my husband's infertility factors. So we were lucky!

I did mild IVF, so side effects were minimal. I think it was the right approach for me, even though it was pretty discouraging hearing how few eggs we got from each round.

@HopefulElle congratulations on the birth of your son!

@SocialPR hope the advice helps you

@HopefulElle @muddlingthrou congratulations on the birth of your son and daughter!

@muddlingthrou So helpful, and what an incredible journey you’ve been on! It’s so tough when egg collection doesn’t go as hoped, but what an amazing outcome in the end. Thank you again! x

Thank you @jolly86 and @Sunflower360 - hope you're both doing well x

@muddlingthrou i am 37 weeks and a few days so anytime soon , expecting a boy this time

Thanks @jolly86 & @Sunflower360 still doesn’t quite feel real, he’s an absolute dream (albeit more nocturnal than I’d like!). Not long for you both now, hope you’re doing ok?
@SocialPR yes they were very thorough I felt, and ways very open/realistic in terms of best and most likely outcomes. Decisions are very much made by you but fully informed, at times I pushed for recommendations.
my consultant was a Dr Ragu (may be incorrect spelling!)
Best of luck x

So happy for you @HopefulElle!

@jolly86 - best of luck with the birth!

@muddlingthrou congratulations on the birth of your girl!

@jolly86 @HopefulElle I'm 35 weeks, so not too long to go now!

Hi Everyone
ive just read through all 3 parts of this thread as we recently registered with Create.
im looking at undertaking 3 mild cycles with a view to pgt testing any embryos.
i really like the clinical team but i have recently watched a video that is really anti the mild protocol. I have ‘good‘ results for my age and have previously had children (who are now teenagers) but have a new partner.
I am 44, amh is 15.1pmol and antral count is 16.
im reading that I should try conventional as I need as many eggs as possible to get a euploid. It is really putting me off from starting with create next week and i

Sorry - that posted early!
i am hoping some of you will be able to reassure me that it is possible to retrieve a reasonable number of eggs with this mild ivf?
the consultant said up to 10 per cycle? Is this even possible?
when I search for mini/mild ivf online, most people get 2-5.

@1forward2back Hello! I've had 4 egg collections and have a low amh (was 4 pmol but likely lower now as that was back in summer 2023). In any case I did 1 NHS collection (different clinic) and 3 collections at 37/38 with Create; 2 were natural modified and 1 mild. These were my results:

1st NHS Cycle (different clinic) High Stimulation short protocol (450 Gonal F): 2 mature eggs collected; no embryos

2nd Create Cycle Nat Mod ICSI: 5 mature eggs collected; 3 embryos frozen

3rd Create Cycle Nat Mod ICSI: 2 mature eggs collected; 1 embryo frozen

4th Create Cycle Mild ICSI: 7 mature eggs collected; 5 embryos frozen

Currently pregnant following 3 embryos transferred (4 embryos transferred over the 3 FETs as the last one was double that is a singleton pregnancy).

So my advice; Mild can work and produce good 'quality' numbers, of course everyone's circumstances are individual. Plus long protocol, when time is perhaps precious, is one to think carefully about as it shuts down the ovaries and takes longer to recover from. Mild IVF is lower doses and works with your natural cycle so you can get through them quicker and is gentler on your body.

Good luck!

*edit: Create Cycle 2 Nat Mod: 2 embryos were frozen out of the 5 eggs (not 3). So overall 8 embryos over Create"s 3 cycles