How many transfers before success?

[amkw]

Hi,

What the title says really!

How many transfers did it take for you to have a successful outcome? Was there anything different about that specific transfer?

1st pregnancy - 4 failed medicated IUIs and 2 egg collections (1st egg collection - 1 fresh transfer BFN, 1 FET = CP.......2nd egg collection (freeze all) 1 FET = DD). So 7 cycles in total / 3 embryo transfers (single transfer every time)

2nd pregnancy - 1 FET (from 2nd egg collection) and 28 weeks pregnant.

Its really very much luck of the draw I think. Only thing about my transfers that resulted in pregnancy were I didn't test early and had really low expectations / stopped worrying and obsessing about everything. I think actually relaxing and just accepting what is going to be will be actually helps (though much easier said than done).

Thank you for sharing and so happy for you that you have a daughter and are now expecting again!

I think there’s something in trying to relax. I have been obsessed with water intake, fruit, keeping feet warm etc - basically being extremely strict during the whole process and I’m still without a baby. Next transfer I’m going to chill more for sure.

I found the mindful IVF app good when TTC my DD. Also can be useful to give yourself a dedicated point in the day to do all the obsessive thinking (e.g. same time each day, when for 10 minutes you can obsess / google / tell your partner all the things you're worried about. And then just try to get on with your day like normal the rest of the time). DD transfer was just before Christmas, which helped as I just tried to enjoy the holidays which was a good distraction (I just didn't drink alcohol, but otherwise had a normal Christmas). Current pregnancy had a toddler to run around after, so again didn't do anything special other than basics of pregnancy vitamin and not drinking alcohol.

Wishing you best of luck

Oh I didn’t know there was such an app. I will look into that. The suggestion of taking a specific time out of your day to stress is also something I will be doing - thank you! I have been horrific with Google.

Did you take progestrone or anything with your successful FET?

Both FETs were medicated as I have irregular cycles (also reason we did medicated IUI). So was on Fyremadel injections at the start of the cycle, estradiol tablets throughout, and progesterone from few days before transfer until 12 weeks.

The app is good, there used to be some free content but when I looked before my most recent cycle they'd really increased costs (I felt a bit cheated as I'd paid for access before, not on a subscription, was meant to be lifetime access I think, and was feeling resentful that they had taken the access away, so didn't use it during my most recent round). I have however internalised the mantra "I'm doing the best that I can with the tools that I have" that features a lot!

Our third transfer was our successful one. Transfer one was a FET and BFN, transfer two was fresh and a BFN, and transfer three was a BFP! I’m currently 20 weeks pregnant.

It’s such a tough process and unfortunately a lot of chance/luck is involved. I personally felt the FET worked well for me in that we could delay the transfer until my lining was perfect, but generally it’s whether the embryo is chromosomaly normal or not. Good luck🤞

2nd transfer (1st frozen one). I insisted on lubion injections as progesterone was always just over the threshold and he stuck. One next week :)

I've just had a failed June transfer (fresh)

I'm 29, my DH is mid 30s. We've got a DC who is 2 and was conceived first month of trying. TTC for just over a year and just had our first IVF privately.
Results: 13 eggs retrieved, 8 mature, 1x day 5 embryo, 2x day 6 embryos. None euploid.

Those sound like awful results for my age?! AMH is 13 so not terrible. A million investigations have been done on myself and DH (hormone profile, hycosy, follicle counts, scans, semel analysis... to name a few), no issues found at all. Our diet is pretty strict, absolutely no drinking for both, no red meat for both, no added sugar for me... taking supplements - ubiquinol, pregnacare max before conception, omega 3 etc for me and Impryl, omega 3 ans others (can't remember all) for my husband.

Has anyone had a similar case? Do we need to adjust the protocol? Change clinic? What questions would you ask to the doctor?

3rd transfer for us. Failed fresh, chemical on a frozen and successful fresh who is now 6 months old!

@strtng hi you must have had the embryos tested what made you do that as we never had that recommended due to my age I was 31 at the time. It sounds like an egg or sperm quality issue but I would ask would they change the stims medication used? I suspect they will say just do another round. It sounds like you’re already doing all the recommended things.

we had 10 embryos from our second round after our first round we only had 2 and one was transferred at day 3. None have been tested so far and I’ve had 5 transfers none of which have worked even though 4 of them have looked great. There doesn’t seem to be much pattern to it you might find if you do another round you can a completely different result. Message me if you like

@Nk11 we tested them just because it would be more costly (emotionally) for us to have loads of miscarriages, failed implantations, wasted time, than the (financial) costs of testing.
Yes seems like a sperm or egg quality issue but I don't know if that's due to the meds chosen or me / my husband? We are on the healthiest of diets, so many supplements, absolutely no alcohol, no smoking, I just don't know what more to do!

@strtng yes we are similar no health issues literally the tick sheet they could go down we would meet every requirement in terms of diet, weight, lifestyle, age etc. and although we have been able to get a good number of embryos they aren’t working so far and it’s all being put down as unexplained. You could maybe see if there is a different stimulation drug. The first round we used Bemfola which we only had 9 eggs from, then the second round with a different clinic we used menapur and the same dosage and we had 32 eggs collected which they were shocked by so I don’t know whether maybe the first round the body isn’t responding as well as the second round once it knows what is being asked of it, or the different drug played the part but might be worth an ask to try.