IVF/ICSI February 2025 🌟 ❤️

[ivfjourneyandme]

Hi ladies,

Starting early with this thread in hope some are on a similar time frame!

36yo, been trying to conceive for 2yrs. Severe MFI as well as AFC of 3 and AMH of 1.9pmol/l

First IVF cycle with ICSI ended with a total failed fertilisation - 4 eggs collected, all mature but no fertilisation.

We have now switched to long cycle and added in DHEA, COQ10, melatonin, vitamin D, omega 3 alongside our fertility vitamins.

I should start my period end of Jan; and then start down-regulating February with transfer hopefully late February if I’ve worked it out right!

Anyone else on this mental torture of a ride?

@spttc amazing news ❤️

I had 5 collected and 3 fertilised normally from mild IVF. Trying to think positive thoughts

@sell123 three is a good number of fertilized! According to the stats at least one should make it to blasyocyte but I guess your right you never really know 💜 Wishing you a lovely blasyocyte very soon when is transfer day?

@spttc Wow 6 out of 9 is amazing fertilization rates, good on you, must be such a relief to have got to this stage! Sending you warm wishes for a good grade blasyocyte 💜

Is it? I'm so out of my depth I feel like I don't know what's good or bad 😫🤣 I won't lie I'm off today and I had to have a beer! I think because I'm so aware how fast things can change. I just can't wait until I have my final number 🤞

@spttc I think it’s a great fertilisation rate! Fingers crossed they will continue to grow and become strong embryos.

Thanks ☺️ it's a freeze all so hopefully that won't affect my chances

EC was on 5th Feb and 18 eggs collected. Had my update call this morning and 12 have fertilised! I tried to compose myself at work but honestly so thankful.

My clinic do 2 day transfers trusting that the eggs are doing what they need to do as they say that eggs tend to thrive more where they’re supposed to be 🤷‍♀️ Was a little nervous at first as I haven’t heard much about a 2 day transfer but I’ve been told it’s how it’s always been done until recently. VERY nervous and excited at the same time 😭

With that being said, and all going well with my eggs tomorrow morning, I’ll be having my transfer tomorrow!! If they’re slow to progress then it’ll be a Monday transfer. Completely overwhelmed by everything. I may just go into hiding after tomorrow because I’ll drive myself insane 😂🤯

Ladies, we have come this far. Our bodies (with some science) have done so well. Give yourselves some grace. Good luck for any ECs, scans, stims etc coming up! You’ve got this ❤️

@Sell123 that’s exactly the same number I had at my first EC and I ended up with 3 embryos, crossing my fingers for you.

@InGodsHands that’s really good numbers!

I have heard back from the clinic and unfortunately the extra embryo that we were potentially going to freeze is not suitable for freezing. I am gutted because it puts even more pressure for the embryo that was transferred to stick. When I think of all the money spent to have only 1 embryo it is a little depressing. I am of course thankful for the one that was transferred but as my last transfer ended in a MMC I know nothing is guaranteed.

I am not sure how I went to 3 embryos out of 5 eggs during by September cycle to 1 embryo out of 6 eggs during this cycle.

All I can do for now is hope this embryo will be the one and will defy the odds!

Thanks @YellowTack that makes me feel better 😊

Congrats @Sell123 @spttc and @InGodsHands on your fertilisation/embryos and hopefully you have success with them whether you’re doing the fresh transfer or freezing them! 🤞🏻🤞🏻 that they progress nicely and you get some good grade embryos if you are testing!
I have heard of Day 2 or 3 transfers in some clinics, mine waits til day 5 or 6 here. Good luck and hopefully you get it tomorrow @InGodsHands

@YellowTack wishing you all the luck with your transfer, it’s a shame about the other embryo though but 🤞🏻🤞🏻 this one will be nice and sticky for you!

This time next week I will officially be on artificial hormones which is both scary and exciting! They’re being delivered Monday and I’m sure seeing them all will make it feel more real 😅

@InGodsHands how many embryos will be transferred at once?
I had 20 eggs collected yesterday, 10 fertilized, but they keep an eye on a few others until tomorrow.
But last time I also had 10, with none viable after PGT, so I worry about their quality now...
They also decided not to do fresh transfer, but freeze them on day 5 and will transfer them one by one, with 6-8 weeks gaps, to reduce OHSS risk.
By the time we finish this and can start the last cycle, I'll be 42. I try to stay optimistic, but this is a very long time to keep up.

@InGodsHands wow good numbers that! Amazing 💜 How many are you having transfered? Do they freeze on day 2 as well or they let the rest progress to day 5 and then freeze them? Really interested in this idea of day 2 transfer, if you don't mind me asking which clinic are you with?

@RitaDsZ I’m hoping they transfer 2 but will find out more tomorrow 🙏

So they’re going to transfer all 10 of your eggs? Have they advised you to do the PGT testing again?

Hopefully the break will aid your progress and gives you time to mentally prepare

@YellowTack 2ww and pregnancy is really hard after miscarriage. Hopefully this current embryo will make it all the way!

What I did last cycle was pay to have a scans every 2 weeks. So I had one at 6 weeks, 8 weeks and 10 weeks at the clinic. It did really help with the worry and if I get past ET stage this time (and a BFP) I'll definitely be doing all the scans again.

Ahhh @YellowTack praying for you it works out ❤️ there's no guarantees. Even with big numbers there's not. You just need that 1 embryo that sticks

@Cherryblossom90 I’m with Birmingham Women’s Fertility Centre. I’m praying that everything works out tomorrow. I had already booked Mon/Tues off from work so that will be a nice break.

So tomorrow they’ll see which ones have divided into 4. Then the strongest out of those will be transferred ❤️ I’m not 100% if they freeze the rest at that point but I will ask. If they don’t divide properly, then it’ll be a Monday transfer with the best being transferred and the rest frozen.

Honestly in all my months of research I hadn’t heard of day 2 transfers, I guess because I wasn’t looking for them? Any forum I’ve found, they’ve been like 10 years old so something changed?

I’ve found these helpful/reassuring:

https://www.fertilityfriends.co.uk/threads/day-2-transfer-success-stories.333145/

https://www.fertstert.org/article/S0015-0282%2806%2900534-6/fulltext?utm_source=chatgpt.com

@YellowTack It only takes one and it’s in the best place ❤️ I hope this works out for you!

Well done to everyone who had had egg collections is the last few days, I hope things continue to progress well for you all.

@ivfjourneyandme @captainsmal @KayEmmSquared. It's interesting how even similar protocols differ from clinic to clinic. I had to call my clinic on the first day of my period after starting down regulation. Which ended up being 11 days into injections. They then booked my scan for tomorrow, which is 7 days after my period started to check my ovaries are quite etc. So I'll be on 18 days of down regulating when I have my scan.

Last time we had 4 embryos left by day 5-6, so I expect similar numbers. I'm not sure why won't they transfer two at a time.
Of course they recommend PGT, good money, but we can't afford it anymore and what's the point if we are left with a few embryos only. We also wanted to save time by doing fresh transfer, which is not happening now :D

Hi all, I’m starting my third cycle in mid- February. My last cycle didn’t go well and I also had a horrible experience with the trigger shot so I’m keeping my fingers crossed for more luck this time. I’m now having acupuncture as well which I started in early January.

Hello Ladies, hope you're all well and in good spirits!

@spttc thank you for sharing your numbers, 6 is good odds! Best of luck for your next update tomorrow.

@Cherryblossom90 Hope your scan goes well today!

I've had my scan, clinic will be in touch but looking at the numbers I think it's the final one and retrieval will happen on Monday (10th February). There are 7 follicles already on the "ready for EC" size range, some of the others may catch up.

My only concern is that among the big ones 2 are already at 24mm! And my protocol doesn't include any ovulation suppression during stim phase (although I did take Prostap at the very beginning). So now I'm really worried that the big ones are too big! And will be overmature by Monday, or just ovulate early and be lost.

Has anybody been in a similar situation? 🤔Advice or reassurance would be very welcome (I will ask the nurse when she calls though)

Physically I'm starting to feel it since yesterday. Like @Cherryblossom90 I've been a bit crampy since day 2 of stims, now bloated and constant low level abdominal pain. It's totally manageable for now and I hope a good sign of stims continuing to work.

So many good numbers from EC on this thread!

I’ve just had my day 6 scan. I’ve got 4 follicles growing well and 2 that might catch up. I’m doing mild ivf so numbers will naturally be lower but hoping it’s enough. The nurse was happy with progress. Looking at trigger either Monday or Wednesday next week

Just found this thread and it’s been almost therapeutic. I’ve been so depressed since EC on Feb 5th, and while my friends have been amazing - it’s hard to relate completely. I’m 41 (turning 42 in May) and this is our second round of EC (1st round: 9 collected, 5 normally fertilized, no blasts), so I’m feeling really anxious about our chances this time around. I’m holding on to the fact that this round we did Zymot and ICSI (husband’s sperm is perfectly fine but just throwing everything at it). We had 7 collected, 6 mature, 3 normally fertilized, 1 partially fertilized. Monday can’t come soon enough.