IVF / ICSI June 2025

[GLizzie88]

Hi All!

I might be early to it here, but thought I'd start a threat for anyone who knows they'll be going through it in June this year!

I'm based near Sheffield, and will be going through the treatment in sheffield. I'm 36, will turn 37 during the treatment. We've been through one failed round last August, so we've spent the time since getting further private checks done, and now we're ready for the next round. We came back as 'normal' on the nhs tests, but we found other things with these private tests! We've had all of our follow ups, catch up consultation appointments. Next appointment is our nurse appointment on the 5th May, then after that it's waiting for my next cycle to start at the very end of May / beginning of June.

From the further tests we've had done, I'm now on thyroid medication to bring my thyroid down to fertility recommended levels, my partner had DNA Frag & Oxidative Stress tests done and we've made improvements based on the results of these. I've also been having some acupuncture, which I've also feel has helped my sanity!

Please share your stories and hopefully we can all support each other during this. I'm much more nervous this time, even though I know we're better set up than we were last time.

It is so tough. Have you had your NK cells tested? This is where it all kicked off for me to be honest, but I only had this done after my 4th MC. I think pausing for testing is a great idea, its very hard but if it saves heartache in the future its worth it xxx

The timescales can be so frustrating, waiting for a consultation, waiting for the tests, waiting for results and all the while trying to be healthy and good. It’s exhausting! Wishing you loads of luck with your journey x

@Roo666 so frustrating especially when you have to wait at least one month beteeen failed cycles. I just want to get on with everything! I am 40, due to turn 41 next month and feel like my time is running out 😢

I haven’t done the test yet but on my last cycle my consultant put me on blood thinners and aspirin anyway as he said there was sufficient evidence from my NHS history to justify it, but sadly it didn’t work. Also just a warning that if you do clexane (blood thinners) injections, they aren’t nice, it hurts and leaves bruises.
Im not sure if it’s worth doing the uterine biopsy test or just trying IVF again

@lemonandsugarpancakes Totally fair to be worried about damage! At the follow up you should ask your clinic what their damage rate is. I have read that these days the risk is really very small. Have you listened to the Hatching a Plan podcast? Emma the embryologist did an episode on PGT-A and she has some good tips for what to ask the clinic about their testing methods. 9 weeks does seem like a very long time! I think my clinic said it will be 2-3 weeks, but not sure for certain as we haven't done it yet.

You could try and get your blood tested for NK cell levels before trying again - less invasive and some Drs think more reliable than the uterine but I think any testing would help to adjust protocols going forward xxx

@Pinguino24 no I’ll have a listen to that, thanks! Are you do PGT on fresh embryos or frozen? Mine are frozen already so I think that’s adding to the delay…

@lemonandsugarpancakes Most likely frozen I think. But thawing to do the biopsy only takes a few hours so it shouldn't impact the timing too much. I would guess it's probably more a case of the particular lab they send it to for testing and their time frames.
If we get 4 blasts this round (highly unlikely) then we will test them fresh, as there will be a chance that one of them will be genetically normal. If we have less than 4 we will freeze them and do another egg collection, then test them all together. This is because our clinic charges for testing per batch rather than per embryo, so it would cost double if we tested twice! So complicated!

I just find the possibilities for all the additional tests overwhelming, there is always something else to test and the cost adds up very quickly.

I have done the recurrent pregnancy loss panel privately as I did not qualify for it under the NHS with only 2 miscarriages. Then I did a hysteroscopy to make sure I have no adhesions from my miscarriage surgeries. We are also now doing PGT-A.

I am now thinking about potentially testing for endometriosis, but have also heard about the ALICE test, then there is the NK cells test… It’s just a lot but then I feel guilty for not doing them in case it could make a difference.

You’re so right @YellowTack and @lemonandsugarpancakes, the tests really do add up. Our consultant advised doing the PGT-A as he said it would increase the chances of a live birth to 70% because a lot of early miscarriages are due to chromosomal abnormalities. We sent some fresh Day 5 ones off and got the results on Tuesday. It took 3 weeks.

@Hopeandfaith1990 congrats on getting your results! We have 4 euploids and 1 was abnormal so feeling good about a September transfer. I’m now wondering if the reason we haven’t fallen pregnant is something to do with my womb and I’ve no idea what to ask my doctor to figure it out

Hi all, the tests are so confusing, I completely agree. I want to see if there's anything we can do now we have to go through another fresh cycle.

@K8113 im so so sorry about your loss, that's so heartbreaking.

And @limebird i cant believe that after all you've been through for it. I wish there was more I could say.

@HelloPippa0 I got my withdrawal bleed on Tuesday and it's pretty intense with back pain too, which is unusual for me, and my digestive system is not happy! I treated myself to a single-shot coffee yesterday and the bloating and pain was 😣.

The breast clinic called yesterday, so I'm booked in for Monday 14th. My IVF doctor also called yesterday to explain next steps and said they'd need to wait for a letter from the hospital confirming the lump is benign and signing me off to do a transfer before we can book anything in. She also wants to retest my prolactin and something to do with my thyroid, so looking like September earliest (assuming lump is nothing to worry about and prolactin/thyroid is all normal).

@FluentTealGuide yes I had heard that it’s often very heavy, hope yours is getting better now. Mine just started this morning, obviously would be on the day I have a scan to see what’s going on!

Glad you have a plan of action with the breast clinic, sorry it’s delaying things.

A little update from me. We found out this morning that we have two blastocysts. I was so relieved I burst into tears. Two have dropped off but there's one more which might make it by tomorrow, so fingers crossed. We are freezing and will move onto round two in a couple of weeks.

@Pinguino24 great news! Are you doing back to back cycles?

@YellowTack Yes back to back. On Norethisterone for 12 days and then will get going with the next round of stims. How about you?

@Pinguino24 I did 2 cycles back to back but with a short protocol so I did 2 egg collections in June. I have low AFC so my goal was to so 3 back to back cycles but my last cycle was not great (only 1 follicle retrieved), so I am now having to take a break and hopefully will do another one in August-September.

@Pinguino24 congratulations!

@FluentTealGuide the post-IVF bleed is horrendous. I had to go out on day 2 of mine and ended up wearing two pads on top of each other to brave the pub - not an experience I want to remember.

I’m waiting for my blood results to see if I can start this cycle - just had a scan today as well which was all clear although I felt sorry for the male doctor having to scan me on my heavy period day. I’m sure they’re used to it but was all female nurses where I was before.

supposed to be going out this afternoon, why do they say no cups/tampons before IVF?! After EC I can understand but no idea why not before.

@RainbowFluff thanks!
my clinic hasn’t said anything about not using tampons. I assume it would be risk of infection but surely that’s not a huge risk. My clinic had me on antibiotics during the stims too which probably would have dealt with any little infections. I know you always want to follow the advice as much as possible but it seems a bit extreme doesn’t it!

I am still waiting for news from the lab on our third embryo to see if it made it to blastocyst on day 6. I know it’s the weekend but it’s more than 3.5 hours after they would usually call. It’s driving me mad!

Today is day 5 after my egg collection, our only embryo is apparently an early blastocyst, and they can’t biopsy it unless it becomes fully expanded.
I now have to wait until Monday to know if the embryo made it, I really thought I would have a response today!

@YellowTack Congratulations! Great news that it has made it to this point. I totally feel your pain in having to wait, but if it has gotten this far surely the odds that it will expand are relatively good? Hang in there, the wait is like torture isn’t it.

The lab finally called and said our last one didn’t make it. I had been expecting a call earlier and was so nervous by the time they called I’m all emotional now. I know two is a good result but one extra would have taken the pressure off the next round.

@YellowTack what a pain to have to wait over the weekend! The waiting in this process is so hard. Keeping everything crossed.

@YellowTack fingers crossed by tomorrow your early blast is fully expanded 🤞🏻

@Rayofsunshine22 how are you finding the TWW? Only one week to go until we can officially test!

@KayEmmSquared hey I'm ok ... I feel "normal" so a big part of me is thinking this isn't my time. I feel so sad already. I don't want to get my hopes up too much but I already have obviously. How are you?
Are you testing Sunday? They told me the Monday AM. How are you feeling?

@Rayofsunshine22 aww I’m sorry to hear you’re feeling that way, but no signs doesn’t mean no pregnancy, maybe just means you’re one of the lucky ones who doesn’t get all the cramping! I had a terribly upset for stomach for 3 days, was in agony, so I think I’ve messed it up this time with all the pressure I’ve probably put on my uterus with being unwell 😢 other than that I’ve had constant mild cramps so no idea what’s going on in there.
Yes, my official test day is Sunday, seems like a lifetime away!