Considering more IVF aged 42, after MMC, TFMR, and CPs (and 1 baby!) - is this crazy?

[Evi83]

Hello!

Just looking to chat / share my story, and see if anyone fancied sharing similar experiences... and any tiny shred of hope with me?

We started TTC 10 yrs (!) ago, and after 5 yrs, 5 rounds of IVF, 1MMC and 2CPs, we were so so lucky to have our baby girl (albeit with a tiny heart defect, which apparently doens't affect lifespan / quality of life - only requires monitoring). She is now a healthy happy, nearly 4yr old (first heart scan in 4yrs next week 😓). We have since had two FETs, resulting in 1 CP, and 1 TFMR (after 12 weeks scan with loads of abnormalities, and generally quite traumatic).

I am absolutely mad to even consider IVF again? (given likeliehood of failure, and if it does work, likiehood of another MC, or horrible 12 week scan).

And to add to all of this I'm 42! (what a fool I was thinking at aged 32, i'd be able to have loads of babies really quickly. This infertility ride, really does make you feel quite stupid).

If anyone has any hopeful stories, or is going through anything similar and fancies sharing, I'd love to hear from you. Thank you in advance, because I know how hard it is to talk about sometimes.

E x

It's not impossible at 42 but the odds are against you. To overcome them you need either above average fertility or luck. Or funds to do multiple rounds. Ideally at least two of the above.

What was the reason for doing IVF ten years ago? The starting point is getting your baseline tests done again. If you decide to proceed PGTA could save time and heartache. If you can find a chromosomally normal embryo via testing you eliminate the majority of the age issue.

Yes I was just going to add the q if any of your earlier implantations were genetically tested? I would echo the previous posters comments to do genetic testing this time if you do decide to go ahead as that would - hopefully - save you the heartache of miscarriage etc.

It's crazy how quickly time flies and how frustrating it is with time ticking by..I started on these boards at 34 trying to freeze eggs and finding out I had severely diminished ovarian reserve.

I'm now 38.5 and single (after two relationships where both partners changed their mind about having kids) and trying to freeze some genetically normal embryos with donor sperm. If I am still single in a year then I will try to implant and then that would mean with the best luck in the world having a first baby at 40 and if I wanted another it would be 42/43 I expect. I can totally relate to your feelings of thinking how easy it would all be in early 30s :(

If you have the finances and emotional capacity then go for it ❤️
your story gives me hope.
good luck xxx

Hi All,

Thanks for taking the time to reply.

In answer to your questions @sirensong , we didnt' quite start IVF 10 yrs ago. We started ttc naturally (lol) 10 yrs ago, and I think IVF started about 2 yrs of not getting pregnant at all. We had all the tests done at the time, and it was just unexplained infertility.

Yes, we would definitely consider PGTA testing this tim eround (never had it done before), but would get the clinic's advice. The most recent genetic testing we had done on a foetus (CVS test at 13 weeks), showed no chromosomal abnormalities, and nothing came back as abnormal for any of the other 200 or so genetic tests... so wouldn't necessarily help! I'd be intersted to know if hte PGTA testing is more thorough than the CVS test, or if its similar.

@RosiestrawsI'm sorry you've had such a rough time of it. It's a really hard journey, and with break ups along the way (I can only imagine) must have made it so hard. Hope youre current freezing rounds go well for you. 🙏

In my head, I'd love to do 3 more rounds of IVF, to at least know, that I did everything i could to make it happen (and not have any of those nagging doubts). Have to convince my husband too (hard when I'm not totally sure of what the right thing is here)

x