Low fertilisation rate post ER- devastated

[frenchgal]

Hi- 39yo, secondary infertility (so already very lucky I know to have a 6.5 year old - lots of love to all of you aching to be a mum).
I had my first egg retrieval and ICSI, 8 eggs collected, 7 mature, only 2 fertilised (plus 1 abnormally, 3PN, so very low chance), so almost zero chance of a baby from this cycle.
This is so low devastating - I will go for another round, but I have a healthy BMI, eat healthy, take supplements, exercise, my thyroid levels have been checked and I am under levothyroxine for precaution, basically, I don’t think there is much I can change to improve egg quality.
I am with CRGH, so usually their outcomes are good, although I know ICSI is a delicate procedure.
any stories of having updated protocols and gotten better fertilisation rate ?
I am just feeling so deflated - is this fertilisation rate an indicator of any future cycles ?

Hi! I'm sorry to hear you are deflated and keeping my fingers crossed for you. 2 fertilised and one maybe doesn't mean almost no chance of baby I've seen it on here before! From what I understand each cycle can be very different and each cycle teaches the clinic something to amend or tweak so hopefully it will go much better next time. I don't think this round is necessarily an indication of next time.

I don't have anything to compare it to because we have only recently done our first round but we had good results and I spent 7 months or so preparing with diet (not as in a calorie restricted diet, diet as in what you are eating. I know you said you eat healthy but there is so much variety within healthy eating there might be something you can change specifically for fertility if you want and apparently the last 3-8 months before egg collection can really improve egg quality). I followed 'The Egg Quality Diet' but after the initial stricter phases I relaxed it a bit but no coffee or alcohol at all (not saying that is what did the trick and we haven't had a transfer yet just sharing it based on fertilisation rate and blasts frozen). I tried to include lots of protein, full fat dairy, eggs (including yolk), salmon, bone broth, whole foods, supplemented with the usual plus ubiquinol. I also took some grass fed beef liver capsules but do your own research there. I was a vegetarian then pescatarian for 15 years or so but introduced chicken once a week, bone broth and freeze dried liver supplements as I couldn't bring myself to eat red meat.
So some people might think of healthy eating as low fat or plant based for example and fertility friendly food seems to be the opposite.
I recently started reading Real Food for Fertility to prepare for a transfer and that's quite useful for egg quality too.

ETA - and unless you are using donor sperm then your (male) partner should also follow a supplement regime if needed plus eating (and drinking) in a fertility friendly way, it takes two even with ICSI.

Thanks and good luck for your transfer - I have ordered the book. (Although honestly, I can’t help but think the evidence is quite weak for but can’t hurt).
good point re my husband.

Seeing consultant on Wednesday and will ask about protocol change

Hi @frenchgal so sorry this round didn't go as well as hoped, its really tough going. Fingers crossed for the one that fertilised normally.

I did have better success from my 2nd round of egg collection with a changed protocol. I was put on different stims and at a higher dose, and stayed on it a bit longer. We did ICSI in our second round but not in our first, I know you've already done this though. We got more mature eggs and a better fertilisation rate, and a better rate of conversion to blastocysts. I don't know how much of this might have been just dumb luck, but I think the changed meds probably helped. I also took Ovum supplements, plus extra coq10, tried to eat pretty well... maybe that helped too? Hopefully your consultant will have some good ideas, best of luck xx