Would you try again with numbers like these?

[SarahAndQuack]

I am stressing about the cycle I'm in (TWW but feeling a bit down, and I'll feel better if I can think ahead). I really want to get perspective on the numbers.

I did my first cycle starting meds on my 40th birthday. 10 eggs, 8 mature, 7 fertilised, 2 day 5 blasts and 2 day 6 (IIRC they were 5AA, 4AB, 4BA and 3CC). PGT-A test and all were aneuploid with one complex abnormal. I did this cycle with my friend as the intended father and he was 55, which I am aware has a fair impact.

Second cycle I started when I was 40 and 9 months. They saw 10 good-sized follicles, but couldn't collect some of the eggs. I got 6, two immature and one empty shell, 3 mature. 3 fertilised and 3 made it to blasts (two on day 5 and one day 6). This time one was euploid, the other two were complex abnormal (what some clinics call chaotic abnormal, ie., masses wrong). This round I did with donor sperm, so he'll be young. The grades were lower this time - all 4AB (euploid and one other) or 4BB.

I am about 90% sure I do want to do another cycle, but I had a wobble because of the way the numbers went. 8 mature eggs to 3 feels like a huge drop.

Thoughts? Thanks all.

My understanding is that at age 40/41 the average is 1 in 4 or 5 embryos will be euploid. So you were unfortunate the first cycle with your 4 embryos and just missed out, but beat the statistics the second round and 1 in 3 of yours were euploid.

I did two cycles at age 40 to get my DS. 4 embryos out of 4 eggs each time (but my clinic only cultured to Day 3 so no PGTA testing). First round all BFN - so likely all embryos were aneuploid and I just missed out too like you. 2nd round 1 in 4 was successful (one my DS, but the other 3 either didn’t take or ended as a chemical pregnancy/early miscarriage so they were probably aneuploid too). So like your results, my stats were almost exactly as the odds suggest.

Are you trying for your first child? I think if I was you at 40/41 I’d give it one last round if you can afford it. You stand a fair chance of getting similar numbers again and getting another euploid embryo. I’m a SMBC and at 44 I’m too old to try again now for a 2nd DC- but if I was 40/41 again and could have afforded more rounds at that time to “bank” embryos for a sibling, I would have.

BTW your eggs to embryos attrition rate is perfectly within the norm afaik - about 50% drop seems average from what I have read. (anecdotally I’ve found it seems to be people who get very few eggs in the first place like I did, who then sometimes have a lower drop rate).

Good Luck!

Go for it ❤️ you have given me some hope in that I might actually get a euploid xx

Thanks both, that was really reassuring. @Alexandrine, I'd had quoted to me that at 41 it was more like 10% euploid, and I felt that with 8 mature eggs that's still quite a long shot; with three it seemed very doubtful. But if it is more like 1 in 4 or 1 in 5 it's not so daft. I think I was just shocked it was only 3 eggs. Really appreciate the replies.

Just to echo PP, my clinic said as a rough indication to 'expect' 30-50% to make blastocyst stage, I did 2 rounds and one was worse and one better than that, bur that's the general pattern.

That's great you got a euploid from the recent round, the grade doesn't really matter if you know its euploid (I'm 22 weeks with a pgta 4BB)

Fingers crossed for your next round if you go ahead - my clinic said a euploid has a 60-65% chance of sticking, and with 2 you've got an 85% chance, not bad odds!

@SarahAndQuack My understanding is the 10% euploid figure is more from about age 42 ish - the stats change very very quickly every 6 months/year past age 40 which is why I stand no chance at 44.

So I would say if you are going to have another round then do it asap as there’s a reason less clinics will take people using their own eggs past the age of 42 (unless they can afford to do many many rounds - I remember reading celebs like Celine Dion needed 6 rounds at 42 and Alice Evans needed 8 rounds at 43/44). Again, best of luck.🤞