IVF success stories with fewer than five follicles? Please share if so

[Decaffe]

Hi all, I’m sitting here in my car crying my eyes out because at my scan appointment it looks like I only have five viable follicles. I know they won’t all necessarily have an egg in / be collected, and then there’ll be further attrition at the fertilisation and development stage.

I’m absolutely broken hearted because previous AFC scans have shown nine or ten follicles. I didn’t realise that stims would actually reduce this number!

Do I have any hope at all?

Hi,
I feel your pain, I’ve been there. What day scan are you on?
my first lot of meds produced about 8 follicles but by day 9 had stopped growing and by day 12 they decided against the collection as some had disappeared so wasn’t viable to continue. Like you, I sat in my car and broke my heart. It was for the best as they didn’t want to waste a round although I didn’t see it this way at the time.
The next round, they upped the meds and 14 follicles were produced and I had a successful collection as in 2 embryos made it to blastocyst and I even got to 8 weeks pregnant until the scan showed no heartbeat.
please don’t lose hope, even if this round is cancelled with the correct treatment they will get the next round right. Wishing you all the best x

Try not worry it’s quality over quantity. I’ve realised that myself. People with lots of follicles might not have many mature eggs. The way I see it is you have plenty of room for those 5 to grow and fingers crossed they all have good quality eggs. If you YouTube Miranda burns. She had 4 eggs and all made it to blastocyst 😊 and she only needed the one

I had twins from a 2 follicle round x

Yesterday was day 8 @SH998

Thank you for the supportive tales, I am just so worried about attrition at every stage of the process.

I feel for you. It is so hard. I got really obsessed with numbers. I have had a cycle cancelled as when they went in, there were no eggs to collect, but then I had a 4 follicle cycle produce 4 eggs. One failed to fertilize, one didn't make blastocyst, two were implanted and I lost one quite early, but the other is 6.

You just can't predict and that is so difficult to manage emotionally. Just be kind to yourself and hang in there.

Again I feel this, I started my first round in May and it’s been constant stress since, there’s always a worry of some sort and honestly it doesn’t get any easier as the process goes on. Its difficult when you don’t have anyone close going through the same thing to discuss issues with etc.This forum is great for advice and support. Feel free to ask anything you wish, I’m more than happy to help if I can xx

I agree with the quality over quantity comments. I had 4 follicles, 3 eggs were collected, all made it to Day 5. I did the genetic testing and only 1 came back viable. Currently 36 weeks pregnant and waiting on our little girl to arrive so it can and does happen! This was also after a massive, sudden decline in follicle numbers - in around 8 months I went from having 13 follicles in a cycle to 4! Doctors have no idea why.

Both my children are from 5 follicle cycles.

Thank you so much for the positive stories, I really do appreciate it.

Miracles do happen, it seems!

I’m hoping that tomorrow morning will be my final scan before being told to trigger.

I had 2 rounds of IVF, the first one I produced 7 follicles, I only ended up with 2 viable embryos which didn’t work out. 2nd IVF , 3 follicles, the only reason my consultant continued was because fertilisation had been achieved on 1st round, again only 2 viable embryos and one of those turned 18 this year. He was miracle #1, miracle #2 came 4 years later, having DTD perhaps once the month she was conceived………hang in there, wishing you all the best💐

Hello

I can completely understand what you are going through. But stay positive. My AMH was extremely low (0.7 ng). I had 7-8 follicles , out of which 3 were okay size. I remember crying everyday during stims. I ended up with 4 eggs and all of them fertilised and made to blasts.
My first cycle - 2 embryos were transferred. I got pregnant but ended up MC at 9 weeks unfortunately.

I have just failed my FET - 2 good quality embryos were transferred.
Do not loose hope. People who have 20 follicles sometimes only end up with 2-3 blasts. It does not matter. Quality over quantity.

I had an egg collection last Monday, from 9 follies they had reduced to 4 once stims had started. At collection they got 2 eggs, I cried my eyes out. But, by the next day, one had fertilised and was transferred back. Now we wait. It’s very different to how I had responded in different cycles, but it really does only take one. Sending you positive vibes. It’s a rough ride. I want to hug every woman I see in the clinic waiting room as I know she’ll be feeling rubbish too. Don’t forget too, you pumped full of hormones which messes with your brain! X

@EggEmbryoExpect fingers crossed for you💐

@EggEmbryoExpect good luck, I hope you get some happy news soon :) x

@SH998 @IwishIwasSupermum thank you. Second guessing every twinge! Driving myself mad! Good luck to everyone in this IVF sisterhood and thank you for sharing your stories x

@EggEmbryoExpect keep us updated lovely 🤞🏼 xx

I had 6. My DS who was my wee IVF baby from that one and only attempt is nearly 21 so please have hope.

11 eggs
1 embryo (fresh) made it to transfer day
No possibility to freeze any
We now have a baby
Miracles do happen

@EggEmbryoExpect good luck, you have got this!!! I also want to hug everyone in the waiting room 💕

Trying to remember - but one scan showed so few they said to wait until following month as may improve. Cue loads of tears. Following month pre scan was a bit better and they went with that. I’m sure there were only 5 .. and I ended up with 4 eggs. One baby from those 5 eggs.
so it can happen. I will wish you all the luck in the world .

My doctor told me — he is a proponent of Mild IVF — that the egg you would’ve produced naturally always turns out to be the best egg. A friend of mine got 20 eggs and was very uncomfortable; she only got one blastocyst. In my first round I got two eggs (there were only three follicles growing) and I got two blastocysts.

I had to have a few extra days of stims because I had next to nothing really. I ended up firing on only one ovary and from that ovary they were able to retrieve 6 eggs, 4 of which made it to blasts. 3 were good quality, 1 is a bit iffy. I felt like such a failure and like I was doomed because all I read on the internet was about women producing hundreds of eggs in one cycle. Turns out there’s a lot to be said for quality over quantity - my DTs are 4.5 now.

I wish you all the very best, infertility and ivf suck 💐

Thank you all, I am really holding on to so much hope from your stories. 🤲🏼

I have just done my trigger shots so let’s see what happens…

The consultant this morning said we were aiming for four (although one follicle seemed to have disappeared since yesterday, I’m hoping she simply didn’t see/measure it rather than it had been absorbed).

The nurse this afternoon said we were aiming for six, as my estrogen level is approx 3600 and apparently they have a guide of 500 per egg?

My Sil only had 1 egg full stop. He’s now in primary school.

IOTO (it only takes one).

I did natural and mild ivf as the drugs really didn't agree with me. It's a few years now but it went something like this:

Round 1, natural. One egg, positive test, miscarriage

Round 2, mild. Two eggs, chemical pregnancy.

Round 3, natural. One egg, nothing.

Round 4, mild. I think possibly 3 eggs but only one embryo made it to day 3 transfer. I was told it was very poor quality and unlikely to work, and we should think about donor eggs. This poor quality embryo resulted in my beautiful daughter.

Good luck.