Repeated IVF failures

[Wanttobemamma]

Hi all,

I have had my 3rd embryo transfer fail today and I am devastated. To give a bit of a background, I am 39 (will be 40 in a couple of months).

Aug 2022 1st retrieval cycle got 5 eggs 4 fertilised by ICSI 2 embryos transferred a 4AB fresh and froze a 3 BB - BFN
Oct 2022 FET transferred 3BB from 1st retrial cycle - BFN
May 2023 - 2nd retrieval cycle got 6 eggs 3 fertilised by ICSI 2 embryos transferred both a 3AA and a 1 - - (the clinic recommended to transfer both as they were both top quality, they were both 8 cells with no fragmentation at all on day 3) - BFN

We have paid money for multi cycle through access fertility in the UK so we can do another retrieval cycle but I am not sure why all these good quality embryos are not implanting. I have history of hypothyroidism and taking levothyroxine and my husband has slightly poor morphology. I will be talking to my clinician soon. It’s really frustrating and I feel like I have missed the boat.

I will request to get my endrometrial receptivity tested. Have been taking all prenatal vitamins. I had a massive fibroid removed last May including a polyp near my cervix. Fallopian tubes are both nice and open as per dye test. I really hope to have a baby someday.

OP I am so sorry you are going through this difficult time. These are awful setbacks and you need your consultant to explain what if any differences they will be making this time round to help implantation, perhaps an immune protocol. PGS testing was very helpful for me as my highest rated embryos weren’t the pgs normal ones. For peace of mind you might also want to stress test any revised protocol/treatment plan with another clinician and pay for that meeting only. I went to Dr Geoffrey Trew and found him balanced and thorough if you would like a second opinion. Good luck and seek all the emotional support you can to help guide you through this period.

I had 9 rounds of IVF before having a full term successful pregnancy so do understand your pain

Lots of people will talk about genetic testing/PGS/immune testing and often it's dependent on the clinic you are with and what they will do

Before my last, and successful transfer, I had the ERA and ALICE testing which found I had a very high imbalance of good to bad bacteria which was likely impacting on implantation. (Likely from all the surgeries and procedures over the years I would say!)

Anyway it got treated, retested and the next month I had a natural frozen cycle and now have twins.

I never believed it would work for us by the end. Sending you lots of love x

@Hodgewell1 Thanks a lot for your kind words and suggestions, sure will talk to my consultant and see what she says. Sadly my husband and I don’t have money to spend on PGS testing so will have to think about our options as we have already take a loan for the 2 cycle multi cycle IVF.

@drainpipejeanie Many thanks for taking the time to message and congratulations on the twins 🎉 I am sorry to hear that your journey wasn’t easy at all and I am so impressed to hear that you had 9 rounds. How courageous and brave you are. I am so glad it worked out for you in the end and it does give me a lot of hope ❤️

Dd was the result of the 5th transfer. All A quality embryo's. I was 41 when she was born.

@Creepyrosemary Hi congratulations 🎉 on becoming a mamma. Wow, its so reassuring to know that it’s possible to have a happy ending even after repeated failures. Did you do any extra tests or did anything different on your successful transfer?

@Wanttobemamma how did you get on? I had a BFN in my last FET and am currently in tww from the 2nd FET, but we've not PGTA'd any embryos and I am 38 so conscious of that factor

@Sunflower360 Hi there, good luck, I hope it works out for you. My 3rd cycle was successful but sadly miscarried soon after getting a positive test. I am waiting to get my 4th cycle in a couple of months time.

@Wanttobemamma really sorry to hear that, are you doing anything different for your 4th cycle?

@Sunflower360 Thank you. I have changed to a different clinic now and also going to get PGT-A testing this time as per the new clinicians suggestions. Hoping it will work this time.

6 transfers here. One very early loss on #3, and my little boy was born from #6 - he’s nearly 2 now.

I had a scratch before the last transfer and had blood thinners too. I have no idea if this helped or if it was pure luck. Interestingly, a year after my son was born, I was diagnosed with all sorts of autoimmune issues so I’m certain that contributed and I wonder if it was just good timing on the last one.

OP - it’s shit. It’s all consuming. It’s impossible me to not let it rule your life. And let’s be honest, it might never work. I wish you all the best - please keep talking, try everything within your control and try your hardest to make your peace with whatever happens.

Hi OP. I needed to take clexane to and aspirin to stay pregnant. I know different clinics are different about how far to treat or investigate sticky blood. When I had consult at one they were treating every woman in the door with heparin and aspirin.

Are you sure your thyroid is optimal for conception? I had bad advice a couple of times on thyroid management- from the IVF drs and from a consultant obstetrician. It's amazing how piss poor knowledge about it was/is.

@Corksoles did you have Thyroid issues too? I have Thyroid Antibodies, so am on Prednisolone for that. TSH was under 2.5 though when tested a couple of weeks ago.

@JacquiDaytona were your embryos tested? Also how old were you when your embryos were collected if you don't mind me asking? I'm 38 and not PGTA'd so wondering how many, if any are euploids. Also you mention you have immunology issues?

@Wanttobemamma sounds like a good plan, I'm considering pgta for any future ECs, would have done it this time but they were already frozen wren it was considered and didn't feel overly comfortable with thawing for the test

They weren’t - we didn’t really have the money spare for add-ons. I was 36 when he was born, was trying from 29.

A year after he was born, I developed alopecia universalis over two weeks, plus a whole range of joint pains and skin problems. I’ve had no official diagnosis yet, still waiting for a rhem appointment but bloods show that there is (obvs!) auto immune disease. I’m no doctor but in my head, whatever autoimmune issue was stopping me staying pregnant has now moved to attack another part of my body.

Sorry - you asked about when they were collected. I think I would have been 34/35.