3 failed embryo transfers

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Hi all,
I’m new here, and I’ve found this forum so helpful.
Our third FET with the NHS (UK) has failed, and I have this weird feeling—almost like fear—about what’s next. For context, I have a tubal issue: I lost my right tube due to an ectopic pregnancy, and the left one is blocked. I also have a smaller uterus, but the doctor said it’s not a concern—the only risk is preterm birth, and I can’t carry twins as it would be too risky for me.
Aside from that, I’ve had 3D scans and an HSG, and everything else seems okay. I’m 33, and during my egg retrieval, 16 eggs were collected—14 were mature, 9 fertilized, but only 4 made it. I was surprised to hear the quality was quite poor:

• 1 x 5BB (negative test)
• 1 x 5BC (chemical pregnancy)
• 1 x 5CB (negative test)
• 1 x 3BC (in the freezer)

My partner’s semen results are also fine which leaves me with more doubts as to why we ended up with no good quality embryos. The doctor keeps attributing it to bad luck and embryo DNA, and hasn’t changed my protocol. My lining has always been over 8mm for transfers, and progesterone levels have been perfect. We have one embryo left—graded 3BC—which I plan to transfer soon, but I’m scared there might be something wrong with me. I don’t even know where to start or what to think. Why have our embryos been such poor quality so far? Should I look into going abroad? I feel like the level of care in the NHS in the UK is not very tailored. Also, they don’t test embryos so we are literally trying our luck here:( Thank you in advance.

I’m so sorry you’re going through this worry. I’ve been there and I know how stressful, and worrying and upsetting the whole IVF journey is. I had a round of IVF on the NHS due to unexplained infertility- they collected 18 eggs, 10 fertilised but only one poor quality one survived to transfer, which failed. We then had to self fund our next round (at the same clinic) and this time they used the information from the first round to tweak the drugs for the second round and this time they collected 14 eggs, 8 fertilised, and I ended up with 4 good quality embryos. One went in (and worked) and the other three were frozen.

I was told by an embryologist that the first round is often a fact finding mission into the unknown with IVF and for that reason he believed two rounds should always be funded by the NHS rather than just a single round. I don’t know if that’s the general consensus but that was his experience of the first round of IVF.

I don’t know about IVF abroad tbh but it might be worth researching the success statistics in different countries and clinics before making a firm decision on how to proceed. Also, have you looked at the success rates for your own clinic and how they compare to others in the UK?

Wishing you so much luck.

Hi,

just wanted to say there is an infertility forum on here where you may get some more helpful replies as most are going through ivf too or at least fertility investigations.
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/infertility

im 38 had 19 eggs collected and ended up with 4 for the freezer and one used in a fresh transfer. Partners results were ok but we were in a research study into fragmentation and his were below optimal for this - so potentially some issues.

I would say that going abroad won’t necessarily help you with egg / sperm quality - that is something you and your partner can work on perhaps for a future collection (if not already) supplements / diet etc. we managed to get some excellent and average quality embryos - perhaps our preparation helped abit.

id be asking for pgta testing next time (you’d have to pay of course) and some more investigations for you around your lining and things like NK cells.
if your clinic are dismissive of further testing thats when id look elsewhere/private.

I follow Emma the embryologist on instagram and she’s great x

I went abroad for IVF and it worked first time for me, so understandably I'm a big fan of the foreign clinics.

The thing that always strikes me when I hear people talking about UK treatment Vs the experience I personally had abroad is the success rate of getting embryos through to day 5 seems higher abroad. I'm not sure that this is actually true or even if it's just attributed to my clinic doing ICSI as standard rather than IVF.

I had 6 eggs retrieved at 38 with very low AMH, one was immature.

The other five made it through to day five. One was transferred and stuck.

Two others were considered high grade enough to freeze. The last two would have been transferred fresh if they were all we had but it was felt that they wouldn't thrive post freezing.

I'm really sorry you're going through this. I've tried IVF myself and know how stressful and devastating the process can be.

I had 5 embryos frozen from one collection, all fine quality, but still had 3 failed transfers, and like you I just couldn't understand what was going wrong. Ended up falling pregnant naturally, but was definitely scarred by the whole IVF experience.

I don't have experience with IVF abroad but would definitely think trying a different clinic is worth pursuing if you have any doubts at all about the care you'll get in the UK.

Sending hugs as I know how horrible this is 💕

Honestly, go again and PGT-A all the embryos you make. You can pay for this, even if your round is being funded by the NHS.

The biggest regret I have is ploughing through my non tested embryos, spending way more than the pgta would have cost and having heartache after heartache.

Best of luck.