Carole- one for you please!

[deaks66]

Hi Carole, I cycled in the US nearly a year ago for gender selection and my numbers went as follows: 22 retrieved, 20 matured, 17 fertilised, 10 biopsied, 3 normals, 2 girls. (Got pregnant twice but neither worked out)

I am cycling again and so far my numbers are 16 retrieved, 12 mature, 10 fertilised. Can I expect a big drop off for biopsy like last time and then again for normals? I'm worried that based on my track record there will be nothing to transfer. Or perhaps each cycle is entirely different?


Thanks so much for taking the time to read this

Sarah

[Carole]

Hi Carole, I cycled in the US nearly a year ago for gender selection and my numbers went as follows: 22 retrieved, 20 matured, 17 fertilised, 10 biopsied, 3 normals, 2 girls. (Got pregnant twice but neither worked out)

I am cycling again and so far my numbers are 16 retrieved, 12 mature, 10 fertilised. Can I expect a big drop off for biopsy like last time and then again for normals? I'm worried that based on my track record there will be nothing to transfer. Or perhaps each cycle is entirely different?


Thanks so much for taking the time to read this

Sarah

Dear Deaks66,
It is difficult to predict exactly the outcome of future cycles from previous cycles because variables like stimulation protocol, and technical expertise have such a huge effect. However, if you are over 35, you may be more likely to have aneuploidy (an abnormal number of chromosomes in the egg)-which is often responsible for poor outcomes (poor fertilization, poor embryo development, poor implantation and (for most kinds of aneuploidy) incompatibility with life. Some attrition of eggs and embryos is typical- see this previous post for an explanation Fertility Lab Insider - Lessons learned from over fifteen years of working inside fertility labs. » Blog Archive » Egg Count Mathematics: Why the numbers change between retrieval and transfer. (http://fertilitylabinsider.com/2011/02/egg-count-mathematics-why-the-numbers-change-between-retrieval-and-transfer/)
The good news is that you did have some normals to transfer each time so it may have something to do with the uterine environment after stimulation, and not the embryo. Some studies suggest it may be better to freeze embryos and transfer them in a future FET cycle when the endometrium can be properly prepared for implantation. This is a post which explains this idea: Fertility Lab Insider - Lessons learned from over fifteen years of working inside fertility labs. » Blog Archive » “Freeze-all” IVF with later FET may increase your pregnancy rate (http://fertilitylabinsider.com/2012/07/freeze-all-ivf-with-later-fet-may-increase-your-pregnancy-rate/) Depending on your emotional and financial resources, every patient who doesn't get pregnant immediately has to decide whether they want to keep doing this if every $12,000 plus IVF cycle only yields one or two embryos. It may not be worth it at some point. If this try is not successful, at most one more cycle might make sense-- but maybe not. Hopefully this second try will be successful!!! Wishing you Much Good Luck!!! Carole