Gender selection with frozen embryos from previous IVF cycle?

[fingerscrossed22!!!]

Hi

Is someone able to help me? I have two beautiful boys and another on the way and I am hoping to make my fourth a girl in the near future. I am wanting to start the process and explore how I could possibly go about using the embryos that I already have in storage from an IVF cycle I had to do to conceive my first son.

I have heard from the Genesis clinic who seem to suggest that it would be illegal to do gender selection with existing embryos and it would only be allowed with new embryos created using microsort? Seems odd to me? I would rather use my existing one obviously!

Looking at Cyprus or New York as am based in London.

Thanks heaps in advance
Claire

[atomic sagebrush]

I don't know the answer but if NY is an option, I would go there instead of Cyprus. Cyprus has not had good results.

[fingerscrossed22!!!]

Thanks for your response. Obviously Cyprus is so much nearer which will make the whole thing easier and cheaper (and thus more hopeful to sell to my husband!!!) but I obviously care about success foremost. I have scheduled a consult with Dr Baverman in NY - is thee anyone in particular apart from him that would be recommended? Thanks heaps

[ever hopeful]

I'm certainly no expert but I'm not sure if you would be able to legally ship your embryos abroad because of HSE guidelines, as I presume you would need to give a reason why you were doing this and obviously GS is illegal in the UK. Then I guess the other things you need to consider are what type of testing you would want to do and the logisitcs as the last thing you would want is to freeze your embryos twice. Can you not talk to HRC and ask them the question to find out if it's possible rather than going through the normal consult process? Personally I would have thought chances would be much higher of this working in US as simply because the technology is so much more advanced. Good luck x

[nuthinbutpink]

You would have to find out if it is legal for you to ship your embryos. You would then need a clinic that has the capability to thaw, test and transfer without you having to re freeze them. Genesis can't do that. No European clinic can do that so the US is your only option for that.

HRC can do that. You could find it in NY but not all can thaw, test and transfer without having you come back for a FET.

[fingerscrossed22!!!]

Thanks heaps ladies for all the info. So I know it is legal and possible to ship my embryos - they are actually currently in Australia where we did the IVF and have found a courier willing to transfer them to any clinic of my choice.

But yes they would need to be thawed, tested and then refrozen - not ideal I know but I think possible..??

Seems like Cyprus might not be the best option so we might have to bite the bullet and do this in NYC. I have a consult booked so will ask them then.

Can someone clarify what HRC means?

Thanks again x

[nuthinbutpink]

They do NOT need to be refrozen if you choose the right clinic. HRC can handle it. Most NY clinics require a freeze so they can't handle it. Cyprus is a poor choice.

[nuthinbutpink]

I would combine them with a fresh cycle though. Not sure how many you have and how old you were when you cycled but when you add gender in, you lose a lot. Are you ok discarding healthy boys? You won't be able to ship them back and have them be viable.

[fingerscrossed22!!!]

Thanks for all this information - although I am thoroughly confused and finding my research very overwhelming

So I have since spoken to Savvas who has confirmed he will be able to thaw my embryos, test them and transfer them all in the same day so I would of course have to travel over to Cyprus not knowing if I will have any embryos to transfer. He does not recommending thawing testing and refreezing as too much stress on embryos

I have had a consult with Dr Braverman who I was not overly impressed with - very impersonal but yes he said he could thaw, test and refreeze until the test results come in to save me travelling before knowing if an embryo is available.

Fertility Institute in NY said similar to Dr Braverman too and could test in advance of travel

In response to your questions about how many embryos and how old I was when I undertook the cycle. I have five high quality blasts and was 32 when I undertook the cycle. Am now 36 but will probable be 37 by the time I do transfer. In respect of disposing of healthy boys - how I see it is that these embryos have already been created and will be donated for research or disposed of (as I do not want to have five more children and am not comfortable donating to another couple). So there is no real difference but I may find out if one of the embryos is a possible daughter for me?

[nuthinbutpink]

I do not believe Savvas can biopsy a day 5 blast and do a day 6 transfer. Everyone cycling there is going back for a FET.

Can anyone confirm that?

Transferring embryos is tricky. You'll have a different culture media and you can't know if the embryos will survive the thaw. 5 blasts to biopsy is a good number and there could definitely be a healthy girl in there. Seems like odds are on your side. Some people attach a new cycle to doing this though just in case.

If Savvas is talking about using FISH, you can't do that on blasts as the cells have merged and you cannot count chromosomes any more.

New York has many great clinics but the day 6 transfer is your issue. Why not go to HRC since you can go solo? I know they can handle a day 6 transfer. You could consult with them via the link on here. It is free.