PGD low ovarian reserve...getting started

Hello

I’m fairly new to high tech but it’s so far it’s been so helpful with my gender disappointment. Feeling like there are options.
I was hoping for some advice about PGD for low ovarian reserve and maybe to find a buddy who’s going through the same. I’m an open person and struggle not feeling comfortable being able to talk to my friends about something so important.

Bit about me-
I’m currently 16 weeks pregnant with my second boy (opposite sway), my first boy is 2 yrs.
Before I had any children I had a ruptured ovarian follicle in 2015 (I was 30), had my AMH tested it was 4pmol (1.7ng) (very low for my age). I froze my eggs as I’d only been with my partner for a year at that point. I only managed to get 3 eggs to freeze.

Amazingly I’ve got pregnant first time every time I’ve tried (4 times including miscarriages). However I know this isn’t particularly useful though when doing IVF (as my previous egg collection demonstrated).

I plan to try for my third baby next year, I’ll be 35 yrs then (5 yrs since low Amh result)

My questions are-

I’m in the UK, but happy to travel wherever for best chance. Which clinic/doctor has best reputation for PGD for GS for low ovarian reserve without using DE? And how much does it cost roughly?

Some clinics say they use sperm sorting, but don’t use Microsort. Does anyone know how they do it?

I was interested in Microsort but understand from my last post that the chances of pregnancy are quite low. Has anyone got personal experience of discussing Microsort with clinics/ or done it themselves?

Finally if anyone would like to chat outside of GD, please message

Hi and welcome! So sorry to hear of your struggles with egg reserve.

I suggest very much going to the US rather than any of the European or Asian clinics. By far better results and greater expertise in the US if it is possible. Most go to HRC https://www.havingbabies.com/ as they have the highest results and if you use our referral form (this comes with Dream Membership) you'll get some money off the consultation too.

PLEASE don't get sidetracked with the idea of sperm spinning. At first glance it seems like a great way to get your desired gender, but it isn't worth the money because you'd end up going to an inferior clinic (since that's the ones who offer it) rather than getting best results overall at someplace like HRC. Think of it this way:

Going to an inferior clinic may end up yielding only 1-2 viable embryos, even ~if~ (and it's a BIG IF as there is a lot of data that points in the other direction) the spinning could get to 80-90% of your desired gender. This means one or maybe 2 if you're lucky. (and many people have gone to the inferior clinics and ended up with no transfer because they had no embryos at all of any gender)

But going to a better clinic may end up instead yielding 5-6 viable embryos (especially if you did batching) and even at 50-50 you'd end up with possibly 3 healthy girls to choose from, or more. Now obviously this is no guarantee that it would go down like this, but my point is simply that IVF/PGD is a numbers game and you want to go to the place that will give you the best numbers rather than gambling on an inferior clinic and relying on sperm spinning (which again, is very likely nowhere near as effective as they claim and may even reduce your likelihood of getting a normal embryo) to help you get transferable babies.

Good luck and let me know how I can help. :)

Thanks so much for your reply. Everything you’re saying makes sense.

I called HRC and was quoted $20-22k for one cycle, and $15k if that cycle didn’t yield enough eggs. Such a lot of money!

Is there anyone here who’s got personal experience of having low ovarian reserve and successful IVF for PGD? If so where did you cycle and what was the protocol?

One other question, regarding super sorting. Is it Microsort and Ericsson that reduce healthy embryos in your experience or just Microsort? Apparently HRC do Ericsson so wondered if this has a damaging effect.

Thanks so much!

Also is there anyone our there’s going through the same who would like a buddy? Would be nice to have someone to chat to that understands x

I’m sorry you didn’t get the results you had hoped for. I had low ovarian reserve. AMH was 0.97. FSH was high at 9.3. AFC was only 7 (I only have one ovary so already at a disadvantage). I cycled with HRC. Ended up with 2 healthy embryos (both desired gender - luck was on my side) from 6 that was retrieved. Currently 35 wks pregnant with one of the embryos.

IVF is expensive but unfortunately you get what you pay for. HRC can charge as much as they do because they have such great results.

We don't know about Ericsson. Since the FDA was investigating Microsort we have far more data about the process than we do with Ericsson who's always been very secretive about what all their process entails.

Hello :) I was in your shoes.. young with (a worse) low AMH and AFC of 4. I cycled with a clinic in Cyprus but I genuinely feel like I should have listened to my gut instinct and saved all the time, money and heartache with such bad pretesting results and not gone ahead.

I didn’t.. and I spent quite a bit of money and didn’t even get one viable embryo to test. Every step of the way i knew I should stop... but once you’re in, it’s very difficult to then give up. The process is gruelling and heartbreaking even with great pretesting.. if you have the money to potentially lose and it wouldn’t impact your life.. then I’d say go for it and have no regrets. But I’m on the other side and that money would have been making a difference to us now, it’s a sore subject.

I know it’s easy for me to say, being on the other side and having a successful sway after failed HT... but I pinned too much hope on the very few other people with bad pretesting, who then got lucky.

I know you asked for success stories, and mine isn’t. But I feel like it’s good to hear both sides. Good luck whatever you decide to do, I hope you have success :)

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Originally Posted by Babymaking1984

Also is there anyone our there’s going through the same who would like a buddy? Would be nice to have someone to chat to that understands x

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Hi there, I’m considering going down the path of PGD and was wondering how your journey was going? Would love to buddy up and chat

I know I am a few months late, but I would love a buddy also. We are starting down the IVF journey with PGS testing due to a variety of factors. (low AMH, MFI, family balancing and recurrent m/c).