periods stopped, recommended progesterone, what does this mean for egg quality?

[pollypopps]

Hello

We were hoping to embark on one go at natural IVF.

I am 39, have low AMH and high FSH and have been told I will go through the early menopause.

Recommended to use an Egg donor, chose my sister, but alas her tests came back low too, so not going ahead with it.

So we have been told natural IVF at a 10% chance of success would be an option for us.

Now my period seems to have stopped, its been 50 ish days since my last one, with some brown spotting about 15 days ago.

The clinic have said they can give me progesterone to start my periods, but we're really worried now about my egg quality. Does anyone have any experience of this? I've emailed the clinic and asked about the success rate now, but wanted to see if any of you had been through this and come out the other end positively?

Is it a waste of our hard saved money?

xx

[DianeArnold Partner Nurse Fertility Network UK]

Hi pollypops. Sorry to hear of this dilemma. I think that once your period has started, why don’t you go and see your GP and ask him/her to order you a blood test called a “Day 21 progesterone test”. This is done on day 21 of your cycle as it says, and will tell you whether you are in fact still ovulating. The result should be more than 30. Obviously, as we get over the age of 36-38yrs are egg quality and production does goes down anyway. If all is still not well, would you consider using an egg donor from someone other than your sister? I don’t mean this to sound a casual remark, but there are many babies who have now been born using a donor, and you would be able to give birth and breastfeed just the same. Worth some thought. I do wish you both well with whatever you do decide. Kind regards Diane.

[pollypopps in reply to DianeArnold]

thanks Diane, I think I will try and get my GP to do another day 21 test, if I ever get to 21 that is!

We did consider (unknown to us) egg donors, but my husband isn't keen, we'd have to go abroad, so even more stress and actually I think we need some boundaries otherwise we when do you stop.

BTW the private clinic has said it won't effect the success rate if I have to use progesterone!!

xx

[DianeArnold Partner Nurse Fertility Network UK]

Hi. No, it is just to hopefully build up your womb lining, so that you have a bleed. Unfortunately, it has no bearing on egg quality. Diane

[pollypopps]

ahh its becoming clearer, thank you x

[pumpkin1]

Hi pollypops. I'm 38 with one failed ivf cycle behind me. I'm now day 38 without a period. 2 x negative pregnancy tests. I've never missed a period so starting to worry that there is something else wrong with me. I understand how you feel. I either have very low reserves or I'm very sluggish at producing eggs. If my periods are now non existent then will we be wasting our money too. Arrrg why is it so hard to get what we want sometimes. Lol. Good luck to you.