Lean PCOS and low blastocyst numbers

[Jude6]

Hi Everyone, hoping that some of you ladies will have experience of going through IVF due to lean PCOS.

First egg collection was 2 weeks ago and the numbers were: 24 eggs collected, only 11 fertilised. Of the 11 only 2 made it to day 5 blastocysts. FET is scheduled for 3 weeks time. Had our consultation this evening and the numbers are lower than he would have liked. If our FET isn't successful we were advised that the next stage is to have further investigations in a "process of elimination" approach to see why our numbers were low. Fingers crossed we get good news with our two frosties. I'm just wondering if anyone has any experience with this? I've read that PCOS can lead to poor quality eggs...

[Llama1]

Hi Jude6,

Just wanted to say I'm in a similar boat. Borderline PCO, had almost 60 eggs collected, 27 fertilised but only 2 made it to blasto. We were so disappointed! Had hoped to fill a whole freezer ; )

We talked to the embryologist about the reasons for this and she couldn't say much really, just that sometimes when so many eggs are collected, lots will come from smaller follicles and not be mature so are less likely to develop. She did emphasise that it could well be this rather than poor egg quality.

It all seems a bit of a mystery though. Do let me know if you find any more info, and good luck with your next steps x

[Jude6 in reply to Llama1]

Thank you so much for the info, I’ll keep you posted with any developments in treatment xx

[DianeArnold Partner Nurse Fertility Network UK]

Hi Jude6. I agree with whaT "Llama1" has said about the follicles not being large enough for mature eggs to slip into. Fingers crossed for your little frosties, and all goes well. If it doesn't, they should have learned lots about you and your reaction to this cycle, so maybe be able to fine-tune it betTer next time. Still, that's not yet, so "come on you frosties"! Diane

[Jude6 in reply to DianeArnold]

Thanks Diane xx

[ZessB]

Hi,

I had two failed ICSI before with 62 eggs collected the first time and 32 the second and only one blastocyst left to put in, which resulted in BFNs. We then changed clinics and tried a new protocol that we found through doing a lot of research with DH (link here haveababy.com/fertility-inf...

So from Gonal F we switched to menopur but before starting I was on the pill for 3 months - to bring down LH levels. I overlapped my last 3 pill days with Buserioin injections and continued it for 3 pill-free days, so 6 days altogether. Then started menopur on 112.5 on cd 2 and added cetrotide later on. I was stimmed for 12 days and my E2 levels came back normal, which was a first for me as I developed OHSS on both failed cycles.

Fast forwarding... I am now 6 weeks pregnant with a perfect hatching blastocyst and there are 6 other blastocyst in the freezer. So please don't believe them when they blame your egg quality or sperm quality. The fault lies in the protocol, especially for us PCOS sufferers whose bodies don't respond well to 'normal protocols'.

Changing clinics and finding a doctor who was happy to go along with the protocol we had heard about made all the differenc for us. Our last clinic was using the same for all and coming up with awful claims: " never saw that before, we don't understand, etc".

Hope this helps, let me know if you need more info and good luck xx

[Jude6 in reply to ZessB]

Thank you for this it’s really interesting and a massive congratulations to you! xx