Improving chances for FET transfer over 40

[Hedvige]

Hi, I'm new to this forum and have been really moved by alot of the posts and the support voiced out there. I have huge respect for the grit and determination of so many amazing women! I'm 45 trying with FET. I did not meet my partner until I was 40, got pregnant naturally not long after, had a miscarriage at 5 weeks, then got pregnant naturally 6 months after that at 42 and had our wonderful little son. We started trying again naturally a few months after my periods restarted but my husband works away alot so missed lots of 'shots'. Blood results for FSH and AMH were pretty good for my age and gynaes here have been encouraging. Had mild IVF in UK clinic last November and got 16 eggs, 10 fertilised, 8 embryos, 4 frozen at blastocyst stage but not great quality. Failed transfer Jan 19, just got failed 2nd transfer this week. We live in France so logistics not easy. 2 left in freezer and really keen to hear experiences of people in terms of optimizing implantation conditions and timing as seems that's key - I know we can't do anything about quality of our blastocysts! Last time I had a scan 8 days before transfer, but no scan just prior to transfer. I feel as though it's important surely to check lining etc again just before transfer? but my clinic doesn't do that. Also contemplating acupuncture....anything really to improve changes for next try. Suggestions really appreciated!

[Debrakay1704]

Hi and welcome, wonderful that you have your son lovely to be able to add to your family. it is harder the older you get so an option for you maybe DE, it is not everyone's choice but worth looking at. xxx

[Hedvige in reply to Debrakay1704]

Hey thanks. Yes, we haven't got to that stage yet and not sure we will.....but is something to bear in mind xx

[Cinderella5]

Im 41 but dont really have any tips as such. We got pregnant after 2 x transfers of OE and 3rd transfer of DE, unfortunately we lost it. Im not sure there is any magic recipe to implantation, the only thing I would say with regards to your scan. My clinic are quite particular of having a good endometrial thickness - my clinic like to see thickness of over 9mm which I struggle with but they are usually ok at over 7mm before starting progesterone and preferably with a trilaminar (triple layered) appearance as this is suuposed to show receptivity. I took DHEA in prep for my last transfer as I read it study that it helps with receptivity but cant honestly say it helped, may just have been my lucky break. I also had steriod cover (prednisolone) last time which Im sure. Ive tried acupundture in the past and it didnt help me along the way but I did enjoy it. Good luck.xx

[Hedvige in reply to Cinderella5]

Hey thx - am so sorry you lost it. So many hurdles to go thru...I have lots of friends who have used different clinics and it does seem like the number of scans etc varies. Wishing you all the best for future efforts. In France they say bon courage/good courage rather than good luck with for IVF can seem really appropriate too! xx

[Hidden]

Hi, I am 42, we have had two rounds but sadly no frozen. We had a bfn first round then a bfp second round but sadly like Cinderella had a MC at 9 1/2 weeks.

I echo Cinderellas words about the lining, is there any way you can insist on a second scan? I have three scans at my clinic (unless its fine earlier on) and my clinic always want a minimum of 9mm - the successful conception mine was 15mm on transfer day.

I drank a lot of pomegranate juice post ET. I have also put myself on royal jelly and Co-Q10. but my consultant said most of that is rubbish and just take vitamins

Good luck xx

[Hedvige]

Thanks for this - same message to you as Cinderella really! I think next time I will get additional scans even if I have them done here in France. I really hope it works for you next time. Bon courage xx

[Firefliesintuscany]

Hello,

I just wanted to write you a note as I found your post really inspiring and I’d like to keep in touch.

I’m 42. Like yourself I met my partner later in life and quite honestly previously had no desire to have children before we met but now I’m in the right relationship it just feels right.

I fell pregnant at 41 but miscarried at 6wks was which was the most awful thing I’ve ever experienced.

We are on a mission to try and conceive again, naturally and through IVF.

We’ve had 2 rounds both times being lucky enough to have decent quality embryos but they just won’t implant!!

I’ve been proscribed Q10, DHEA, Melatonin, and after embryo transfer drank pineapple juice / ate fresh pineapple as numerous people have recommended for implantation (God only knows if it really helps)

My clinic asked if I wanted an endo scratch as they said this ‘may’ help with implantation, but, they couldn’t show me any evidence or stats that it does actually improve implantation so I didn’t do it. It’s extra cost, obviously, and I heard it’s quite painful?? Have you had this procedure done?

Anyway, would love to hear back from you.

Take care Xx

[Hedvige in reply to Firefliesintuscany]

Hey - thanks for your message! and I'm really sorry about your miscarriage - its crazy people don't talk about them more - which is why forums like this play such an important role! It's good news you can get pregnant at least - that's what I hung onto after mine. I haven't had an endo scratch and I don't think there is any evidence out there. The one thing that seems clear to me though is that the window of implantation is important and could tip the balance; from what I understand even if the transfer is being done artificially i.e. not on a natural cycle with no drugs the timing is still important. I had very little checking before my last transfer - only scan was 8 days before transfer and no blood tests - and that doesn't seem logical to me. It does seem that protocols vary alot between clinics - there are so many of them - and that some clinics seem to more hands on monitoring wise. Regarding conceiving naturally; I just came across this site avawomen.com/avaworld/getti... which I found really useful - I didn't realise there was so much variation in success rates around ovulation time. I haven't bought the tracker - might do! but am using ovulation kits more. We have two embryos left and have now been recommended to put them both in at same time as they are shit quality and it's our last chance - still not sure we are going to do that - ho hum!. Good luck with the next try - oh - and do you live in Tuscany?! take care xx

[Firefliesintuscany in reply to Hedvige]

Hello! And thank you for your message.

Thanks for the link to the article, I’ve read it and just bought a whole load of ovulation sticks! I haven’t really been using them because my doctor thought best not to as she said they can lead to unnecessary stress about having to have

sex at a particular time, but I’m going to start using them. She fell pregnant naturally at 40 after years of trying & IVF. It’s hard to know what’s best to do!!

Yes, I definitely feel comfort knowing that we can conceive, I just constantly beat myself up for not trying to conceive sooner, which I know I shouldn’t as having a baby sooner wouldn’t of been right for us.

We’ve bought another round of IVF, but we are getting married in 2 weeks !! :). ( we delayed our wedding for ages due to IVF and when we had the miscarriage we just thought ‘ Fxck it, ‘ we cant keep putting our life on hold, we are getting married .... it’s definitely helped to shift the focus from treatment into something positive. I’m praying it works as my partner is really unsure about pursuing donor egg route, and won’t consider adoption. I honestly don’t know where we would get the money from for donor egg IVF anyway??? How do people afford this??

Re my username, i live in the Midlands. We went to Tuscany 6 weeks after meeting and had the most amazing holiday. I remember seeing fireflies sparkling everywhere at sunset.... hence where my username ‘Fireflies In Tuscany ‘ cane from. It’s one of my happiest memories.

Wishing you all the luck in the world.

Xx