Calcium ionophore / artificial egg activation

[Bluetop1981]

Hi

I had my third egg collection yesterday. My first one was in Dec, I had 9 eggs of which 8 fertilised, and 2 were transfered on D3. None remained to freeze (average/poor quality) and the 2 that we’re transferred resulted in a BNP.

My second and third cycle are part of embryo batching and I should hopefully do a FET next month. In my second cycle, I had 19 eggs, 14 of these were mature and 11 were fertilised. 6 were frozen at D3 (4 x good quality, 2 x average). My doctor suggested we try calcium ionophore this cycle to improve egg quality. This cycle I had 16 eggs of which 15 were mature but only 8 have fertilised. So essentially, I have a worse fertilisation rate on the cycle that should have been improved! Does anyone have any experience of using calcium ionophore?

A part of me (the pessimist) is wishing I hadn’t used it and maybe fertilisation would have been like before.

The other more rational part of me is saying actually maybe the fertilisation rate was better than it should have been with this batch BECAUSE of the calcium ionophore. Also maybe it’s helped weed out the weaklings early on. I don’t know. I’d love to hear experiences please.

I really wasn’t good this cycle in terms of diet and I’m hoping all the sugar hasn’t led my rubbish eggs to be even rubbisher :/

[Hidden]

Hi, Sorry the only experience I have of it is for failed/poor fertilisation.