Slower response to FSH stimulatio from cycle to cycle + low estradiol levels

[Dogpark]

Hi everyone,

I started my 3rd egg collection on Monday this week. My clinic decided to start stimulating me on day 2 to poor ovarian reserve. I also introduced growth hormone and steroids for the first time. I am starting to worry about the outcome of this 3rd cycle and I was wondering if anyone went through a similar experience?

-I had a higher AFC before stimulation than last time (8 instead of 5), yet I have less follicles at the 2nd scan than last time (10 instead of 14).

-Follicle size is 7mm to 10mm whereas last time it ranged from <6mm to 12mm

-estradiol level is 530 instead of 700: my clinic asked me to postpone the start of cetrotide injections by one day.

Should I anticipate retrieving less eggs than during my previous cycle?

Thank you all for your advice!

[DianeArnold Partner Nurse Fertility Network UK]

Hi Dogpark. You’re obviously early on with this cycle, so you may be on drugs a little longer, I don’t know. With careful monitoring they will time egg collection to suit follicle sizes. You may not get too many eggs, but hopefully the quality will be good. Hope all goes well. Diane

[Dogpark in reply to DianeArnold]

Thank you Diane.

[mary77777]

Hi. Quality is indeed important and I understand this can also vary between cycles. At the end of stims I had 5 follicles (2 got big enough just in time for egg collection; I have 1 ovary), 5 mature eggs, 4 fertilised, 2 blastocysts made it to day 5. I transferred 1 and am now 22 weeks pregnant.

Good luck! xx

[HopeOfYou]

Having follicles of similar sizes is better than if they were of substantially different diameter: it means they'll develop all together, and they'll mature at roughly the same time.

Good luck!