Low fertilisation rate success stories please!

[Suzy86]

Hi everyone, I had my egg collection yesterday and got 12 eggs. I was really happy with this as last time I got 19 and had bad OHSS so felt these numbers gave me a good chance of some good blasts and avoiding OHSS.

This morning I got the call that 10 were suitable for ICSI but only 3 fertilised.

A little bit of background we had unexplained infertility. First round results in 19 eggs and 8 5day blasts, 5 of which were frozen from normal IVF. We had 2 implantation failures so ordered more tests. Found my husband had a bacterial infection and slightly higher than average DNA fragmentation. He was given antibiotics to clear the infection and we were offered ICSI.

I responded well to new protocol this time, no discomfort and around 10 mature was exactly what my clinic was aiming for this time so it was all perfect. It was all going so well...until this morning!!

I’m trying not to be too defeated, 3 is still better than 0 but I would love to hear some success stories.

Also I don’t know if any body knows this but say all my embryos arrest by Monday would we be able to thaw out some of our frozen embryos and transfer those instead on Wednesday?? Sorry for the long post, keeping positive but totally disappointed!

[Hidden]

Hey Suzy86. First round I had 3 good grade blasts and got 1 transferred.......BFN......Second fresh round 16 eggs collected, only 1 fertilised. Devastated I wrote the round off and tried to convince embryologist to transfer my 2 remaining Frosties from my first round. She said to give this one a go as a 2 day transfer.....so I did. He’s now a gorgeous 5 month old. Quality not quantity. You have 3 so your in a better position! All the best. Xxx

[Suzy86 in reply to Hidden]

Wow thank you. That is really encouraging I’m so glad it worked out for you. I do still have hope but I can’t help but be really disappointed. I just hope these are my three musketeers!

[Hidden in reply to Suzy86]

Your also in a great position with so many Frosties too but give these 3 fertilised eggs a chance! Good luck! Hope you get your BFP x

[Suzy86 in reply to Hidden]

I am definitely routing for my little embryos and certainly not given up on them it was just quite a shock this morning to be honest. I still feel disappointed and can’t say I won’t worry until Monday but I do still have hope. As for my Frosties I have no idea if they are any good as I just assumed my husbands bacterial infection was what was causing the implantation failures and that maybe the ones in the freezer are no good. Still if the worst does happen and none of my 3 make it at least I can transfer something! This is such an up and down process, I find this part of IVF the most challenging that’s for sure!!

[Hidden in reply to Suzy86]

I know.....it’s such a rollercoaster and frustratingly out of our control. Hang in there 👍 x

[donnielime]

Hi Suzy, I only had 4 eggs collected and just 2 of them fertilised via ICSI. Both got transferred as 3 day embryos, I am currently 5 weeks pregnant. Still early days I know, but I never expected this result. It just takes one! Good luck <3

[Suzy86 in reply to donnielime]

Oh wow thank you and huge congratulations. I’ve come round to thinking that IVF success shouldn’t be viewed on the numbers game and although we got good numbers last time we are yet to have success with those blasts. Maybe my 3 musketeers from this round are the ones! 🤞🏻

[HollyT7]

Hey we had 24 follicles, 16 collected, 9 mature, 3 fertilised, all made it to day 5. Fresh cycle ended in chemical, currently 15+1 with our little frostie xxx good luck!!! It only takes one xxx

[Suzy86 in reply to HollyT7]

This gives me so much hope. Thank you for sharing with me and congratulations on your pregnancy! It’s so wonderful to see success when it feels pretty hopeless!

[HollyT7 in reply to Suzy86]

I am SOOOO happy for you!! XXX

[Suzy86 in reply to HollyT7]

Eeeeee! Thank you!! Xxxx

[EBeee]

You just can’t predict numbers but three fertilised is three good chances!

My friend had 14 eggs and less than half fertilised and only 3 blastocysts from all that and he and his wife got a baby first time!

For me no baby yet but this is a good example of numbers up and down (we are currently in the 2 ww on cycle 3 - we’ve never had spares to freeze).

Cycle 1: 6 eggs, 1 immature, 5 fertilised but one ‘double feetlised’, only one got to blastocyst.

Cycle 2: 3 eggs, 1 immature, 2 got to blastocyst.

Cycle 3: 8 eggs, 1 immature, 7 fertilised but two ‘double fertilised ‘, 4 went to blastocyst but only two were actually good blastocysts.

So the point is you don’t know how each little embryo will fair, but the fact that there are three fertilised doesn’t mean they’ll not get there. Remember you only need 1.

[Suzy86]

My 3 embryos are still going strong, can’t quite believe it! So we are going for a 5 day transfer.

So I’m confident we will have at least once to transfer on Wednesday. I’m so so relieved. Once less hurdle to jump and positivity and hope restored!