Planning 4th cycle - seeking advise recommendation

[zionk]

Hi all,

I'm going through a stressful time trying to decide what step to take next and would love to hear some advise/ reflections from this community. In short...

I have completed 3 FET cycles with bridge center. Two when i was 39), and one in July 2019 when i was almost 41yrs). All with donor sperm. As far as the testing shows I don't have any identifiable fertility issues, other than my age and the 20% chance of success that come with that.

1st cycle - 17 eggs. 4 blastocyst - none genetically balanced

2nd cycle - 17 eggs. 3 blastocyst - one genetically balanced (in storage)

3rd cycle 12 eggs - 2 blastocyst...transferred untested - no pregnancy.

The clinic has been OK, the approach seems to have been lets try all the different protocols and see what might work. I did not get a sense the treatment was tailored, but then again the results are inline with my age.

I am debating whether to move to ARGC for a final 4th round. BUt not sure if there extensive monitorig and huge costs are appropriate for someone like me who has history of just one failed implantation...i'm feel pretty stress at the thought of another cycle but also very nervous to transfer the balanced one just now...

thoughts and reviews very welcome!

Thanks!

Zionk

[Running79]

It’s very difficult to say - We’ve had one complete cycle which generated 2 blastocysts, a 5BB and a 3BB - the 5BB resulted in a pregnancy that failed by the first scan, the other one didn’t result in a pregnancy.

I’m 40 yrs of age and my husband is 57.

We’ve changed consultants, the current one operates at a different clinic but uses the same hospital facilities (being the Lister hospital) - she’s looked at our previous results and come up with some suggested tweaks, this is all depended on my AMH levels which should be back tomorrow.

She has suggested PGT-A testing (genetic testing) but has left that up to us. She has also mentioned endometrial testing which checks the flora in your lining.

I would say our packages so far are very much tailored to us based on our results, we haven’t started this new cycle yet but the proof will be in the pudding.

I have no knowledge of ARGC treatment/results, but have heard they are expensive

[zionk in reply to Running79]

Thanks for your reply. Lister seems to get mentioned a lot.

Has that been you only attempt of implanting? I had PGA testing on two rounds...and not on one. My feeling is if you have several blastocycts it may a good option to pick the best of the bunch...but bear in mind the result may indicate none are healthy...a bit of a shock once you are told you have several good quality BCs.

[Hidden]

Sorry for your journey so far, I am in a similar position - aged 42 (nearly 43) and about to start my 4th round but with my own eggs still.

We go to a not for profit clinic, so have found the experience quite different to a lot of people on here, in that they only offer things if they really think they are of benefit (as less financially motivated). They have been great in terms of adapting protocols and if we go again we will use a different embryo glue and some additional drugs.

However I have asked them about all of the different tests different clinics offer and asked if we were missing out by not doing them. Their feedback was that the extensive monitoring and testing was not proven to produce higher birth rates so they felt it unnecessary.

In my mind you have only had one failed round, which is quite normal so I wouldn't be running to another clinic 'due to implantation failures' as its only once. Having said that something in your message suggests you aren't overly convinced with your clinic? if you do have any niggles it might be worth reviewing another place. But in my experience and from my research the ones who do all the bells and whistles seem to end up a lot more expensive but with similar success rates... having said that, thats only me researching and what my consultant has said.

not sure that helps at all! 🙈 sorry. Masses of luck for round 4 xx

[Purplewitch18 in reply to Hidden]

Hi Daisy, sorry to jump in on this but what is a not for profit clinic? Round here they are all so expensive!

[Hidden in reply to Purplewitch18]

Hey - happy to help! And PS sorry you are having such a horrible time with your cycle lovely

Basically its a clinic that reinvest any profits they make back into the clinic itself - so there's not big bonus for managers/executives and no big pay cheques.. all the money they make is spent on improving the fertility services they offer. We didnt choose them because of that but what we have found (and we've been in this TTC game for 4 years now!) is that there are a lot of people who are going to these clinics who offer this 'truly personalised service'.. for example there is one clinic near us that do blood tests every day to check all of your levels - and obviously you pay for them!! And actually their success rates are currently no higher than other clinics who just do a couple of scans and blood tests. Our clinic don't do the 'big upsell' all the time and instead are quite cautious about offering additional bells and whistles.

Obviously thats only one clinic but I feel like more and more there are 'really modern' clinics opening that offer so many more additional extras and lets face it we are all so desperate for babies its so easy for us to think we pay more we get a better service and I really feel very strongly that that is not always the case and some places do take advantage of basically our desperation and emotions around infertility. And people need to check success rates and see if it REALLY is worth the extra money... and live birth rates not pregnancy rates.

I don't know the clinics that Zionk mentioned so its not a specific dig about them .. need to add that! Wishing you and Zionk heaps of luck whatever she decides! xx

[Purplewitch18 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks so much hun, and i totally agree with you about all the extra blood tests etc! Id much rather go somewhere like this, but how do i find one? I dont want to do another round with who we are with now after whats happened this time, trust in getting the best care from them has gone, but the others look expensive and basically the same typical private clinic. X

[zionk in reply to Purplewitch18]

sorry to hear that PW. What happened during your last round and the clinic?

[Purplewitch18 in reply to zionk]

Its a long story but the egg collection was a fiasco and one of the worst experiences of my life. Same day we found out, and only because i asked about something else, that we has mistakenly been over charged by £1400! So really not good. Follow up is fridat so will see what they have to say.

[MontsJ in reply to Hidden]

Really interested to read this post. I didn’t even know that we there were any not for profit IVF clinics here in the UK. Would you mind private messaging me the name of the clinic?

[Hidden in reply to MontsJ]

Happy to although I am afraid they are only in Brentwood and Woking - not sure where you are based x

[ttcemmie in reply to Hidden]

Hi Daisy. I am also really interested to hear about this not for profit clinic info! Please would you DM me too. Thanks.

[zionk in reply to Hidden]

Hi Daisy,

Thanks for your reply. Can you tell me which clinic you used or PM me. How can you spot if there are on-profit or not?

Like i said the 4th round will probably be my last - i'm not convinced all the extra monitrng helps but its almost to leave the process with less niggling thoughts about this or that not being right.

IT is maddening how easily we spend thousands on treatments and might ponder for months a bout a new sofa or gym membership a fraction of the cost!

[ttcemmie]

Hi zionk. No real advice except to say do whatever your gut is telling you. The advice that we have been given is that there is a lot of luck involved in, and to not go down the genetic testing route yet. I am also about to start my 4th cycle. I have had one successful transfer (MMC) and then two failed ones with no real reason. The doctor has said it's just probability and chances and hopefully we'll get pregnant next time. I don't know if that's reassuring to me or not!