Natural modified ivf good and bad experiences?

[Zebedee1971]

Hi,

We've had two cycles where we got lots of eggs but only two good/average/poor embryos, the latest two were abnormal. I keep hearing about natural modified ivf, as I feel we need quality not quantity. Anyone got any stories-- good or bad-- to share? We're based near London so would be using quite a well known clinic in Central London,

Thanks in advance x

[Ivfgotadream]

I think I’ve commented on your posts before so you know I’m a big supporter of natural modified. But I’ll give you my statistics anyway

Over 2 cycles of short protocol IVF with ICSI - 28 eggs less than 30% fertilised- clinic diagnosed poor egg quality - 4 average quality blastocysts (1 was a PGT tested mosaic from the the second cycle which which were allowed to transfer but ended in BFN)

Over 2 cycles of natural modified with ICSI - 9 eggs - 100% fertilised- 4 top quality blastocysts- decided not to PGT - 2 currently cooking as my twins (12 week scan this week) and 2 more frozen

I was with a clinic which has a branch in London which is well known for natural modified (in fact all they do is mild or natural modified IVF) so you should be able to google it and find the clinic details easy enough

In terms of the good

- cheaper - 3 cycle package with all drugs £13k

- quick - I did 2 egg collections back to back

- less drugs

And the bad.....

- it is a gamble - the first cycle where I only got 2 eggs I was convinced we’d end up with nothing. So very stressful. Literally all your eggs in one backer

But I felt like I had nothing to lose since we weren’t getting great results with “normal” IVF

[Zebedee1971 in reply to Ivfgotadream]

I think that's the clinic we're looking at using. Do yuo mind me asking your age?

[Ivfgotadream in reply to Zebedee1971]

I’m 37 x

[Zebedee1971 in reply to Ivfgotadream]

OK, I'm 38 so not too far off. This is our third clinic, not sure I have the energy to sit through another consultation and fill out those forms again, but I feel like normal ivf is not meant for us... Congrats on your pregnancy x

[Libsie3103]

I really think it depends on the individual. I had 2 cycles and I had 19 eggs both times. In the first cycle 12 fertilised and 3 made it to Day 5 but 2 failed to implant and 1 didn't survive the thaw. On the 2nd cycle 19 eggs again and only 1 fertilised abnormally and had to be destroyed.

My challenge with the clinic I went to, which is well known for Mild / Natural Modified IVF, is that they seemed to have a 1 size fits all protocol and weren't willing to look at anything different after the 2nd cycle despite the evidence that protocol can affect egg quality. It may not have been the clinic as a whole could have been the Consultant.

Everyone I have spoken to since was surprised that I got so many eggs despite the aim being for quality and not quantity - I still don't think I was stimulated correctly but the clinic won't admit that.

[Ivfgotadream in reply to Libsie3103]

Sounds like we might have had the same clinic.....

I would say at my clinic in Birmingham the doctor was great - prepared to listen and it whilst it was me that broached the subject of changing to natural modified IVF he was happy to give it a go and for each of my 3 natural Modified cycles my drugs/protocol etc was tweaked depending on my specific hormone levels that month. One month they even said not to bother as my e2 levels were low and not matching up with what was on the first scan appointment they advised it indicated that eggs would be no good that month and to the the next

I also had several hour long conversations with the embryologist discussing day 3/day 5 and which embryos to transfer and what the embryoscope indicated

Compared to a lot of others even at the same clinic I’d say my care was very individual but I wonder if that was because I did 5 cycles with them and was obviously a VERY familiar face and knew the questions to ask, what to push with them etc

[Libsie3103 in reply to Ivfgotadream]

That’s really interesting as I had my treatment in Birmingham as well and my experience was totally the opposite! I can’t fault the nurses but didn’t get the care and attention you got, far from it. If I had of done I would have probably stayed. He didn’t see the point of looking at my protocol which upset and disappointed me. I’m glad it worked for you though Hun xx

[Ivfgotadream in reply to Libsie3103]

That’s so sad you didn’t have the same experience - I think it’s a clinic that’s very much either 1 hit wonder and pregnant on first cycle or they need multiple cycles to really get a feel for how you might respond. I thought about changing clinics after my second short protocol cycle But by then I’d specifically decided I wanted natural modified and there aren’t many clinics that offer it/specialise in it

[Libsie3103 in reply to Ivfgotadream]

If they hadn’t been so closed to looking at the protocol I’d have stayed but I felt dismissed and like they would have just repeated the same again. I’ve had a better response with long protocol but who knows... I’m hoping our 4th transfer will be the golden egg!! xx