I had my first FET and had a BFN negative.. Top grade embryo (A11) and good thickness of lining but failed I feel lost and thought a follow up call with a consultant would help but unfortunately I’ve just been told to carry on with another FET without any further advices on how the next cycle could be improved. As I stopped all medications last week post BFN, I’m having a bleed now and thinking of starting another FET transfer right away. Has anyone done this and any success stories? My clinic doesn’t seem to be against this.
Also, I did a medicated cycle before and am wondering whether I should do a natural FET this time. Again, my clinic left this to me to choose and I really can’t decide.. I guess I just want to try something different after one failed medicated cycle but I’m not sure whether it is good enough reason to do natural FET. Does anyone know any potential risks of doing natural FET other than the risk of potential cycle cancellation? For example, I have no idea whether I am producing right amount of hormones?
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Hk12
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Exciting that you’re starting your new cycle! I don’t have any advice on medicated vs natural FET but want to wish you lots of luck with whatever option you choose xxx
Thank you so much!! It’s so hard, even after BFN, the doctor only had 10mins basically saying that I should do another FET.. I was hoping more of some constructive feedback on what could have gone wrong in the cycle and what could be improved but I guess my expectation was too high. Are there any things I need to check or request the doctor in order to improve the next cycle in your view? Thanks!!!
Yeah I know, it’s so unhelpful! I’ve been there too. I think you need to do your research and see if there’s anything extra/different they can do for you.
If next one is unsuccessful, I strongly recommend doing ERA and maybe a hysteroscopy to see if there’s anything amiss - scarring, polyps, endometriosis or anything else.
Thank you so much!! I will be using 1 excellent (A11) embryo this time and will still have 2 ‘good’ (A12) Frosties left.. I don’t know whether embryo grading means much as my first FET was with an excellent one and it didn’t work.. I was thinking of doing those tests after the second FET but I can’t make up my mind because I will be using up my last excellent embryo and will only have 2 good ones left after the 2nd FET.. Do you think I should get those tests done before the second transfer? It’s just so hard to make decision on everything
Look, I think it’s probably too early to go all “nuclear” on testing because first time bfn could be just bad luck. But if after the second one, with your excellent quality blast, it’s another bfn, then definitely do all the tests inc immune ones if you can because no point wasting good embryos if there are other issues.
Wishing you so much luck for the second transfer, I hope it sticks!!
I think there are many benefits to natural cycles (less drugs, usually better lining, possibly better progesterone and slightly cheaper) and my clinic says they have much better success rates. But it is really important that you have regular cycles. I had regular cycles before IVF but after it has been a complete mess with a range of 21 to 30 days. I begged my clinic not to do a natural cycle but as I was NHS funded I had no choice. I started bleeding 4 days after transfer and of course my cycle wasn't successful. Also if you have a condition like endometriosis it may be better to down regulate and control your hormones artificially.
I hate it how clinics just rush from an FET with no consideration or explanation of what may have gone wrong. I just feel our eggs/embryos are blamed and that's it. It's not easy having to make these big decision when you still dealing with the huge dissapointment of a failed cycle. Take care. I hope you have success next round! Xxx
Thank you so much for this, really helpful!! That’s a good point. I have regular period but I just finished my medicated FET cycle so have no idea how it might change my period.. do you think it’s better to just wait till next bleed and do medicated instead? My doctor said it’s ok but I don’t trust her - she had only 9mins to spare for me in a phone appointment and blamed the embryo. I’m doing this privately but how little attention I am getting from the clinic is just shocking. Doctors change all the time too.
I’m so sorry they didn’t give you a choice I thought natural cycle needs more attention (like frequent scanning) so NHS would mostly prefer medicated cycle!! It must have been so upsetting
Did you down regulate with burserelin for a while or have a prostap injection? If so I would personally wait. It also depends on your age. If you are young it may be that your ovaries recover quicker and maybe that's why your consultant said you can go again as soon as possible. My clinic only does a baseline scan with a natural. You monitor ovulation and when there's a peak they book you in for transfer. So that with the addition that there are no costs for drugs (for this round I paid around £600) it financially makes sense for them. It's interesting that in terms of success rates for FET's they are only just above average and their fresh transfers are much more successful. Xxx
Thanks a lot!!!! I didn’t downregulate in my last medicated FET. It was pretty simple procedure which involved me taking Estradiol from day 2 then 5 days before transfer, cyclogest.. thus not a huge amount of medicine but I just thought of trying natural this time, with the hope that maybe my body could do something magical.. my clinic says they will only do baseline scan too and more scan only if ovulation is not detected with urine test.
In that case I don't think there are reasons not to have a natural cycle. I know it's awful to make these humongous decisions but you really should go with what you think is best. If you feel like trying natural- then do it. I'm never sure about my decisions but the ones I made because I didn't want to look back with regret are usually the best ones I've made. Mainly because even if it didn't work out I accept that I made the best decision at the time. If that makes sense 😂
Check out the Colorado protocol. It worked for our third FET although was a chemical miscarriage. But that or the HCg infusion I had with the transfer made the difference. We’ve now had a third ivf cycle and have today been told we have 8 frosties. Fingers crossed the next FET works.
I had my first medicated cycle in January and it resulted in a chemical pregnancy
In July I had another transfer this time they increased my progesterone after the transfer and I had a BFN
My last transfer in September, Which resulted in my current pregnancy , was a medicated cycle and this time I started taking the extra progesterone from the beginning, not sure if that what contributed to the BFP but it worked !
Congratulations!!!!! So happy for you!!!!! I’ve asked the clinic and they said that I can also take progesterone with my natural FET.. they say it will supplement progesterone naturally being produced by the body but won’t do any harm to take extra.. I’m realising that every step of this whole ivf, I’m just left with choices to make for something that I don’t have lots of insights
Unfortunately it’s often down to the embryo. Even the prettiest of blastocysts can be genetically unviable. We produce a lot of eggs that are euploid and will never work, which is why it’s a numbers game and the clinic will just tell you to try again.
It’s very disheartening. I’m hoping to have a FET in the year year and have chosen medicated just for the control aspect. Dreading all the drugs again 😬
It's such a tough journey and as others have said even the best embryos can often not implant. I had a fresh transfer in July with top grade blastocysts and that failed and I agreed with the clinic I could go again for a FET in the cycle after my withdrawal bleed. As I'd had 3 cancelled medicated cycles we agreed to do a natural cycle and it was great! Felt so much easier on my body as I wasn't on medication until after transfer. If you have regular periods and know you ovulate it should be OK. I only had 2 scans to check my lining and had to monitor for ovulation. At the 2nd scan they confirmed I'd not ovulated so they triggered ovulation and I transferred 7 days later. I then took progesterone after transfer, both pessaries and Lubion. I got my BFP. I have no idea whether it was the change of protocol or just a lucky embryo but I think it helps us mentally to try something different. Wishing you lots of luck xx
CONGRATULATIONS!!! I am so happy for you and this gives me hope.. my clinic says they will do a scan to check my follicle but won’t do a scan to check my lining - should i insist on this? I asked whether I need to take progesterone and they said my body will produce it but if I want, I can do, it won’t do harm.. they would check progesterone level on the day of embryo transfer and will give me a call on the results apparently.
Thank you it’s still early days and after a MMC last year I’m cautiously excited! I guess it depends if you’ve had lining issues before, I have which is why they’ve checked but you may not need it. And you’re right your body will produce progesterone but it’s always worth getting it checked to ensure it’s at the correct level. And taking extra won’t be an issue it’ll just provide extra support. Wishing you lots of luck xx
Thank you so much, this is so helpful. I didn’t have lining issue before so maybe that’s the reason then.. fingers crossed it will go well for you!!!!!
Heya, your post caught my eye as I'm also trying to work out next steps after a MC at around 6 weeks. First off, I saw in your post above that they will scan for follicles but not for lining. Is that right? Is this an internal scan? Every single scan I have had, they've always scanned both. The dildo thing is in there anyway so might as well check lining I'd have thought. Unless it's an external scan but I've not heard of that before pre-transfer.
As for the doctors not giving you much time...tell me about it! I had a near breakdown when my doctor missed the important part of my question (we email) and I wrote a very stroppy response. He's a lovely man, alas so busy. I'm now going through his assistant nurse and she speaks with him directly. I'm having DE treatment abroad but luckily my old UK clinic are helping and advising too. The plan now is to have a series of bloodtests to ensure there isn't an immune factor, along with the usual T4, TSH and Prolactin tests. It is most likely that the pregnancy failed due to the embryo, but seeing as we only have one embryo remaining I don't want to leave it to chance to learn the lessons. Even if the tests don't reveal anything he wants to do full immune support at the next transfer. So I'll be going from fairly natural FET with estrogen and progesterone to quite a few more drugs.
Though I will pick this hive's brain on the protocol once I get it.
I am so sorry to hear this.. I think you are absolutely right in doing all those tests, rather than leaving it to chance. I really really hope it goes well. Fingers crossed for you.
The clinic will scan and check my follicles around day 9, then I have to do urine test until I get a smiley face for my ovulation, ring the clinic then they transfer 5 days after with no further scan!! I’ve seen others with more blood works and scans for natural cycle but my clinic doesn’t seem to be up for close monitoring... I’ve been pushy so at least they said they will check my progesterone level
Are you paying for this cycle? If so, check their website to see what they list under the 'package' you purchased. It might specify scans for lining. I honestly am surprised they won't check that as it's so vital for implantation. But I am no medical expert. Yet the ones I've spoken with always emphasise lining. Sorry, not to scare you. I feel you should be entitled to push for this as the impact is potentially huge.
Yes, I’m with private and paying for everything. They scanned for lining with medicated fet but said they won’t do it for natural as my body should be dealing with that naturally..they said different clinics do things differently.. it’s annoying as I don’t understand why it’s so hard for them to just include it when I’m already paying thousands of pounds. All scans are included in my package regardless of how many I need. I can try to push again, but I’m sure they will again say it’s not clinic’s policy. I did manage to tell them to check my progesterone level - would this be somewhat good indication for lining?
So they’re saying that your body should be dealing with things naturally? By that account why would you need IVF at all? Because our bodies aren’t dealing with things naturally! Fine if you and they want to go natural with the meds, but if the lining is too thin or not trileminal (?) it can affect implantation. But this is relatively (as I understand) easy to fix with increased dose of progesterone. Again, I don’t want to scare you so maybe speak with another clinic for their input and/or your GP. Hopefully the other ladies on here will have more insight too. X
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I feel lost and thought a follow up call with a consultant would help but unfortunately I’ve just been told to carry on with another FET without any further advices on how the next cycle could be improved. As I stopped all medications last week post BFN, I’m having a bleed now and thinking of starting another FET transfer right away. Has anyone done this and any success stories? My clinic doesn’t seem to be against this. 
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