Can anyone please give me some advice on improving success for 6th transfer

[Booda21]

Hi guys,

A bit of background, I have been trying to conceive for 5 years now. And it has been 18 months since I had my first round of icsi. I had 7 blastocysts after my first cycle. I have had 4 failed transfers (one fresh 3 frozen) my last frozen transfer I had a double transfer and I did actually get pregnant but it was short lived and ended in an early miscarriage.

I’m going to be transferring my final embryo on my next cycle. I’m currently on day 5 of this cycle but decided to wait until after we have been on holiday as I think my transfer would have fell on our week away and after a crazy year I need a break.

I was basically wondering if anyone had any advice or recommendations for supplements or anything I should be asking my clinic going forwards. I had acupuncture last cycle which I will do again as I really enjoyed how it helped me to relax. I have taken a conception multi vitamin for years now.

I’ve had era testing, Emma and Alice. I’ve had the care unity test and I’m currently awaiting results from a blood test which can say if I need to be on clexane I think it is, due to recurrent implantation failure and miscarriage. Is there anything else I should look at? My clinic said there isn’t much proof that testing for natural killer cells can be beneficial. So I suppose I have to go with their advice, they’re the experts right!

I would just appreciate some or any advice, and if anyone has looked into anything else after multiple failed transfers. If this last embryo doesn’t work we are going to get our embryos PGS tested to see if they’re genetically normal but they said with just one embryo left I should wait for a fresh cycle to do this. As it’s nhs funded I can’t have a new cycle until I have used this embryo.

Thanks to anybody who takes the time to reply or just read

[Marisa32]

Looks like you've already done most of the tests, except for PGS. Check your TSH, if you haven't already, should be below 2 best at 1. Other than that I think you just hope for the best with this last one and do PGS next cycle. Also maybe DNA fragmentation test on sperm before starting a new cycle. Good luck!

[Booda21 in reply to Marisa32]

Oh yes they have suggested the dna fragmentation which I will also do prior to a new cycle. I forgot about that one. What is TSH? Thank you x

[Marisa32 in reply to Booda21]

Thyroid Stimulating Hormone. They usually look at TSH, T4, T3 etc. All part of Thyroid check, one of the most important hormones for successful pregnancy.

[Ivfgotadream]

I’d request prednisolone steroids anyway (if the clinic are allowing it - it was hard to get due to covid last year). I’d also have your progesterone tested on transfer day to check it’s a good level? I also upped my cyclogest to x3 per day

Supplements never made any difference to the success/failure of my transfers but I did lose 1/2 a stone before my successful transfer and because I couldn’t do acupuncture due to lockdown I did this holistic thing the acupuncturist said to try - putting hands on your uterus area to keep it warm, imagining the baby implanting like a flower/tree and also bed socks to keep feet warm

[Booda21 in reply to Ivfgotadream]

Thank you for your reply! Yeah I did that last cycle, which is the one that worked, 5th time lucky! But wasn’t to be. I am within my healthy weight still but definitely have about 5 lockdown pounds I need to shift! The ability to drink following the early miscarriage definitely hasn’t done anything for my diet either, although I have cut right back again! Yeah they did that for me one time, but I think it was because they didn’t realise I was an nhs patient, not private. There was some mix up with my round the 4th time. Maybe I will ask if they can check it for me. It’s just so frustrating as everything at every stage is always perfect, no known problems. Just doesn’t take. And when it did it didn’t last. Hopefully I get there one day. Congratulations on your success xxx

[DianeArnold Partner Nurse Fertility Network UK]

Hi Booda. Oh dear you've been through so much. I expect you've tried either low dose soluble aspirin or heparin to ensure good blood flow o your womb lining and hopefully prevent clot formation??. I do hope the last transfer goes well, but perhaps looking into DNA fragmentation of the sperm when you try again - just a thought. Diane

[Booda21 in reply to DianeArnold]

Thanks for the reply. Yes the clinic have suggested that test on my partners sperm next time prior to a new round if this one doesn’t take either. It’s just such a mine field. Just thought it would work after the 1st one but that’s not always how life works. I’m not really down with all the ins and outs of it even after all this time. I haven’t actually ever had aspirin through any of this. I will definitely ask my clinic about taking this though for my next one. Here’s hoping it is the one and I don’t have to start a new round 🤞. Thank you x

[DianeArnold Partner Nurse Fertility Network UK in reply to Booda21]

Hi. I do hope so. Diane

[Vicster80]

I am currently 14 weeks pregnant following my 7th transfer. This time we moved to prontogest injectable progesterone on top of pessaries. To prepare myself I took zita west ivf vitamins for a month or so before the transfer. Not sure if any of this made the difference but it certainly didn’t hurt!

[Booda21 in reply to Vicster80]

Thank you! And congratulations too! Yeah I have half injectable progesterone and them the pessaries normally, one in the morning and one in the evening. Just so much unknown isn’t there. Our bodies really are a mystery xx

[Zari2 in reply to Booda21]

Hello, after transfer, my clinic advised me to not take sugar and have a bed rest. I was given pessaries twice a day and prontogest injection everyday for ten days. I hope this helps.

[XOXO13]

Oh lovely, you’ve been through a lot. Good for you for taking a break to enjoy your holding, sounds like it’s very much needed.

After our third transfer ended in a chemical pregnancy, we both had the genetic karyotype test and I’m having a hysteroscopy on Wednesday. For my third transfer, I also had aspirin and heparin and it was a double transfer which I think helped get us a step further than our previous transfers.

If our genetic results come back with an issue, our embryos will then move forward with PGD testing (not to be confused with PGS).

We have also decided to move clinics, and our new clinic is going to perform the immunology screening for NK cells as whilst its controversial, I tick every box as someone who should be considered for the test (repeat implantation failure, 2x miscarriages, autoimmune disease within the family x2, under 35, IBS etc.) so for me I felt it was worth just ruling it out as an issue.

Wishing you lots of luck with your next transfer 🍀🌈🦋🤞🏻 Xx

[Booda21 in reply to XOXO13]

Thanks for the reply! Yes definitely worth it if they are happy to test you for it. It’s just so frustrating when you want answers isn’t it. Surely there is a reason behind it all. I’m 33 but my partner is 45. I think his motility wasn’t great which is why we had icsi. But other than needing a probiotic, every other test has always come back normal. I wish you the best of luck with your new clinic! Hopefully one day we have different stories to tell take care xx