What do people mean by one IVF cycle?

[LuxFleur]

When people mention "IVF cycles" do they mean stimulation, stimulation and collection, or just transfer? If you have had stimulation but no collection because it was cancelled, does that count as a cycle? Or if you have one egg collection but two separate transfers, does that count as one "cycle" or two?

I ask because there are studies etc. about how many cycles it usually takes for different women of different ages, etc., to get pregnant, and after which there is a slim chance. I don't know if they mean the egg collection or the transfers if you do FET or have extra to freeze, etc.

Thanks!

[XOXO13]

I consider a one cycle as to the point of egg collection, and transfers as individual. So I’ve had one IVF cycle and three embryos transfers and I’m doing my second ICSI cycle currently ahead of my fourth transfer. Xx

[LuxFleur in reply to XOXO13]

Thank you for explaining. That's how I think of it, but I wasn't sure if it was correct. xo

[DianeArnold Partner Nurse Fertility Network UK]

Hi LuxFleur. A fresh IVF cycle covers having medication to produce extra eggs, egg collection and fertilisation, then a fresh embryo transfer. Any extra embryos suitable for freezing can be stored and used, usually one at a time on a natural cycle, known as a frozen embryo cycle. An NHS cycle might include one frresh go and one FET, depending upon your CCG criteria. Diane

[LuxFleur in reply to DianeArnold]

Thanks! I'm not doing NHS, but just curious what was meant via scientific studies, for example when it says that a woman was most likely to have success within five cycles. xo

[babycometrue]

Batching IVF is that stimulated IVF for age 44? How many months they can stimulate collect eggs? I mean dont they give break after the whole process. At one clinic(expensive one )showed me Cetrotide plan (first mo ...some meds but no EC) second mo more meds and EC.

[LuxFleur in reply to babycometrue]

I'm sorry I don't quite understand your questions here. Everyone's process and protocol will be different.

In IVF there will be three main medications administered:

An agonist, which prevents you from ovulating before they want you to.

A stimulating hormone, which causes your ovaries to (hopefully) grow more follicles than they normally would.

And a trigger shot, administered towards the end of the cycle to mimic your body's natural LH surge and ideally bring all the eggs in your follicles to maturity and cause you to ovulate when the clinic wants you to.

Sometimes you will start by taking the stimulating hormone, like Menopur for example, and then take an agonist like Fyremadel later on. Other times you will start with an agonist weeks before getting your period, and then begin the stimulating hormone. It depends on what your doctor wants for you.

If you have enough follicles, you will go through with an egg collection. If you have any mature eggs, they will fertilize them. If you have any embryos that result from the fertilized eggs, you can either choose to have them transferred on the third day, or sometimes even the second day, with much lower chances of pregnancy, or you can wait until the 5th day to see if any have gone on to form blastocycts. Some people freeze any embryos or blastocysts that they have, and some have a fresh transfer, or both.

I hope I'm not explaining things you already know! I don't know what Cetrotide is, sorry. xo

[JenRoy in reply to babycometrue]

Batching IVF is just back to back IVF cycles where any appropriate embryos produced from each cycle are frozen and then you undergo a stimulated cycle a month or two after. As opposed to undergoing embryo transfer. The theory is you create a “batch” of embryos quickly and undergo transfers at a later date. Often used if time is critical ie if you’re older.

[babycometrue]

And Second regime/plan/protocol Mild Stum with NET same thing Ec on Second month.

[LuxFleur in reply to babycometrue]

I'm not familiar with the protocol as described, sorry

[Chicky86]

I would agree with XOCO13 above. I have had one cycle and e transfers.

It was a NHS funded cycle which for me covered the one cycle and 1 FET.

I was lucky to get pregnant on my 3rd transfer. Good luck! Xx

[LuxFleur in reply to Chicky86]

Thank you!

[Cinderella5]

My NHS clinic called one cycle this.....egg collection & transfer of any embryos from that collection (fresh & frozen). It can vary from hospital to hospital for what they term as a cycle.xx

[LuxFleur in reply to Cinderella5]

Thanks Cinderella xo

[JulieOcean2]

My clinic classed egg collection and any transfers of eggs from that collection to be done within a year x

[JoyfulStar]

To make things even more confusing, there are multiple ‘cycles’ or episodes of stimulation, egg collection, fertilisation and no transfer just embryo banking.

The transfer happens after 2 or more rounds of stimulation and egg collection. Can you classify those as cycles?

[HJ841]

A cycle as defined by scientific research studies is stimulation, retrieval and transfer of all embryos from that cycle (including any frozen ones transferred separate to the fresh one a few days after retrieval). We had 3 icsi cycles so 3 retrievals and 3 fresh transfers. None frozen on cycle 1 or 2 so straight into another cycle. Our daughter was our 3rd fresh transfer. We have 2 frozen that we are using shortly. I'll still only have had 3 icsi cycles though as they're still part of cycle 3. x

[LuxFleur in reply to HJ841]

Thank you, exactly what I wanted to know.