Batch collect then Frozen Transfer vs Fresh Cycles? and other thoughts please.

[luthien]

Just researching the two options and trying to work out which is better / more suitable.

We've had two failed rounds of IVF, both were fresh cycles, 2 eggs fertilised for each. First cycle we had one to transfer, second cycle adjusted medication none to transfer. Transfer for both were at day 5. No hormone tests done, no other tests on sperm done (other than they're normal).

Did those of you whom had a frozen transfer find it easier and less stressful than fresh? I'm thinking trauma to the body after egg collection and all the stims drugs still going round the system.

Did you find batch collection difficult? My clinic is talking about 3 rounds, but hasn't gone through timings / months etc just yet as we're deciding. How many rounds did you manage?

What day did you have your embryos frozen, day 3 of 5 or is that up to the clinic?

As both my fresh cycles were day 5 would a day 3 be better? Or does day 5 "take out" the ones which wouldn't work?

We're looking at another clinic, for a second opinion so if there's any research / studies you know of that may help me read up, let me know.

Thanks

[Fruitandflowers]

I had two rounds and fresh transfers back to back - not for batching but because we had an early loss after the first and then the NHS was so delayed even for FETs, we went private. Second fresh transfer also had the same outcome. So I had two collections and transfers in around 2-3 months on pretty similar protocols and although we got more eggs first time, the second round we got more to blast and freeze (probably a sperm issue of the first round which was ok again on the second, so it may not have been much different otherwise). Both sets of frozen were day 5s. I felt recovered enough to do that and didn't feel any worse or better on the second round. However, I had a FET about a month after the second early loss and found it so much easier and gentler - tbh I regret now having had the fresh transfers as I get the feeling my body wasn't in the right state to support the embryos after collection - it could just have been chance but I got a super early BFP on the FET and it was an entirely different experience from the fresh, and the HCG and other results were much stronger. I think it's quite individual but I've already started to wonder about whether to go for more rounds (age being a factor) and tempted to do batching and then FETs as it seemed to go ok for me.

[Hidden]

Its so often a numbers game. Most clinics take to day 5 to see which are the best for transfer, but my clinic always transferred on day 2 or 3 if there weren't many embryos as their general feeling was 'they have the best chance inside you not in a Petridish, and when you only have one/a few then they are your only hope anyway so you might as well put them back'. I don't think its quite as linear as day 5 taking out the ones that wouldn't work as I have seen people on here get BFPs and have babies from poor quality morulas on day 5.. which you could argue a clinic might label as 'wouldn't work'.. and yet it did. The challenge is grading is only a snapshot in time and not a reflection of what happened three mins later.

I have seen a lot of people have more luck with an FET as their body isn't pummelled and sore like you say.. instead they can get in optimal position for transfer. Unfortunately we never had enough embryos or good enough ones to make that decision so it wasn't available to us. I did manage to get pregnant a couple of times despite being rather sore and battered but they didnt stick for other reasons.

I think if you are worried about your age batching could be a good idea, but can be hard on the body I think. I have had six egg collections in total and I have some legacy problems such as really painful ovulation every month (like in bed painful) due to scarring of my ovaries

Good luck x

[Skittles11]

Hi

My current clinic have me on an embryo batching protocol however it hasn't exactly gone to plan. Just for context I have had previous cycles elsewhere and never done batching before. My new clinic suggested batching because of my low ovarian reserve, and my history, to try and get 2 or 3 viable embryos at my current age. They have recommended 2 rounds.

My first cycle of this batching round went forward as planned. However when I went to be scanned to have my second cycle, my ovaries had not recovered from the previous egg collection. This cycle was supposed to happen off my bleed immediately after the egg collection however I think perhaps some clinics do a duo stim where they stim you again straight after egg collection...don't quote me on this as I'm not 100% sure.

I got one day 5 PGT-A tested embryo from that first round, which has now been frozen.

My clinic don't actually do Day 3 transfers, nor did my previous clinic. Their view is that if the embryo doesn't make it to Day 5 in the lab then it wouldn't make it in the body. I have mixed feelings on this and always find the 5 Day wait incredibly stressful as I always have so few eggs and so few fertilised.

I think getting a second opinion is a really good idea and it would be interesting to learn what you decide, good luck x

[Positivechangeplease]

Think it’s the protocol of my clinic but they only froze day 5. If they didn’t make it to day 5 they wouldn’t freeze them. I think it must be because day 5 have a better chance of the freeze and thaw but I know other clinics perhaps also freeze day 3 embryos

[jinis]

Can't comment on transfer as I haven't reached that stage yet, but I wrote about my experience of batch freezing below. Everyone's experience is different but hope this give a bit of context & how timing works etc.

healthunlocked.com/fertilit...

[hoping2021]

I was supposed to be doing 3 cycles back to back, batching, PGT and then FET. It sounded so simple and so easy back in November when I got the plan. It hasn’t gone to plan. 1st cycle in this multi package we had 4 eggs collected, one fertilised and transfered at day3, second cycle 3 collected (2 mature), and zero fertilised. I have one cycle left. Seriously panicking, but we have male factor issues too. We have decided to try donor sperm for my "last" cycle.