Day 3 or Day 5 transfer?

[LittleT123]

Is day 3 or day 5 better? Or does it just depend on each individual case?

[JA-fnuk Partner Nurse Fertility Network UK]

It can vary depending with different clinics and patients history - trust your clinic If still unsure ask embryologist to explain the reasoning behind the decision for either day 3 or 5Good luck and take care

Janet

[LittleT123 in reply to JA-fnuk]

Thanks Janet yes I will ask when they call me x

[Hidden]

A bit like Janet says I don't think you can say one is better than the other. Remember in the 'olden' days with IVF they only ever did day 3 transfers, day 5 didn't exist and people had good success.

Generally if you have more than 3 embryos a lot of clinics like to take them to day 5 to see which are the 'better' looking ones so they can assess the chances of success because they feel you have enough to risk losing a few along the way. But remember that grading is just a snapshot in time and not definitive. If you have less than that a lot of clinics tend to transfer earlier (i.e day 2 or 3) because they feel that the best place for the embryo is in the woman not in a petridish.. My general rule was if I only got a couple of embryos on day 2 or 3 I might as well put them both back (my age allowed that) as at least I was in with a chance, versus risking losing them in the lab. Whereas other people think 'I only want to transfer them if I know they are good quality I don't want to get my hopes up'. So its all about clinic attitude, personal situation and mindset really.

Don't give up on your 6 embryos, they could easily be more blastos than your last round because often less embryos equals better quality ones. Heaps of luck xx

[JoyfulStar in reply to Hidden]

Very well put Daisy. 😊

[LittleT123]

Thanks Daisy1245 that all makes sense. I was disappointed with only getting 6 eggs but 5 fertilised so that seems quite good compared to my last round when 5 out of 9 fertilised, so I’m hoping my eggs are better quality this time round and also with the ICSI they have selected sperm which they think is the best, so hopefully I may have better luck than last time. Just such an anxious time I’m trying to not over think everything but it’s hard isn’t it. How can you not think about it. Xx

[VariR]

Hi there is a long post on my profile on day 3 vs day 5 from a few days ago. Have a look. Essentially depends on each case.I had 2 top quality embryos and 3 good at day 3. I was not expecting this as i am 44 years. Because of the numbers the embryologist strongly recommend to wait till day 5 and that seemed to be the concensus on the forum.

Yesterday was day 5 and only embryo had got to a decent blastocyte, but it is 5AB which I am told is good. So we had the transfer and I was told at my age there is only a 20% chance this work, i always knew the odds were low . They will tell me today, if the remaining early blastocyte made it to day 6, and they can freeze it.

I asked the embryologist if I should put in the early blasting blastocyte for transfer and freeze the 5AB, and he immediately said no. But now it's playing on my mind that I made the wrong decision. My partner says I think too much! 🤔

[JoyfulStar in reply to VariR]

IVF is so tough and it can be so easy to blame yourself for things outside your control. From what I can see your clinic has given you your best possible shot at being pregnant. They gave you better odds than I ever got!

My partner and I asked our clinic this same question when we had our transfer at day 3 i.e transfer the weaker embryos. It is like we want to save the embryos and hedge our bets. Our clinic said no and transferred the best two embryos. One stuck and the other did not. Chances are the one that did not stick would not have made it to day 5 anyway so you should just wait and see the outcome. Hope it does make it and hoping you get a positive outcome at the end of the 2WW

[VariR in reply to JoyfulStar]

Thanks. Your are right and exactly what my partner has been saying. Just got to believe now and be positive, and put the twinges of worry behind. X

[LittleT123]

Hi thanks for your message and yes that grading is good so hopefully you will get a good result I wish you all the success in the world xxx

[JoyfulStar]

Hey I think Daisy1245 has put it very well. It all depends on the clinic’s policy and your own views. Everybody is different and lots of people get success with both day 3 and day 5 transfers.

Clinics generally like day 5 transfers because it usually means a higher success rate as the embryos have made it that far. Lots of embryos that are unlikely to work arrest/stop growing between days 3 and 5.

From my own personal experience, I went against medical advice and pushed for a day 3 transfer of 2 embryos despite having 4 embryos going strong on day 3. It was driven by fear and faith. I was successful but chances are my day 3 embryo who is now my 5 month old daughter would have made it to day 5 anyway.

All the best with your journey 🙏🏾

[Hidden]

Hi I'm starting my treatment soon. I've been told for me is 5 days blastocyst stage transfer, I'm 38 years