FET with day 5 Blastocyst

[HelenJudi1]

hello all,

I’m just after your thoughts / experiences really.

I’m waiting to have a FET with a day 5 blastocyst. And I’ve had three blood tests last week and i was told to come back on Monday for another. This means the earliest I’ll get the transfer is Tuesday which by my calculations means I will be day 21 of my cycle!

Surely that’s very late?!

I used to have a lot of faith in my clinic (it’s all private) but during covid they merged with another and I just don’t feel it’s the same service at all. With my first round of ivf (currently on my 2nd) I got three blastocysts to day 5 frozen, one A and 2 Cs. The A grade worked and I had my little girl in 2020 and I tried in 2021 with the two C grades but both failed. I had felt those transfers were late but when I questioned it I was basically told that it was probably because I’m heavier now. To give you context I’m 10lbs heavier than when the A grade worked. I had initially decided that I was done but then this year thought I’d try one last time and we went for a second round, I had 20 eggs at collection, 13 fertilised and then only 2 made it to day 5 blastocyst. One A and one C.

I’m really stressing (although trying not to) because I just feel this is late again and because of this it’ll be another failure! I really can’t remember exactly when it worked with the A grade but I’m sure my transfer was on day 19!

Anyone had what they feel is a late transfer and had success?

Thanks for reading!

[Tracy45_6]

Hiya, is it mediated or natural?

[HelenJudi1 in reply to Tracy45_6]

Sorry, I should’ve said, it’s a natural cycle…

[Tracy45_6 in reply to HelenJudi1]

Oh right, so is your surge being monitored purely through blood tests? I was told that my transfer would be six days after the LH surge which I monitored using ovulation sticks. They didn’t use blood tests to monitor my surge. But in your case it sounds like they are monitoring your surge through blood tests?

[HelenJudi1 in reply to Tracy45_6]

Yeah I think that’s what they are doing… but surely they should’ve seen that by now? And if so they could’ve booked me in for transfer? I did ask at my last bloods (yesterday) but I didn’t really get an answer just told to wait to hear and to make an appointment for Monday in Case I need it and then I just got a text saying to attend my appointment on Monday! It just feels very late.

[Tracy45_6 in reply to HelenJudi1]

It’s hard to say, some clinics do use blood tests but I thought it was used in addition to ovulation home tests. Did they advise you not to use ovulation tests yourself or something?

[HelenJudi1 in reply to Tracy45_6]

No they didn’t, I haven’t got any of my transfers. This will be transfer number 4.

[Tracy45_6 in reply to HelenJudi1]

I would suggest you ask your clinic to explain how they are calculating your days. I was due to have a natural transfer this month but my transfer day fell on a Saturday hence why I couldn’t transfer today. But the point I’m making on this is, my clinic clearly explained to me the logic and importance of the window between LH surge and transfer. It gave me a clearer understanding. So I would suggest you ask your clinic to explain what they are looking for and what the timeframe window is. Wishing you all the very best xxx

[HelenJudi1 in reply to Tracy45_6]

Thank you! I will need to ask more questions when I go on Monday for my blood test.

[Twiglet2]

Hi 👋🏼 my last natural FET my transfer was day 20, 5 days after my LH surge so it really depends on when that happens for you. That particular month 🤗 We were monitoring with ovulation tests at home and when got solid smiley booked in that day for a blood test. The first test I wasn’t quite their yet even though solid smiley on ovulation tests so went back the next day for bloods and then I was. Transfer was booked for 5 days later. I am not sure what they are testing for tomorrow? Have you had your surge do you know? I have had an IUI the same day as bloods before (they took the bloods in the morning and called me in the afternoon to come down for the treatment) but obviously with IUI they are timing the sperm insemination with your surge on the same day, where as 5 day blasts are transferred 5 days after surge. I hope that makes some kind of sense and gives you an idea on what to ask at your appointment tomorrow around what they are testing for and what the process is xx

[HelenJudi1 in reply to Twiglet2]

Thank you! I appreciate you replying! I’m not really sure what tomorrow is for, I thought this whole time that they were looking for a surge so to speak but if they haven’t seen that already then it won’t be happening because my period is due in 9 days! I’ll have to ask in the morning when I go xx

[Viltis]

Hi, my LH surge monitored by blood tests was last Sunday and the FET of a day 5 blastocyst was yesterday(Saturday).

The nurse explained that the LH surge day counts as -1, then ovulation day counts as 0 and then 1,2,3… and the transfer should be on day 5. It was my 20th period day. I hope this counting helps😊

If you don’t mind I have a question about the natural cycle and progesterone as it was my first natural cycle after two medicated ones. I found out myself about the natural cycle and demanded my clinic to have one -as there are no problems with me and hormones messed me up a lot. My clinics said they don’t give progesterone with natural cycle. I have loads of progesterone pessaries left from my previous medicated cycle which ended up in miscarriage. Should I use them on my own accord? Or if it’s all natural my body will produce enough? I’m so lost as the clinic didn’t give me enough information and this is our last embryo.

[HelenJudi1 in reply to Viltis]

Hello! I’ve only ever done a natural cycle and I’ve never used pessaries (even with my one success) my assumption is that with a natural cycle your body should produce all you need. I’d be reluctant to use them without being advised by my clinic - surely they can check your progesterone levels for you with a blood test if you ask? Then you would know whether you should. I do know women who have used the pessaries on their natural cycles!

[Midsummer_daydream]

Day 21 sounds right to me if you ovulate on day 16, or detected your surge with solid smiley face on day 15. I had natural FET with my last transfer and was monitored with at home ovulation kit (although they did take a blood test when I went for a scan on day 15, which I told them I had a surge the night before) and my transfer of 5 day blast was on exact 5 days after ovulation day. It is counted as belowSurge day: -1

Ovulation day: 0

Then 1,2,3,4

Transfer day: 5

I did have pessaries support from ovulation day all the way until test day.

Hope that helps

[HelenJudi1 in reply to Midsummer_daydream]

Thank you, I’m just a little confused because had they seen what they were looking for then I feel like they would’ve just booked a time / date for transfer … and if it’s not happened yet then surely it just won’t happen this month because it’s to late now… I’ll need to ask tomorrow I think…

[Tracy45_6 in reply to HelenJudi1]

Yes keep us posted with what they say xxx

[HelenJudi1]

So, I had my bloods this morning and I asked the nurse what was going on and how I felt this was late and she was very dismissive. She said that she is an NHS nurse that had been called through the ‘bank’ to the private clinic to do bloods etc and that she couldn’t answer any questions! I was pretty annoyed by that, not her fault but you pay a lot of money for private treatment so I had at least hoped to have a nurse that could answer questions… that aside, I got a phone call just now with my results from today. So apparently I have now ‘surged’ with levels being 8 on Friday and 34 today. I’ve no idea if that’s good or bad! And I’ve been booked in for transfer on Saturday (time to be confirmed). I said that my period is due in 8 days (so 3 days after transfer) but she just said I must be having a longer cycle this month and that can happen. I asked about my previous transfers (I’ve had 3 with one success) and she said that in all my other cycles I’ve surged around day 16 and that with my success it was 4 days earlier than this month. She didn’t seem worried though and just said that they go solely by my hormone levels so Saturday is definitely a good day for transfer 🤷🏻‍♀️ I’m waiting for my OH to come home from work to see their views. What do you ladies think?

[Tracy45_6 in reply to HelenJudi1]

Hiya, I came on here to see if you had updated. That’s not ideal about the dismissive nurse. Okay in that case perhaps you just need to trust what they are saying and still continue to ask questions if you don’t understand something. I don’t know how the hormone rises work so I can’t offer any help on that I’m afraid. Wishing you all the very best for Saturday, eeeeeeek very exciting xxx