is it worth trying anymore?

[Mom_Njai]

Hi ladies,

I had 2 embryos from my first IVF cycle, 1 ended in bio-chemical and another turned up as complex aneuploid with trisomy 1,3,5,18,21.

is it worth trying again at my age, turning to be 42?

my AMH dropped 2.7ng from 3.7 last year.

Please share your experience.

Thanks in advance

[DreamingOfTwo79]

Hello Mom_Njai, I am sorry you are feeling so deflated. I am 43, turning 44 in February, and am in the middle of my first stim cycle. Like you, my AMH is low (3.2) and we have high DNA fragmentation on my partner's side. It was suggested to us we go with back to back embryo freezing cycles with PIMSI and have any resulting blasts PGT-A tested as at least two of my miscarriages can be attributed to chromosomal abnormalities. I cannot speak to any success yet as I've still got my first egg retrieval to look forward this weekend to but I'm trying to take each day and step of the process as it comes. The consultant was quite open with us that our chances for success are minimal but my view is that as long as there is a chance, however small, I want to give it a shot. It is so difficult to know whether it is the right thing to keep going but I try to focus on the goal. For me personally, a coping mechanism is to know that I have really exhausted all my options in order to be able to move on whatever that might then entail. Before I started my IVF journey I set myself a limit with regard to number of cycles and my age. Of course I have no way of knowing how I will feel at the end of my two cycles if it turns out we have no blasts to transfer but my view is I have nothing to gain from thinking the worst so all my focus is on trying to stay optimistic, the poignant word here being "trying". I was quite anxious before I started the cycle but now that I am seeing a response to the medication I feel a little more reassured. I want to be realistic with my expectations but that doesn't mean that I won't feel crushed if it turns out my body can no longer help to produce healthy embryos. Are you receiving strong support from your partner? What are his views with regard to next steps? Would you consider adopting to grow your family? Would donor eggs be an option? Before we decided to do IVF my partner and I talked about all these things at length to maybe have a plan B if our two embryo freezing cycles won't give us the much longed for sibling for our son (who, like you, I also conceived naturally, I was 39 at the time). Perhaps counselling is also an option you could explore to get some clarity on what you want and need to do next? Wishing you so much strength and faith. Feel free to message me if you would like to chat further. Fran

[Sparks123 in reply to DreamingOfTwo79]

Hi, can I ask what your DNA fragmentation was percentage wise. We just got told my husbands is 53% and with my dropping amh im just stuck!

[DreamingOfTwo79 in reply to Sparks123]

Hello Sparks123, sure, we did the Comet one, his average comet score is 44% (proportion with low damage is 14%, proportion with high damage is 33%), hence our consultant switched her recommendation from IMSI to PIMSI.

[Mom_Njai in reply to DreamingOfTwo79]

DreamingOfTwo79 , Thanks for sharing your thoughts and experience. I will connect you directly! Wish you a lot of luck and hugs!

[Lily4yrttc]

I’m 41 and just got a first time BFP after 7 transfers. You just never know. But you have to do what’s right for you with all things considered. I went back on my ‘no more treatment’ decision twice. So do what’s right for you for the immediate term. ❤️ Xxx

[DianeArnold Partner Nurse Fertility Network UK]

Hi Mom_Niai. Don't know what type of cycle you had, but it might be an idea to think about a mild approach, to encourage eggs to release and are not forced out. Probably just 2-4 collected, but it is a thought. Otherwise perhaps moving on to try with an egg donor?? Huge luck with whatever you decide to do. Diane

[Mom_Njai in reply to DianeArnold]

Hi Diane,

I was on 12 days stims on 300 menupur , had 11 mature eggs but only two made to day5, I ended in bio-chemical (it was FET and not tested for PGT-A) and other one aneuploid. I don't had any health issues other than age factor. Wondering, is it that all my eggs are chromosomal abnormal and perhaps there is no point in trying 2with my eggs anymore?

Thanks for the wishes and advice!