Immune testing and protocols when doing IVF

[Skittles11]

Hi

I'm interested to learn more about how immune protocols work alongside IVF treatment. It's probably me overthinking it but I don't get it! I'm interested in knowing:

- Did people get immune testing done at their IVF clinic or at a separate clinic (if your clinic didn't offer it perhaps)?

- If separate clinics were used and treatment was needed how did it work following IVF protocol alongside immune clinic protocol?

- How do you know which immune tests to get? My clinic offer natural killer cell blood test, I don't know if this alone is sufficient as some places seem to offer many more.

Thanks all as ever for sharing your knowledge and wisdom, I learn so much on this forum!

Xx

[IVFat40]

Hello hun, my clinic don't do any kind of immune testing, so I referred myself to the research project funded by Tommy's at Coventry hospital/Warwick University (Dr Brosens), where they do uterine biopsies to test for natural killer cells - mine were high so they recommended (in writing) steroids and also the scratch. I took their report/recommendations to my clinic who then prescribed the steroids (and I had ERA which also acts as a scratch).

For me my first transfer (FET) with the steroids resulted in my son (I'd had 7 embryos fail prior to that), so I'm a really big fan of immune testing and the study run by Dr Brosens.

[Star3129 in reply to IVFat40]

Your message has given me so much hope, I have had few failed transfers and after you mentioned yours 7 failed and then you had your son is kind of hope I want.

You made my day,truly thankful for your reply🙏

Could you please tell me what was the protocol you were on and your meds please if you don't mind

[IVFat40 in reply to Star3129]

I'm so pleased this has helped to give you hope hun, I would definitely recommend Dr Brosens and his team, especially if you're struggling with implantation failure and/or early losses.

Dr Brosens recommended prednisolone (steroids) which I started the day before transfer and took till 12 weeks.

I did a natural modified FET, so I used an Ovitrelle trigger (to make it easier to time the transfer just right) and cyclogest pessaries (Progesterone).

Good luck hun, this can be such a tough journey.

[Star3129 in reply to IVFat40]

Thanks for the luck,need the most. Xx

How with the trigger transfer could be timed ,if I may ask?

[IVFat40 in reply to Star3129]

I also did the ERA test (which came out receptive), so I replicated the same amount of time between trigger and transfer from my ERA cycle for my FET cycle

[Skittles11 in reply to IVFat40]

Thank you for your reply to my post and many congrats on your son after what sounds like a turbulent time. I have sent you a private message xx

[Skittles11 in reply to IVFat40]

Hi, I know this was from a while ago but I remembered you'd mentioned it and I am currently in a bit of a pickle. Did you have your NK biopsy done at the same time at the ERA or were they done in different cycles?

I have been told two different things and now totally confused!

Thanks x

[IVFat40 in reply to Skittles11]

I had mine done separately, unfortunately my clinic didn't offer the uterine nk cells testing so I had to go elsewhere for that, to the Tommy's clinic (they do two biopsies, in consecutive cycles), and then I has ERA done at my clinic (the ERA was done the cycle before transfer so it also acted as a scratch). It was all a bit of a faff with the three biopsies but worth it in the end.

[Millbanks]

Hi Skittles,

I had the full immune profile done at the clinic I was with. It’s called the Chicago bloods. It tests everything not just natural killer cells but they are the most likely culprit which I assume is why some clinics only offer that one.

I had my first intralipid drip done at a different clinic due to covid but after that it was done at mine. The steroids were prescribed by my clinic.

I was offered a uterine biopsy for NCK but after my ERA I opted for the bloods instead.

Xxx