Tests at Coventry (NK testing, ERA, Trio etc.)

[Orangeflowers]

Hello all,

I have two untested blastocysts frozen, which are my last shot with my own eggs as having turned 44, I struggle to make them now.

I've been recommended to have tests before transfer as over 6 fresh cycles and transfers I've had no evidence of implantation at all. It's likely to be due to my poor egg quality and genetic abnormalities, but I want to rule implantation issues out.

I'm waiting for my follow up consultation after another BFN, but want to know more about the tests I'm probably going to do.

Has anybody done tests at the implantation clinic in Coventry recently? What is the process for being referred and how long is the wait list? I think you only need one NK test if it's positive for high NK cells, but 2 if the first one is negative? That could mean it would be a lengthy process as if the results don't come back in time a cycle would be missed. How long has it taken you in practice? Was it worth it?

What tests are offered? I'm not sure if my clinic would do some biopsies and it would just be NK at Coventry.

Any experiences appreciated.

I hope everyone's journey's are going well, and luck is around the corner x

[MrsBless]

Sorry to hear, about your story 😢 and about the tests. If was me I wouldn't test, why spend money on test. If they're OK they are going to work if not they don't. All the money, time to found out they are not good enough or they are and maybe ending up with no transfer, I it would be even more painful. I am at the same age as you I am going for eggs donation after two rounds of failed IVF.

Wishing you the best luck and hope ❤️ 💕

[Orangeflowers in reply to MrsBless]

Thank you for replying The tests I'm planning on having are for failed implantation. Tests which assess whether there is any bacterial infection, or high natural killer cells and at what point progesterone should be given on a frozen transfer. My reasoning is that if I have a problem, even with top graded blastocysts, it wouldn't work.

I'm not planning on PGTA on my frozen embryos. The freeze thaw would be too much risk and it would be too expensive.

I hope your next steps go well x

[Elmo13 in reply to Orangeflowers]

Hi Orange Flowers.

I’ve had the Coventry Implantation testing. Wait was maybe a few wks for a Zoom consultation then use ovulation predictor kits and contact the clinic when you know the date of ovulation. They need to see you for a biopsy within a certain number of days- can’t quite remember off the top of my head.

The results were back with me within a week or 2. Unfortunately my likely ovulation date was inaccurate (I have PCOS so this can be challenging), so the results weren’t really diagnostic. I’ve been advised to repeat the test under a mock frozen cycle scenario. Hopefully it will be more straightforward for you.

Personally I think it is worth testing. I don’t want to look back and think I wish I had if that makes sense.

Wish you all the best. X

[Orangeflowers in reply to Elmo13]

Thank you for this info, 😊 very much appreciated. I think I would do a mock frozen transfer cycle scenario. X

[Mlove12]

I also had the testing at Coventry. The process is as the above poster said, zoom call, (I would recommend already knowing your predicted ovulation date so you can actually book in your tests appointment at conventry so you don’t have to wait any cycle after the zoom call as the call is just general and tells you what they test, but through your research- you already know what they test!) as this is what we done and they were fine with us already having booked in before our call as we knew we 100% were going ahead with the tests for implantation failure. We then had the tests 6ish weeks later from booking. Mine came back as everything fine so nothing else they could do however he said that sometimes people even fall pregnant after the biopsy somehow ( i luckily did naturally 2 months later, not sure if this is a coincidence or if the biopsy had anything to do with it). But said if we don’t fall pregnant at our planned round of IVF to go back and he would support with further tests. I would definitely recommend it, even if it’s for piece of mind! Hope it all works out for you lovely xx

[Orangeflowers]

Thank you so much for replying. The tip on pre booking and working out my ovulation beforehand is much appreciated 👍I wasn't aware there was an option to have one test if it came back normal, as I thought the result might vary month to month and they'd need to do another to check. Maybe that's only if it's borderline. I'll check.

Congratulations, I'm pleased you had a happy ending. Maybe it was the scratch from the biopsy that had a effect. I'll look back into that x

[Trytryandtryagain84]

I also did the biopsy for implantation failure - it does as you say add on a few months. I think we were unlucky getting the first test results back, for some reason it took 6 weeks but the second one came back in a week. They also recommended using the ovusense app to determine ovulation so that added on a few weeks by the time it arrives and you can start a new cycle. As the other post mentioned if you know your point of ovulation in advance they can book you in. After the second test (my first was high, second inconclusive) Prof Brosens recommended trialling 3 months of sitagliptin (it has been proven with recurring miscarriage but he is trialling with recurring implantation failure), again you have to time that with the start of a new cycle and we also wanted to time it with when we would be able to do a transfer at the end of the 3 months of sitagliptin. Anyway long story short...i think we had first test August 2022, second December 2022 (delay was a bit from them and then us procrastinating), started sitagliptin February 2023, started FET in May (transfer beginning of June). We used donor eggs for this round as I couldn't face another round of own egg failure but (early days...) pleased to say we are 6 weeks pregnant. I am sure the younger eggs helped but the sitagliptin definitely lengthened my cycle so it certainly changed something. Good luck!

[Orangeflowers in reply to Trytryandtryagain84]

Thank you so much for your reply. This gives me new knowledge and things to ask. I didn't think the test was usually repeated if the first was high for NK cells. I didn't realise the treatment would take quite so long either. Congratulations! It sounds like you went through a lot. I hope you have a smooth pregnancy x