Anxiety about not doing pgta testing

[Citizenerased83]

Hi all

I hope you're all OK, or as ok as you can be.

I'm feeling really anxious as we never pgta tested our embryos last year when we have IVF. 2 FETs resulted in miscarriage and 1 resulted in BFN. 5 embryos are still frozen which I know is very fortunate and we are awaiting on my period to start so we can start our next FET. However, I woke up today feeling so anxious that we didn't pgta test. I know we can still do it but with more risk to the embryos. I hate all the questions marks over pgta testing and whether it's actually effective and safe for the embryos. I've twisted myself into knots about it all since February. I wish the research was more clear cut.

Has anyone pgta tested already frozen embryos?

Thanks so much xx

[Millbanks]

Hi lovely,

Yes, we had 9 embryos frozen and due to that number I didn't want to just keep transferring them without knowing they stood a chance.

So we had all of them thawed, grown a day and biopsied - then frozen again. 6 came back normal (I was 38 at the time of freeze).

No damage was caused and I was lucky enough to fall pregnant (6th FET) after having them tested. We have a perfectly healthy 1.5 year old boy ❤️

There is a lot of noise around testing and it is so unclear - for us it was the right route having so many embryos. Do what your gut tells you xx

[Citizenerased83 in reply to Millbanks]

Thank you so much for replying. I'm so glad you have a little miracle now. I think the closer I get to doing another embryo transfer, the more anxious I get. What if it doesn't work or worse I get pregnant and then miscarry again. Don't think I can deal with that cruel blow again.

Really helpful to hear your experience. Thanks again for sharing xx

[Millbanks in reply to Citizenerased83]

I think if that's how you feel then it might be worth doing.

We had literally tried everything before going down the PGT-A route; extra progesterone, blood thinners, ERA test, Frozen transfer, fresh transfer etc.

The only things left realistically were immune testing and PGT-A - so we did both.

After 5 failed FETs I couldn't bear to just keep putting them back.... so I'm really glad that we did, because combined with the ERA timing and the steroids it some how worked.

I found also, that once I was pregnant I did feel slightly less anxious about the harmony tests etc as I felt fairly sure that they would be ok having done the genetic testing already - this is huge when you already have sky high anxiety from IVF!! xx

[Citizenerased83 in reply to Millbanks]

Thank you. I've just emailed the clinic to see when their next slot for pgta testing would be so we can make an informed decision.

It's so much to think about and go through isn't it. You went through so much and I can understand why you did pgta testing after all of that.

This cycle, they'll be adding in clexane and aspirin which is new and I had to make sure my thyroid levels were in a good range. But I can't help but wonder if the embryos are healthy. Xx

[Millbanks in reply to Citizenerased83]

Yes it is a big question. I do think you have to go with your gut xx

[Citizenerased83 in reply to Millbanks]

Thanks so much xx

[Ricekrispie in reply to Millbanks]

Hi, I have also had 5 failed embryo transfers. Considering an ERA. Did it come back that you were pre/post receptive? I already got pregnant with DD on the standard 5 days of progestrone.

[Millbanks in reply to Ricekrispie]

It was pre-receptive so needed 137 hours of progesterone. That alone wasn't enough to make it successful for me though, on my successful FET I had steroids and had done PGT-A testing. I am sure the ERA did help though xx

[Skittles11]

I haven't been in this position but the best advice that came to mind reading your post was to do the option that feels the least worst. Unfortunately nothing in this experience feels like a good choice and we are constantly questioning ourselves. But if you think about what feels the least worst, taking into account your personal history, then that's the direction to go in xx

[Citizenerased83 in reply to Skittles11]

Thanks so much Skittles11. That's a really helpful way to look at things. I'm going to be 40 in November and I guess it would be better to know sooner rather than later if we need to do a new IVF cycle.

Thanks so much for replying xx