could do with some advice...cancel cycle or not 😞

[Kilk22]

last April I had ivf, good enough follicles , 5 eggs collected, 1 fertilised normal and went to blast, transferred, split , twins, lost them at 20 weeks due to prom.

Just started a cycle last week after serious prepping, supps, acupuncture, u name it.

same protocol as last April. Amh a year ago was 2.1. I am 41. On max dose , same as last year. Also using donor sperm (smbc)

Only 1 follicle responded on scan day 7....on day 9 scan today, only two...there has been growth but only minimal. I had such a better response at these scans last April. So so uoset. My heart says to cancel or as nurse said I could need a few more days but realistically we are only looking at two. I feel my chances are so slim if any with those numbers. Clinic are ringing me later. I don't know what to do? Cancel and try again on the summer? Can't do it any sooner with work. I don't even know if any thing could be changed to have a better outcome next time. This is my last chance so I don't want to risk it but I am so mentally exhausted from this. I just can't believe how close I was last year and it was ripped away from me and now looking like my chances are up 😞 has anyone been in a similar situation ? Any one advice? I am so so down.

[Greenleaves1]

Personally on those numbers my clinic would likely cancel. They like to see 4 good sized follicles. Which I thought was low.

I'd likely cancel if it was me, the egg numbers dwindle so quickly, you may not even get a mature egg if the follicles are still on the small side.

[Greenleaves1 in reply to Greenleaves1]

If you need to chat you can message me. I'm a smbc and just had a failed round after one embryo transfer didn't work.

[Kilk22 in reply to Greenleaves1]

hey, thanks for the reply. I am leaning on the side of cancelling too. I know the ins and outs of ivf and the numbers and I’d really like to have had at least 4 to justify going to egg collection and the cost of it too. I am just so so disheartened and angry, all the work and discipline I’ve done while also grieving my loss over the last 5 months. I prayed so hard for another chance. I’m terrified that that’s it. 😔 I will message you this evening, thank you ❤️

[Skittles11]

I think it depends how big the follicles actually are and what the growth has been. Also the clinic's view on whether the situation could potentially be improved next time. I went to egg collection once expecting 3 eggs and got none. It was my first ever egg collection and it was really distressing so I would advise making sure you have fully explored the options so you can prepare yourself and make the best decision for you x x so sorry about what happened with your twins by the way, there are no words

[Kilk22 in reply to Skittles11]

One is at 12 and the other is at 9….not good, the chances they’d even have an egg is so slim. Just can’t even believe it 💔

[IVFat40]

I don't know the exact details but I wonder if the clinic would switch to IUI instead? That does mean using a vial of sperm which I know is expensive, but would still give you a chance of a pregnancy, and avoid potentially feelingll like you'd 'wasted' the stimulated eggs, but without the cost etc of an egg collection?

Each round can be so different (I had 5 collections) and sometimes there doesn't seem to fully be a reason for it, you may find if you do a round in the summer it's significantly better.

It sounds like you're already all over it, but just in case I found the book 'it starts with the egg helpful', and also a fertility nutritionist.

I'm so incredibly sorry for the loss of your babies, as another contributor said there are no words.

I'm also a smbc, egg that made my son (3rd collection) was collected a week before I turned 41, so very similar age to you. It only takes one.

[Kilk22 in reply to IVFat40]

Ya I thought of IUI aswell but with it being my last try I'm so terrified to use my donor straw with little success. The clinic rang and we both agreed it was best to cancel. I will try again in the summer but whatever the outcome then I will just go ahead. I've no idea what could be done differently though but will look in to it. Yes I've heard of that book and I have done so much from it. Funny for this round I was on even more supplements than any other cycle. 😞

Finding it hard to accept this and the worry of it not happening is killing me but I'm trying to think positive. To be so close last year and then gone 😖 I also have a 3.5 yr old from same donor (absolutely blessed) but I am so desperate to give him a sibling. 🙏🏼 thanks for ur reply x

[IVFtake2]

It's such a hard call, I am literally just off a call with my clinic to confirm cancellation of egg collection on Monday.I had a cycle in Sept and got ten eggs from my right side (couldn't access my left which had another three).

Today after 13 days of stims I have two decent size follicles on right and four on the left (but they probably won't be able to access them) so having worried all week given my much better response last time, I made the decision to cancel and the clinical team agreed with that decision.

I feel a lot happier having decided, if I respond the same way next cycle then I might proceed anyway but just felt it was worth giving myself another chance.

Good luck with whatever you decide, it's not easy either way.

[Lelllow]

There're some mild/mini protocols for low AMH and women 40+. Or even natural IVF cycles when they target to get 1-2 eggs with no/low medications. Perhaps this is something to consider if you decide to cancel this round.

I haven't gone through the mild stims, but researching this subject as my first IVF resulted in low-ish number of eggs collected. Sounds quite appealing as if the outcome (e.i. eggs number) projected the same as on full-on stims cycles.

I am really sorry for your twins loss and wishing you the best of luck with the next rounds xx

[Kilk22 in reply to Lelllow]

Yes I've read about the low dose / natural stim. I've never done it and have always been on high dose with my Amh / DOR. Could be a possibility. I will be prettified now no matter what I do. 😞

Have to try get over this cancelled cycle now and see what I can do for a summer cycle 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼