3 implantation failures

[Gofly84]

We have had 3 implantation failures with a range of embryo qualities from 5AA to 4BC, once we had a single transfer (with the top quality embryo) - that was on our second round. And twice we had a double transfer (first and third cycle). All times i had good and above embryo lining.

We have an appointment with an implantation clinic (Prof Bosens) in July but I was wondering if others have had recurrent implantation failures and what you have done to investigate and what you’d recommend out of everything.

I don’t want to reach another failed cycle and wish I’d done more investigations.

Would love to hear your thoughts

[SushiTilly]

So sorry to read your struggles. I have same issue. My third one failed in Feb, and I had appointment with Prof B in April. I am waiting for period, looks like after medicine to bring it on, it won't start so I'm having ultrasound scan tomorrow.

I have done a lot of research ultimately it's a numbers game. Unless Prof B finds an issue all other treatment add on is maybe. Overall, healthy lifestyle, food, exercise and reduced stress helps. Take the supplements, acupuncture can help as well. All era, Alice etc, prp is not proven.

I don't want anymore failed cycles, also I don't want anymore investigation and prolonged waiting time for cycle. What I see on this forum is more you try the greater likely to get pregnant but worth getting some things checked further. Most women here end up having extra day of progesterone and steroids after Era or seeing Prof Bronson. Once I have my biopsy that will be end of investigation, as I can't cope with wasting time as my period and hormones are messed up with IVF.

[Gofly84 in reply to SushiTilly]

Hey lovely. I hear you and it sounds so frustrating. I hope you learn more through some of the investigations you’re having and hopefully if any changes needed that can lead to a positive outcome for you. My very best wishes to you x

[Millbanks]

Hello lovely,

So sorry to hear about your RIF. I had a particularly tricky IVF journey and had 5 failed FETS before having success on my 6th - things I did to get there are:

ERA / ALICE / EMMA - this showed that I needed 24 hours extra progesterone and it didn't work on it's own so I am not 100% sure on how useful it really is

NK Cells blood tests (Chicago bloods) - mine came back high so I was put on steroids and intralipids (apparently my immune system was just fighting off the embryos each time as they see them as 50% foreign DNA)

PGT-A testing of embryos - we had 9 frozen emrbyos so didn't want to put back ones that had no chance of survival - we ended up with 6 euploid.

So with the right timing, the lower immune system and a euploid embryo we were successful.

I was also on blood thinners, extra progesterone, vitamin E (to help thicken the lining).

xx

[Gofly84 in reply to Millbanks]

Hey lovely. Thanks so much for that summary. Sometimes you just need a few pointers to help with your thought process rather than going down a rabbit hole of endless google searching. We had heard about all the extra tests before but decided not to do them. But with our third failed cycle, we are going to research them and speak to our consultant with what can help, I have so much else going for me, I have a feeling that’s it’s my immune response blocking a healthy implantation as I have had some auto immune issues like 8-9 years ago now. We have two frozen embryos and our plan is to get some more through our next round to hopefully then be able to do PGTA testing. And in the meantime we have the implantation consultation. Just trying to get everything lined up and do as much as we can without going down unnecessary rabbit holes!

[NL2019]

Hi lovely, I feel like I could have written this post myself! I’ve had three failed transfers all bfn, first and third were doubles, second was single transfer.

Our first transfer was first round of ivf and they transferred one good quality early blastocyst and one poor blastocyst. The second and third transfers were frozen after our second round but all have been good quality, we also have two frozen embryos left which I believe are both BBs.

Likewise we have been advised to speak to Implantation Clinic for testing; and also have a consultation with Prof Brosens in July.

If it helps we’ve also been advised to perhaps have our embryos PGTa tested and we are now considering another egg collection whilst we are waiting for the implantation testing to try and get more embryos to be tested with our existing frozen ones.

How are you feeling about it all? I’m reaching a point where I really don’t want to give up but it’s getting so much harder as starting to feel like it’s all my life revolves around. We trying to give this everything we can before another embryo transfer as likewise don’t want to wish we’d done more xx

[Gofly84 in reply to NL2019]

Hey lovely. It’s crazy how similar our journeys have been and that we’re also in very similar processes now! We are also looking to get some more embryos in the next cycle and hopefully have enough to get PGTA tested along with the two frozen we have already!

I felt deflated after our last failed cycle but in the past week I’ve been ready to start giving it my all. I’ve been doing a lot of journaling which I think has helped. Though after this many failed cycles the doubt does start creeping in. Buttt I’ve managed to come back up so far.

[HedgehogMad]

Hi lovely sorry to hear this. I understand how it feels as we have had 7 unexplained implantation failures. Unfortunately there is still very little understanding as to why embryos fail to implant but the majority of the time it is thought to be problems with the embryo. We did a lot of tests (listed on my bio) but many tests offered don't have much evidence behind them, including ERA/ALICE/Emma, NK testing and immunology testing. In fact, changing timings as per the ERA has recently been shown to reduce implantation rates so I wouldn't recommend that. Even Prof Brosens will tell you his testing and treatments are experimental. We took some treatment after his testing but it didn't lead to a pregnancy.The ESHRE guidelines are a useful document to read to help sift through the potential tests on offer and whether they have been proven to be helpful: academic.oup.com/hropen/art...

For us, the tests I was glad to have done were PGTA testing (to make sure we were transferring chromosomally normal embryos), 3D ultrasound to check for structural problems in the womb, HSG and karyotype testing.

The stats show about a 98% live birth rate after transfering 4 euploid embryos which suggests that the majority of failures are due to problems with the embryo. Crossing my fingers for your next transfer 🤞