After failing with my eggs in three separate stim rounds of IVF, we've gone down the donor egg route and, to be honest, even though I tried to keep my expectations low, all of the medical professionals I have spoken to have made it seem as if DE will be this incredibly different, positive experience with all but guaranteed success.I've just got my BFN from our first DE transfer and I feel like I've been incredibly foolish... With the success rates so high, it barely occurred to me that it wouldn't work and now we are left devastated yet again.
Does anybody out there have any success stories with donor eggs that didn't work the first time? I am losing hope. We have two embryos frozen but I am now doubting they will work too because I can't understand why it hasn't been successful when taking my eggs out of the equation.
Also, how long did you have to wait before starting the next protocol and transfer?
Hoping desperately that there is a light at the end of all this darkness.
Written by
Wellington22
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
I have nothing to add bar I understand. Our first round with DE failed recently, it ended with a chemical pregnancy, and has left me devastated. We had so much hope with this round. We are seeing a counsellor to work through it all in preparation for our next round with our one little frostie we have from the donor. Sending you hugs
ah I could have written this myself!! We got a positive test at day 9PT and then blood test negative. Absolute heartbreak 💔 My bleed arrived a few days after and we are preparing to go again on the next cycle in 3 weeks.
My doctor has prescribed me antibiotics, vaginal probiotics, prednislone, Clexane, intralipid drips and the usual progesterone / fermatab.
God knows what this is doing to my system but I’m going to take it all in the hope of having a baby and follow and anti- inflammatory diet. Honestly I’m not a drinker I don’t smoke we eat healthy but reading the above it’s so difficult to see the problem is ‘me’!!
Hopefully it works but I don’t then get ill and die from all this medication 😵💫😵💫😵💫 sorry dark humour is the only thing getting me through at the moment.
Sending hugs to you all - you are not alone. DM me and I will keep you updated on my journey. The men have it so easy.
I know what you are going through. I was so excited when my first DE transfer git a BFP, however it ended in miscarriage. I had a further 3 transfers with DE before I was successful. Not sure what was different about the final time as sane protocol. It is really hard as you assume with DE that it will be much easier. Hoping you get your BFP with your next transfer. Xx
Thank you for your reply - I suppose I just assumed that all of the struggles we'd had with my own eggs were over and we could start looking forward to some good news.Really hoping we can match your success xx
Yes it’s so hard. I did have tests , ERA etc and a hysteroscopy before my last transfer. Nothing came back although I was a bit low on progesterone so I had increased after transfer each time. Wishing you lots of luck going forward. Xx
Hi Wellington22, I’ve had 4 transfers with donor eggs. The first didn’t implant but then we discovered I had a blocked fallopian tube. After removing the tube I got pregnant but it ended in miscarriage. The next transfer didn’t implant (it was a 5CB and was a slow developer so we think if used all its energy getting to blastocyst and had nothing left to implant). The 4th has also just ended in miscarriage 😢 with both of the pregnancies we got to 6 weeks 4 days and 8 weeks 3 days seeing the heartbeat on both. The doctor says it’s low odds to miscarry after seeing the heartbeat especially past 8 weeks so we’re going to do investigations on the embryo and more tests on me before trying again. I also think we’re leaning towards trying donor embryos from couples who’ve already had succesful pregnancies, although I’m clear I want to try ABs or lowest BB quality. I’m not ready to give up yet but it does take it’s emotional toll especially when you realise donor eggs aren’t the guarentee you originally think! For some of us it’s a really long journey but hopefully we’ll get there. All the best x
Thank you for sharing your experiences - I am so sorry to hear about all of the sadness you've been through. It's heartbreaking. I just assumed DE would be so much better, I suppose.Donor embryos is a good option and it's good that that option is there. It just seems like it won't end, doesn't it?
Yeah it does feel a bit like that. But I think there’s hope especially if you’ve managed a pregnancy. I had a friend who had three miscarriages but now has her second
My first DE transfer failed too. This was after 5 OE retrievals and 8 transfers. I was very disappointed although, like you, I have tried to keep expectations low.
My second one resulted in a positive test for the first time ever. I can't describe the feeling! It is still very early days-I am 8 weeks and a few days- so a very long way ahead. I am filled with anxiety and try yo take it one day at a time.
My failed DE transfer was a medicated one. The successful was an almost true natural, no trigger just progesterone for luteal support, no immune protocol, no ERA etc. Just low dose aspirin
I was recommended to do a scratch and I did it and we also added embryo glue that we never used before.
If I am honest I think it was just random I don't think anything of what we did or didn't do was the game changer.
My failed one was end of April beginning of May and the successful in mid June.
Hi, I’m currently 20 weeks pregnant with a DE. It didn’t work the first time for me either and I remember being devastated because my expectations were so high.
I had a couple of rounds with my own eggs - always BFN. Then moved to DE. I got 3 ‘outstanding’ embryos from my batch of 7 eggs. First DE transfer - BFN and I was crushed. Second transfer - BFN and I thought that was it, there was no way I could get pregnant and there must be something wrong with me if even top quality embryos won’t stick. I had one embryo left so I paused and did the EMA, Alice and ERA biopsy and I’m so glad I did. It showed that I had no good bacteria so that was fixed with lots of probiotics. But crucially it showed that I needed an extra 30 hours of progesterone before transfer. All my embryos had been transferred too soon and if I hadn’t have found that out my last embryo would have been too and wouldn’t have worked. So my third and last embryo from my DEs was transferred on day 7 of progesterone rather than day 6 and it worked! BFP. It wasn’t that there was anything wrong with me - it was just a timing issue. I wish I had done the biopsy at the start but unfortunately they don’t recommend it until you’ve had multiple implantation failures. Anyway, baby girl is doing well ☺️ Good luck to you x
I went straight to DE due to my age as I didn’t want to put time and money, both of which I didn’t have to spare, into trying with OE with such low odds of success.
Tests revealed no issues with me meaning that it shouldn’t work, and I was also maybe naively optimistic that DE was my quick and easy option.
After my first 3 transfers failed I really started to lose hope that it would happen. My clinic saying it’s a numbers game, just keep going.
I didn’t have embryos tested - as assumed as donor was 20 years old there would be a high percentage of normal embryos. My clinic also don’t advocate EMMA ERA ALICE.
For transfers 6 and 7 I was on Bondi protocol, which is prednisolone and Clexane. I also had an HCG wash and embryo glue. Plus a contractions scan to make sure my uterus wasn’t contracting too much (which it wasn’t). I was also on progesterone for a week before transfer. I also used vaginal probiotics and oral probiotics off my own back.
I understand that the prednisolone, clexane, and extra progesterone can be treatments given from results of the tests my clinic do not advocate - which saved me thousands.
For transfer 7 I did modified natural. It was my one that worked, my long awaited BFP. I’m now 20 weeks 💖
Like you I had 3 failed with my own eggs before going down this route. I am currently 30 weeks pregnant with what is my fifth and final DE embryo. I always tell People who ask that DE is not a guarantee. With every transfer I had my protocol was tweaked slightly. It’s all still down to numbers xx
Yep. We did 5 OE cycles, transferred 7 embryos. All BFN. One DE transfer BFN. The second transfer took and I’m 38 weeks pregnant 🥰 I was convinced that it wouldn’t work but it did. Others have transferred more before success, so maybe ask for extra tests or protocol changes if the next one doesn’t work out for you. Xx
Hi there! First ED procedure was done in Denmark, we got four eggs from the donor, one matured into an embryo that didn't take. The donor was 31. Second procedure was done in the US, we got 40(!) eggs from the donor, got many high quality embryos, first attempt resulted in a wonderful 8 month old baby. Donor was 27 and had donated three times before with good results.
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
3 failed transfers - 2 OE and 1 DE - should I be testing immune or infection? 
Made the decision to move onto DE 😊
DE success stories 40+
27 donor eggs no blastocysts :(
Feeling very low d10p 6d DE transfer
