Last embryo - what to consider

[Anonimatoz]

I have just one embryo left to transfer and struggling to decide what to do. It is day 6 5BB.Would be very helpful if you could give ideas of what to consider when making the decision with my husband.

A bit of background: we did 2 IVF ICSI cycles that resulted in 3 embryos, 2 transfers have already failed, I pretty much got my period on the expected date.

I had all my status, lining and hormones at optimal levels for both transfers.

We found out the clinic has made several mistakes in our treatment (they recommended add ons that can't be used for our case and charged us for it).

Because of this we are a bit suspicious of the clinic, but we do understand we can't change the past and our case is very hard and not like their most common ones.

So, the clinic has offered to pay for whatever we want to do next, we are considering:

1. Implantation failure tests - they don't seem to be very useful to most people and having just 1 embryo don't know if would make much difference;

2. Genetically testing embryo - the clinic will throw away if embryo is mosaic or aneuploid but could give us some information;

3. Transfer embryo to another clinic - we kinda lost faith on this clinic, though it is well known and worked for other people. However, I am unsure another clinic could do anything different at embryo transfer.

We can't easily go through another cycle and even if we go it will be with a clinic specialised in our case, but we are also unlikely to get many embryos in a cycle. So we are not really considering a new cycle right now.

Any ideas or things to consider when making a decision will help me. Have you had a few embryos failing to implant? What worked for you?

[JA-fnuk Partner Nurse Fertility Network UK]

Hope you get some replies that are helpful as this Forum is a great source of information and support Might be an idea to have some counselling to help with your decision making - The British Infertility Counselling Association bica.net This is not a free service but they are all specially trained in counselling people with fertility issues

Thinking of you

Janet -Partner

[Anonimatoz in reply to JA-fnuk]

Thank you for this, Janet. I am actually already going through counselling, but would like a few other inputs to consider from people that have gone through something similar.At the last counselling session, I was considering transferring the embryo to another clinic and forgetting about it for a while as not mentally well to deal with this, but now I am feeling stronger and maybe able to reach a smarter or more rational decision.

I will have another session in a couple of weeks again and hopefully have a few other aspects to evaluate the situation.

[Millbanks]

Hi lovely,

I had 9 embryos fail to implant over 5 transfers before I pushed for Natural Killer Cells testing - this looks at your immune response to them being transferred. Mine came back as quite high which suggests my immune system was attacking the embryos and causing them to not implant. For our 6th transfer I took steroids and had intralipids to suppress my immunity and it worked - we now have a 2.5 year old boy.

There are lots of things you can try but for me this was the silver bullet. We knew that our embryos were likely to be normal (at least a few out of 9) as we had another 9 in storage and had them tested - 6 were normal. So it seemed that it must be something else.

Maybe worth considering xxx

[Wishing2023 in reply to Millbanks]

Hi sorry to jump on your reply but my consultant has just suggested that I also have intra lipids. She has recommended a clinic in Birmingham but I am in Manchester. I am already on all the highest dose of meds under recurrent miscarriage in my cycles. Please can you tell me what the intralipid treatment involves? Thank you in advance x

[Millbanks in reply to Wishing2023]

Hi lovely,

Yes intralipids are a milky white solution that you have as a drip in to your arm - takes about an hour. It helps to suppress your immune system xx

[Wishing2023 in reply to Millbanks]

Thank you. How many times did you go for it? My Dr has suggested me going for 6 sessions. Once a few times before transfer, once on the day of the transfer & once a few days later. Then 3 more times up to 6 times x

[Millbanks in reply to Wishing2023]

So my consultant always says one session before transfer (2 - 3 days before), 1 at 6 weeks and 1 at 8 weeks xx

[Wishing2023 in reply to Millbanks]

Thank you. So just 3 times in total? I know you might not be able to say the name of the clinic but can I ask where in the country you had it? x

[Millbanks in reply to Wishing2023]

Yes just 3. It’s a well known clinic in London xx

[Wishing2023 in reply to Millbanks]

Thank you x

[Mercury363]

Millbanks and i have the same issues. Ask them for an imapp and ermap . It will take you a few months to get the results but I wish I had asked for them again at the transfer of my very last embryo as my pregnancy had changed my transfer window. My last transfer failed and I'm now out completely. Do you testing, take your time to get in the right place. It's hard work all of this and we all need a bit of luck on our side x

[44carrots]

tap out and go somewhere else I believe there is no excuse for error

I was at one clinic did 1 fet transfer felt like soemthing wasn’t right a few things didn’t make me feel

Comfortable so decided to leave them

Restarted at the new clinic costs a bit of money to transfer the eggs but I am 44 it’s all I got had my first cycle and currently testing positive but low hcg levels so retesting again on Friday .

Found out the first clinic used my worst embroy I had a grade 2 I have grade 1 embroys they should have used before. They were just in it for the cash and wanted me to come back

I was so annoyed I thought they used my best embroy but thank god they used my worst

Change u won’t regret it I don’t think

[Babydustforall]

i agree with millbanks and have been chatting with her for years about things as our babies are close in age and we had similar issues. I also used steroids, claritin and pepcid to suppress my immune system. I also was tested for the factors and determined I had factor v leiden so I took a a blood thinner for transfer and the entire pregnancy (both times) usually the immune issues relate more to implantation failure so definitely ask to start there. If they refuse, I would consider leaving the clinic. Your embryo is precious so definitely do all the tests and try and find out why before transferring again

[Eloquentia]

Did they test your progesterone before or on transfer day? You shouldn't be getting your period if you have enough progesterone as part of the treatment. For my successful transfer, they tested two days before and on the day of the transfer, my progesterone was low both times so they ended up tripling the dose I was on originally. I also took baby aspirin and oral and vaginal probiotics in the run up to the transfer. Very best of luck! I hope you get a sticky one.

[Coming_up_Roses]

Hi Anonimatoz, others have suggested immune testing, I'm in the same position after a mmc and two failed transfers and I'm now going to do the Chicago bloods test to test immune markers (I know there are different tests, this is the one my clinic typically do). I would also add to make sure you get your TSH and thyroid antibodies checked and you might also consider the EMMA ALICE biopsy to check for chronic infection or an imbalance of the flora in your uterus. Wishing you so much luck!

[Tinkertinkerbell]

Hi, the EMA, Alice and ERA biopsy was what helped me get my BFP on my fifth and last embryo x