Embryo glue

[Bimsie1310]

Hi, I have had 4 failed transfer with 1 clinic and was never offered embryo glue, none of these were embryos were PGTA tested but all high quality.

I'm now at a new clinic going for transfer number 5 in a few weeks and they have asked if I want to pay £250 for embryo glue. They have told me the blurb about there being no evidence it helps and that the change to PGTA will be the biggest factor but I can't decide whether to try this too.

Part of me thinks I should throw everything at it and part of me thinks I should trust the PGTA as we are self funded and currently highly in debt. I know £250 isn't much in regards to IVF but its still £250.

Thoughts?

[JA-fnuk Partner Nurse Fertility Network UK]

To help you make a more informed choice please take a look at hfea.gov.uk "Treatments" then select Treatment add-ons

Wishing you good luck with your treatment

Janet-Partner

[Brie889]

Hey,

On my first transfer - no glue and embryo didn’t stick

On my second transfer- used glue and embryo didn’t stick

On third transfer- no glue used and embryo implanted but sadly ended in early miscarriage.

Just done 4th transfer and not done with glue again as it’s an extra cost, when we have spent so much money already and ours charge £450 for it too, and it didn’t make any difference for us xx

[Tnthketnf]

I was offered it as an extra thing for my DE treatment. I didn't use it for the first DE transfer which failed. I used it for the second and it worked. Currently pregnant. I don't know if it helped at all or it was coincidence.

My clinic said that until recently there was no evidence from independently reviewed research that it helps. Now there is a new independent study which says that it can help. I don't know the study.

[EjHack]

I had embryo glue as this was standard with my NHS funded treatment. I wouldn’t imagine that the ICB would fund this add on if it didn’t have a reasonably strong evidence base. The blast used was of a lower grading. No PGTA. This one shot and I have my babe in my arms. Not sure whether it is a coincidence but if I were to go for round 2 for another, I will be paying the extra for glue.. Obviously a personal choice though! Good luck!

[NL2019]

Hi,

Ive just had our forth transfer (one fresh, 3rd frozen) and previously they always included embryo glue with the transfer costs, however they’ve recently been bought out by another clinic as so for our last transfer in October we were faced with the same, the decision whether or not to add on and pay the additional £250. It wasn’t so much the money, as in the grand scheme of what we’ve spent it’s very little but I was struggling over the thought if we didn’t use it and it didn’t work I’d always think what if.

Having said that and looking at the research there doesn’t seem to be strong evidence that it makes any difference in live birth rates and as such our clinic didn’t push it along with HFEA giving it an amber rating. My husband took a different view in his preference was not to use it and keep things natural (as it can be anyway!).

Long story short we didn’t add it on, and out of three transfers using it which were all BFN, we’ve finally had our first BFP although very early days at the moment. I think I tend to agree that the embryo plays a much bigger part as this was the best graded embryo we’ve had so far following another egg retrieval in July. Xx

[Kitkat10]

There’s not much evidence for it. I had it and got a BFN, then didn’t have it again for the next cycles and got BFP. I agree the embryo is the deciding factor. Good luck xx

[Hopeful_88]

Hey, I've had embryo glue with 1 of my 2 transfers, BFN for both of them, so it didn't make a difference for me. My first round was on the NHS and embryo glue was included, but my second round was with a private clinic so I decided not to pay extra for it. Based on the limited high quality data supporting its use, I wouldn't recommend paying for it

[Moshine13]

I think it gives you a better chance of implantation...1 transfer no glue, didn't stick

2 transfer with glue, stick but had blinded ovum

3 transfer with glue, sticked!! Currently just over 4 weeks pregnant ❤️

I hope this helps xx

[alma88]

hi, personally don’t think it makes any difference.I had 3 transfers ,1 fresh BFP ended up with miscarriage followed by 2BFN all three paid extra for the embryoglue but I decided not to go with for my fourth transfer, when I asked my dr before 1st transfer said might improve chances by up to4% but guess if it’s a good embryo will stick with or without.

[Sams25]

it’s your decision of course and research shows that there is no significant improvements because of using the glue. Out of desperation I too used the glue in 3/6 failed transfers. My positive was in the cycle where I did not use the glue and my doctor also recommended not to waste money on it, so I was convinced. However I did try it a few times so I had no regrets. It’s tough but however your call.

[Jam1111111]

HiI recently had embryo glue on my 4th transfer and it was negative. Didn't have it on my 3 previous transfers and one of them was postive although ended miscarriage.

For me I want to use glue just so I knew of at the end of my journey of there were no successful transfers I could look back and say I tried every option available

Good luck xxx

[Twiglet2]

there is no solid evidence that it actually helps (why a lot of clinics especially ones with nhs funding don’t use it) but there’s no evidence that it hinders anything either so it’s really about whether you want to pay £250 or not to try something unproven that may or may not have a positive impact. £250 isn’t that much in the grand scheme of IVF costs so I wouldn’t think too much about it if I were you, as like you say the PGTA is the more expensive part that requires a lot more consideration on whether or not to go ahead with it 🤗 I would probably add in the glue if it were me and my clinic offered it for £250 (only because my friends did on their round that worked!) but my clinic never offered it and I’ve had quite a few embryos implant too and 2 pregnancies so defo not essential but I’ve added things like clexane and lubion for similar costs in an effort to try something different along the way so no harm in trying new things xx

[Doodlebug23]

I agree with the objects regarding the low £250 and what ifs. I’d say £250 to remove any thoughts of what if I’d had it is worth it.

It was included in my package so I always had it. Still took 7 transfers for my BFP. But if I’d had to pay £250 to add it in I would have.

[Tiger37]

As others have said, there is not strong evidence to say if it makes a difference but there are no risks with it. After 2 failed transfers we had a similar idea as you to throw everything it at the next one and did pay for embryo glue and this led to a BFP. I don’t know if the embryo glue made a difference or not, but we decided the £320 it cost at our clinic was cheaper than the cost of meds for another transfer so it was worth a shot.