41 and anxious about embryo outcome

[Ma261182]

Hi all,

I follow this community with interest. I have now undergone 2 egg collections at 41 and have 3rd pending in January ( consultant as advised I have a rest)

1st cycle - 8 eggs retrieved and 5 fertilised with 3 making it to day 3 (7cell, 8 cell and 9 cell with small amount of fragmentation)

2nd cycle 9 eggs retrieved, 2 not mature but 7 were and all 7 fertilised. All 7 made it to day 3, with 4 being frozen at day 3 ( again 6 cell, 6 cell 8 cell and 8 cell embryos)

3rd cycle pending

We are doing PGTA testing so after the 3 cycle will unfreeze all the day 3 embryos ( 7 in total) and grow everything today 5 in including embryos y I get from our 3rd cycle ( hopefully another 4 or 5 fingers crossed)

Any one had experience of unfreezing day 3 embryos and growing them to day 5? I am worried about further drop off and wondered if anyone had this experience also at 41?

it’s hard to not read all the numbers and stats and panic!

Thanks all xx

[Greenfig123]

Hi! Could I ask why your embryos were frozen at day 3 and then unfrozen and grown to day 5, rather than just freezing on day 5 in the first place?

I’ve heard of this happening, but it isn’t something my clinic would do, so I’m curious..

[Sams25]

seeing that you have a good amount of eggs, if I were you I would discuss with the clinic the option to grow them until day 5 and then freeze the blasts instead for the next round. I am not sure I understand why freeze at day 3 because the main transition to the embryos happens at day 3-4, when the DNA from the sperms starts to impact development. It’s a good way to assess if there are any issues with the sperm too. My clinic only does fresh transfers at day 3 if there are less than 3embryos else all are let to grow until day 5. Know that the drop off is pretty steep for everyone between day 3-5, I think only 30% make it.

Positive pants on! You only need 1!! And have clear and honest discussions with your clinic. Make them work for you vs listening to whatever they say.

All the best!

[Ma261182 in reply to Sams25]

Thanks, it just does seem an odd way of doing it, rather than the frezzing and then thawing!

I am hoping from these 7 embryos atleast some make it to day 5 although if there is an issue with sperm which I believe is responsible after day 3? That we wouldn’t know until after 3 egg collections

The 3rd retrieval everything will be taken to day 5

X

[Sams25 in reply to Ma261182]

That’s good to hear, and fingers crossed for you! 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻

[Rainbow2023]

Hi, we followed the exact same protocol aged 42 this time last year with embryo batching over 3 cycles.

We got 8 x day 3 embryos in the end which went on to form 3 blastocysts on day 5. The 3 blastocysts were sent off for PGTA testing and all 3 came back as normal!

We transferred the best quality embryo (which came from the first cycle) back in February and we were blessed with our beautiful daughter last month.

Stay positive and keep faith - miracles do happen 🙏🏽

Sending you lots of luck and baby dust

[Nakijo in reply to Rainbow2023]

Congrats, you were so lucky

[Nakijo in reply to Nakijo]

Hi again, to you mind sharing the cells of your day 3 embryos. And all the supplements you took and your AMH at the time

[Rainbow2023 in reply to Nakijo]

Daily I took a pre pregnancy multivitamin, folate, vitamin D3000, DHEA 25mg x 3 and Kaneka Ibiquinol (C0Q10) supplements. My AMH pre treatment was 5.8 (aged 41)

[Nakijo in reply to Rainbow2023]

Thanks for the response.I am talking some of the supplements you mentioned

[bundles11 in reply to Rainbow2023]

Hi Rainbow, congrats, what an amazing result. May I ask how far into 42 you were at the time of retrieval? Thanks!

[Rainbow2023 in reply to bundles11]

Hi, so for the first 2 of the 3 retrievals I was actually 41 + 10 / 11 months and then for the 3rd retrieval I was 42 + 1 month

[Ma261182]

This is so lovely to hear and huge congratulations!!! I think I need to stop reading facts and figures and go with it! The fact we can make embryos is a huge positive in self!!! xx

[Nakijo]

I wish wish you all the best. May I ask when did you have the first and second retrievals and if you are taking any supplements

[Ma261182 in reply to Nakijo]

Hi, so I did a retrieval in Aug, then in October, I had a cancelled cycle in July due to a dominant follcicule at the start of the cycle.

I listed the supplements up above, on my 1st retrieval 8 eggs collected and 5 fertilised, on my second 9 eggs collected 7 fertilsied

I did take melatonin for my 2nd cycle who which I did for my first

I was planning my 3rd collection on Nov but my consultant advised me to have a few months off and let me body recover.

AMH was 18.2 and AFC count was around 22 when I started IVF x

[Nakijo in reply to Ma261182]

Thanks for the response

[Nakijo in reply to Ma261182]

Hi, did you do an egg collection in February? And how did it go?

[Ma261182 in reply to Nakijo]

I did, I had 10 follicules but by the time I was scanned on day 5 one of them was becoming dominant so carried on stims for a few more days but it was obvious the others were not gogin to catch up so cancelled the cycle and start all again with my next period! Frustrating but likely I woudl have only got 2-4 eggs this time when I have got 9 and 8 the last cycles so happy with the decision

Will keep you updated with April cycle

[Nakijo in reply to Ma261182]

Sorry, I had not seen this. Keep the faith

[Ma261182 in reply to Nakijo]

Thank you, how are you getting on? I’ll let you know April goes x

[Nakijo]

How did your 3rd retrieval go? And did you push to say 5vand how did it go?

[Ma261182 in reply to Nakijo]

I have my 3rd retrieval in Feb, will keep you updated x

[Nakijo in reply to Ma261182]

Okay, thanks. All the Best

[Nakijo in reply to Ma261182]

How did your February egg retrial go?

[Ma261182 in reply to Nakijo]

Replied up above x