Period started before IVF pregnancy test date?

My period started on day 10 after embryo transfer 😭 Had this happened to anyone else? Is it common? I'm trying to understand why this happens and why I didn't make it to official test day.

[Pineappletree]

I started to bleed after 10 day embryo transfer but the test showed positive. Unfortunately, the HCG dropped sharply and it confirmed an early pregnancy loss. The embryo didn't want to develop for some reason. However, the clinic told me there were cases that the baby was totally fine while you were bleeding. I can't understand this but this is what I was told. It is hard not to worry. You need to contact your clinic for a HCG blood test or scan to find out what's going on. Hope you all the best.

[Hidden in reply to Pineappletree]

Thanks for sharing your experience. I contacted my clinic at 6am yesterday and they were too busy for anyone to speak to me. I ended up calling the out of hours doctor last night and was just told it was bad news and I should wait to do the test on Friday. The bleeding has been so heavy (more than I've ever had with a period) so I can't see how there is any chance.

[Pineappletree in reply to Hidden]

Oh so sorry to hear it. Maybe try local A&E and hospital if you bleed heavily or experience pains. If the clinic offers counciling, maybe consider to book one session to help to cope with any outcome (It'd take a long time).

[WillowPark]

Hi MitL, my understanding is that it is relatively common but shouldn't happen. If you are on a medicated cycle you should be taking sufficient progesterone to hold back your period and give embryo a good chance to implant. It may be that they decide to increase your progesterone in subsequent rounds. This happened to me on my first fresh cycle but I started bleeding on day 7. After that I took additional lubion for my frozen cycles and didn't have the same issue again. At day 10 though the embryo should, if implanted, be doing quite alot to keep your period back itself. Hope you have lots of support around you. They will tell you not to stop the drugs until test date though as stranger things have happened than a full period and a successful test x

[Hidden in reply to WillowPark]

Thanks for sharing your experience. I'm not on a medicated cycle so maybe that's where it all went wrong. Maybe I should have been.

[Moshine13]

I am really sorry to heard 😞 that is tough....it sounds like low progesterone, worth have it check of next time. Sending love your way x

[Hidden in reply to Moshine13]

Thanks for your reply. I will ask the clinic about that.

[Twiglet2]

I’ve had my period a few times before test day. I added in lubion injections which helped me make it to test day as it can be a sign your progesterone dropped if your period starts. However 10 days after embryo transfers IS test day for a lot of clinics, especially if it was a fresh transfer or natural FET so could just be your normal cycle. Did you do a test to check if any HCG present? I’ve had bleeding with my chemicals and with both my pregnancies too so is always good to double check with a home pregnancy test when bleeding starts.

In any event there is nothing your clinic or GP can do I’m afraid 😟 you just need to keep going with any meds and report result of your pregnancy test. Thinking of you xx

[Hidden in reply to Twiglet2]

Thank you. That's interesting about test 10 day. My clinic set test day as 13 days after fresh embryo transfer. I've done the test this morning and it's definitely negative. Will just need to wait for the clinic to call to let me know their post cycle assessment.

[Twiglet2 in reply to Hidden]

Yes they are all different with test days our clinic has that for a medicated frozen but 10-11 days for fresh or natural cycle FET. In either case I always have my result well before that but I would defo ask them about adding progesterone especially in injection form for next cycle. I’m so sorry about the outcome this time 😢💜 xx

[Sarah770]

In most situations it means that implantation did not happen. It did not work this time but it will another time, don’t worry!

[Rox28]

The same happened to me in our 1st 3 rounds with NHS fresh transfer, I always bled before the end of the 2ww. I'm private now & switched to frozen transfers, not sure if it makes much difference in general but my last round (4th in total) I made it to the end of the 2ww with positive test but then 1.5wks later had a bleed and lost it but deffo sticking with frozen transfers.

[Gardener0001]

yes I started bleeding 9 days after transfer (which was day 28 of my cycle that month I think so when I would normally get my period). Our first transfer ended in a mmc as well. At the consultant follow up he advised checking thyroid, vit d and a thrombophilia screen and then gave us info for extra tests not on the nhs. He also mentioned genetic screening of embryos but as we only have 1 left he advised us against this for now. He said I should have made it to test day so I’m also having progesterone supps next time as well. I had a fully natural cycle. He said we should wait for the blood tests before booking our last transfer and the results take 4-6 weeks so we are just waiting again now. I’ve just had another period (so sort of first normal one after the failed transfer) and it’s hit me really hard - feel worse than after the failed transfer! I’m struggling with coping when I don’t know what the problem is. I’m also frustrated that if there is something off with my clotting then why isn’t this checked earlier as it’s easily fixed and then maybe we wouldn’t have had to go through the first loss

[Hidden in reply to Gardener0001]

Sorry to hear you're struggling. It's really hard isn't it? It just takes over your whole life. I only had 2 eggs and only 1 fertilised so we don't have any more transfers. I'm expecting the advice to be that there's not really much point in trying another cycle because I didn't respond to treatment and they don't think I will respond any differently on another try. I really hope your next transfer is the one - don't give up hope but I think it sounds sensible to get those extra tests first.

[Gardener0001 in reply to Hidden]

How many cycles have you done? If you are still early on in your (awful!) journey then I think it’s too early to stop unless that’s what is best for you. You should ask at follow up about the extra bloods and definitely ask about progesterone. Hope you are ok xx

[Spicycurry]

Progesterone was not high enough. Ideally it should be close to 100 on transfer day.

[Lana89]

Hi lovely I always had this until I was given Lubion injections as well as the pessaries sorry it didn’t work out good luck for next time xxx

[Avocadolover1]

This happened to me at my fresh transfer in June, when I had a fresh transfer of a beautiful 5AB blastocyst, which ended in a fail transfer. However, at the WTF appointment, I’ve mentioned about having more progesterone on my next transfer. They didn’t agree that was the issue, but I did suggest/bring it up.

Now I’m currently 10dp 5dt from a frozen cycle. I’m using extra progesterone and happy to say it’s a BFP! Personally, I believe the extra progesterone helped in this cycle x

Hope you get into contact with the clinic and see what can be done and hope you have a positive outcome.

[Ree_Laine in reply to Avocadolover1]

Hi lovely!! Congratulations 🥳 that’s amazing news. The same happened to me in June, I started my period on OTD which spoilt the whole morning for me and that too was a fresh transfer that failed. I asked at my follow up whether I could have more progesterone for my next transfer as I thought I’d have a fresh transfer but had to be a freeze all. My doctor did mention an add on of a Lubion injection. The thought of another injection to take for 12 weeks gives me anxiety 😟 did you take this or did the clinic just increase your cyclogest pessaries? Xx

[Avocadolover1 in reply to Ree_Laine]

Hey, I’m on Lubion. To be honest, I don’t mind at all how long I’ve got to do it for. As long as I have a healthy pregnancy. I’m well pleased the clinic listened to me and decided to try it give it a shot!

So I’m currently on pessaries, Lubion injections and patches. X

[Avocadolover1 in reply to Ree_Laine]

Than you by the way ♥️♥️♥️

[Hopewhite]

hi I'm very sorry this has happened to you , I also had this on my last fresh transfer, and also asked on this forum, and everyone told me it was low progesterone which did make sense, as i had been borderline on previous FET progesterone tests. Annoyingly the doctor insisted on fresh transfers no extra progesterone was needed as you produce your own, after I had the early bleeding she said it could had been a chemical, but i didn't test so I cannot be sure of this, and at the end she agreed to include the extra progesterone on next fresh or FET transfers. It's a very affordable solution so it's better to be on the safe side!, hopefully you'll have better luck next transfer, i'm so sorry i know it's very hard xx

[Sambab]

This happened to me. I started bleeding 6 days after transfer. My clinic classed it as a chemical pregnancy, I was distraught and heartbroken 💔 so sorry this happened to you too x