Collecting eggs in a mild stimulation FET?

[Goldenfeather123]

Hi All,

This is for my daughter. She is deeply depressed after several failed IVFs and FETs with embryos derived from donor eggs and donor sperm (because sadly her partner has no sperm at all). She is 40 now. The FETs used were either modified natural or medicated.

I have some questions about FET with mild stimulation protocol. Would like to have your thoughts and advice.

1. What are the Pros and Cons of mild-stimulation FET? Has anyone used it and got successful outcome?

2. During the process if some good follicles developed, can you have the eggs retrieved and frozen down prior to transfer of a donor embryo in the same cycle? This way, the eggs collected from several failed FETs could be later fertilized together with donor sperm. Is this a good or bad idea?

[Endofitall]

I’m sorry to hear of your daughter’s struggles. I’ve not used mild stim/modified natural for FET yet but it has the potential advantage of a thicker lining than fully natural as more than one follicle should develop to make oestrogen to thicken the lining. Natural or natural modified do have some advantages in reduced risk of some perinatal problems vs medicated FET.

I haven’t heard of this being done routinely. Usually people aim for embryo banking or do FET - rather than combine both aims. My clinic has made it clear that even if a good number of follicles developed on a low dose stims FET, I wouldn’t then be able to say please can I do egg collection too now. It may not be that cost effective if low number of eggs to do repeated collections in this way anyway.

My understanding is that eggs don’t freeze as well so she’d be encouraged to freeze as embryos.

Would she consider joining this forum for support or seeking counselling via her clinic if feeling very down?

[Goldenfeather123 in reply to Endofitall]

Thank you very for taking time to reply. I have just only realised that you have gone through so so mush! I wish my daughter could be as strong. Bless you! Xx

[Endofitall in reply to Goldenfeather123]

Aw thank you. You deal with what you have to, I can’t stop yet as we want a child so much, the drive to be a mum is so strong. Thanks for your good wishes. I am sure your daughter is strong too but it’s natural to have down moments xx

[Wishinandahopin]

hello! I did a mild stimulation FET and this was the one that worked for me. They didn’t collect eggs, I don’t think this would be common as a huge amount of expense to have an egg collection procedure for less than normal eggs. That said if it was about the max someone would get anyway it’s something to talk about I guess?

Wishing your daughter lots of luck and so great that you are so involved with helping her journey and getting advice. She is lucky to have you.

[Goldenfeather123 in reply to Wishinandahopin]

Hi, thank you for sharing. Congratulations to your successful round!

My daughter still has 2 low quality untested embryos stored at two different clinics. Her current plan is to do two rounds of FET with them, hoping for a miracle. After these two rounds, she would buy more donor eggs and donor sperm to make more embryos, and do more FETs of PGTA-tested.

I raised the possibility of banking some eggs within a FET cycle in case the next 5 FETs fail. I know it may not worth to do if the cost is huge. But my another main concern is: will the egg collection procedure affect FET process?

We will ask her consultant about the possibility and risk.

Xx

[Vassi]

Hi, im so sorry your daughter is going through a tough time, I'm glad she has your support ❤️

I actually did have a mild stimulation fet cycle turn into an egg collection. The reason for the mild stim in the first place was to mimic my only successful cycle which was a fresh transfer following egg collection. I was just on a lower dosage for the planned fet.

The reason I asked to change to egg collection was because I had a good response on my scans and I had read that mild stim cycles can yield fewer but better quality eggs. I pushed for it and my specialist agreed to try it.

It sadly didn't end up working, I did get one blastocyst to transfer and the fresh one was transferred on that cycle not the previously frozen embryos. It ended up a negative result and a costly trial. I guess if I never tried I would always wonder about it though. It could be something she could talk to her Dr about as it was possible in my case.

Wishing her the best of luck and a positive 2025 xx

[Goldenfeather123 in reply to Vassi]

Hi, thank you for sharing.

Wish you success in 2025! Xx