NK Cell Testing worth it?

[KAllenx]

Hi everyone!

I’m currently organising my 3rd FET and have some questions regarding NK Cell Testing.

I have an appt with Professor Jan Brosens from the implantation clinic in Coventry in a couple of weeks - The next step is consultation and then a biopsy and testing of the NK Cells in my lining to see if there is anything potentially impacting implantation. Has anyone experienced this treatment before? Or had any NK cells testing done after failed transfers? How did you find it all?

I’m in two minds whether to just go ahead and have a 3rd transfer on my next cycle and hope for the best or have the additional testing done and go from there. I’m 30 and had my egg collection at 28 and have 6 day 5’s in the freezer. The difference this time is we are having to self fund this round so more pressure to get it right. I’m just worried I’m over complicating things… for context me and my husband are both healthy and have not been diagnosed with anything that would impact our fertility so it’s very much unknown…

thanks ❤️

[Bimsie1310]

If I was you I would just try again, especially as you are young and healthy. It took me 5 transfers to get a positive test and I was between 36 and 38 in that time with known male factor infertility. I looked into NK cells testing but there are no good quality studies that show they affect implantation.

[Pickle2025]

I don’t know all the info, as this is regarding a lady I met online, but after 8 rounds of IVF, many losses, she finally had her little boy on round 9 after having treatment for NK cells. She wishes someone had said about it before to have saved her so much heart ache

[Lilypad20]

I have had recurrent early miscarriages and had NK cells tested (the ones in the blood not the uterus though). It was found that I had very high levels and which can essentially ‘attack’ the embryo or stop it from developing where the immune system does not adjust in order to accommodate a foetus.

Having wasted so much time being told by my previous clinic that miscarriages were bad luck, I really regret not doing the testing earlier. If it were me I would want to rule things out before transferring an embryo but ultimately follow your intuition and do what feels right for you.

[KAllenx in reply to Lilypad20]

Hi there, thanks so much for sharing. Would you mind PMing me who you used for the blood tests and what exactly was tested? Was thinking of doing this as a starting point then if anything flags I will get the biopsy. Do you also mind me asking how discovering this impacted your treatment?

Thanks x

[Loosy80 in reply to KAllenx]

I did this too after a miscarriage of a euploid embryo, mine too were high and I was prescribed steroids and intralipids - who knows if it made the difference or not but that pregnancy was successful and I have an almost 2 year old. It was through Dr Thum at the Lister in London

[HelzBelzUK]

I had my NK cells tested (blood) which showed I have really high cytokines. So before my transfer i’ll be doing an immune protocol. I honestly think this is unnecessary as the research surrounding this is slim but after 11 transfers, 2 chemicals and one miscarriage I may aswell try something different xx

I got mine tested with fertilysis. They’re a greek company.. you buy the test online, arrange for your own blood test and then send the results back. I had a hysteroscopy and was considering doing uterine nk cell biopsy but uterine NK cells are never in contact with the foetus and do not attack the embryo. So I didn’t bother in the end as I would rather spend the money on something that’s actually proven xx