It is me again... Long story short, I am 9 week pregnant after multiple failed IVFs and years of trying to conceive (I am turning 40 years old next month).
I find this journey extremely nerve wrecking and stressful, it never gets easy, every milestone a new worry comes up.
So new concern that keeps me awake at night is that the baby that is growing inside of me has not been PGT tested. Not like I had a choice as I had only 2 blastocysts and both were transferred on day 5, one survived and is now my 9 weeks pregnancy.
I understand that, but I’m thinking what are my chances of any abnormalities and if most of you test your embryos, especially given my age and that it’s an ICSI conception.
I would welcome any reassurance. We are planning to do NIPT test to get answers but it can’t come soon enough and I am not sleeping due to this anxiety.
Thank you xx
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Casperjourney
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You can do the nipt tests from 10 weeks so get that booked in as that’ll be the only thing to give you the answers and reassurances you need.
I guess you need to find reassurance that the vast vast vast majority of pregnancies are not pgta tested, and even the tiny minority that are can never guarantee for 100% that nothing will go wrong down the line.
I am just as guilty of worrying late at night about what could go wrong at every stage. What I have found helps is to keep reminding myself that, when it comes to TTC, there is almost nothing I can do to change any of it. If your baby is healthy and viable then it will make it, and sadly if it’s not then there’s nothing you can do to change that outcome.
I’m currently on my second icsi round and have just one embryo in the lab hoping to make it to blastocyst for a fresh transfer so I won’t be testing either as there’s only the one. But I’ve already looked up nipt tests as if I’m lucky enough to get as far as you that’s what I’ll do.
I understand your anxiety. I too have not tested my embryos (I did previously, and the euploid did not implant); I have had 2 miscarriages from the transfers now, and I can only pin it down to them being aneuploids.
I decided not to test because, after several discussions with different people, the consensus is to leave some of this (rather unnatural) process to chance and natural selection. I am of the mindset now, that what is meant to be, will be.
That said, I am worried about my future FETs (currently recovering/resetting from a miscarriage 2 weeks ago). You are 9 weeks pregnant, and that is an accomplishment in itself. I never got past 5 weeks, even my natural pregnancy was a missed miscarriage (I thought I was 9 weeks, waiting for my 10 week scan but it had stopped growing at 5).
I echo blahblah55's sentiments, there is nothing you can do to change the outcome of the pregnancy. So I would urge you to enjoy and be in the moment, and only worry about it when there is something to worry about easier said than done I know, but try to keep positive!
I didn't get mine tested as my consultant didn't seem to really believe it was that useful, and also I think it can only test for some things and the embryos can still be abnormal and not be viable. I have a toddler from the eggs they collected when I was 37, also ICSI. Then I became pregnant naturally last year and just had my second baby a week before I turned 40. Both times I've had the NIPT tests done and at first they base risk on age and it comes back quite high which does make you concerned, then when they got the actual results it had gone down massively - basically to the same odds as if I was 25! I know it's hard not to worry (and I did, about everything) but the embryo is made and if it's been strong enough to implant and develop, the overwhelming liklihood is that it will be fine. Also each day that passes the odds get better.
Totally feel for you. Just wanted to say even if you did have your embryo tested, the NT test is a combined screening age, Nuchal fluid and blood test pushes the probability to high. I am 43, 14 weeks pregnant with a PGT tested embryo from 4 years ago. (Frozen cycle) My results were high risk so we are now doing the second round of testing. First test only 85% accurate the second test 99%. Try not to worry about tested vs untested at this point as it isn’t the difference between high or low risk.
I understand why you are worried but you have as much chance of the baby being healthy as any other pregnancy at this stage, which is very high, unless you have some known genetic conditions in your family? Its defo something too consider at the back of your mind until that milestone is passed but not one that should be dominating your thoughts as there is absolutely no reason to think it won’t be all okay 🤗
You also might want to move on to the pregnancy after fertility forum where you will get lots and lots of support from ladies who are or have been pregnant following treatment, as it’s really common to be more worried (I defo was!!) wishing a happy and healthy pregnancy 🤗💜 xx
hello Casper journey. I went through a very similar situation at 45! I have a perfect little cherub baby boy who just turned 8 months old. I work in the medical field, so I am well aware of the risks as we get older … but I do a lot of research and Norbert Gleicher, MD, is a giant in the IVF field, his specialty is OLDER Mothers… like two years ago I think his oldest success was 49- with a healthy baby! He is based in New York.. read some of his papers. He is against it and cautions we could be discarding thousands of healthy embryos… he wrote an article about a success transfer of a mosaic embryo an older woman in 44ish using her own eggs… and had a totally health baby girl… it about 5 years ago ish you probably can find it if you look, he also has made several videos about it on YouTube. I have one embryo in the freezer… low grade of course… but one never knows.. if I’m lucky enough to make it to 10-12 weeks with that one I will then test. But I really believe that IVF is a new science and half the clinics / Drs don’t know what they are doing…. Which was sadly my experience and had cost me $$$$ and time. Here is the article…
Welcome to the worry/can't enjoy your pregnancy club - I worried all the way until I received amnio/CVS results. For my third I opted for CVS as they do it a lot earlier (hurts a lot more). It's tough, but some folks have Chromosomal issues with tested as well. If you make it to 12 weeks chromosomal issues are highly unlikely. Many find once the placenta takes over and you stop progesterone, if the fetus has issues it will stop growing with out the extra progesterone support.
In case it helps, the ultrasound typically starts to show signs of abnormalities as early as 8 wks, like extra fluid. One tech told me, when there are chromosomal issues the "fetus lights up like a Christmas tree."
Best of luck. You've gotten far, even at 40 the odds are dramatically in your favor 😀
Hi there. I can completely relate to your situation. I found out I was pregnant the day before my 44th birthday and was full of anxiety. I had the harmony test at 11/12 weeks which is 99% accurate and disclosed that there were no issues. I have been blessed with a beautiful and healthy baby boy who is now nearly 16 months. I wish you the best of luck. X
When I got pregnant, on my first transfer, and had my 12 week check up I was told that there was a chance of preeclampsia and down syndrome. I was worried sick, they did a genetic blood test, it is non invasive, and can detect diseases. It was negative for down syndrome but it didn't avoid the stressful days waiting for the result. (I sometimes wonder if that is what caused my water to break much ealier, but that´s another topic)
After that I got informed and there are centers where you can get these tests done. Obviously they are expensive, but there is the option and they can be more or less exhaustive.
I'm telling you about it in case you are interested.
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easier said than done I know, but try to keep positive!
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