# IVF #1 no eggs fertilised - any hope for next time?



## Rurin

I'm pretty sure I saw a thread once about this but can't find it.
We just finished our first IVF cycle yesterday after none of our 7 eggs fertilised.

Docs say they don't know why as eggs were mature and looked healthy and sperm sample was great. They suggest ICSI next time. We were doing short protocol.

Anyone ever experienced this and then gone on to ICSI and a healthy pregnancy??


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## cvaeh

Hi.

Sorry to hear about your experience. Unfortunately this happened to me and icsi hasn't been able to solve it but think i am a very very rare case as through my research most girls have success with icsi after failed fertilization with standard ivf. One girl from another site i know is 20 weeks pregnant after her 6th cycle after adding assisted occyte acctivation to the cycle as her husbands sperm couldn't activate her eggs. This did not work for us as its an egg problem, we did get some embryos with it but they failed to 
progress.
I am sure you will have success with icsi as it sounds like you may have a problem with the signalling between egg and sperm which we were told sometimes can happen. Good luck x x
the shocking


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## cvaeh

cvaeh said:


> Hi.
> 
> Sorry to hear about your experience. Unfortunately this happened to me and icsi hasn't been able to solve it but think i am a very very rare case as through my research most girls have success with icsi after failed fertilization with standard ivf. One girl from another site i know is 20 weeks pregnant after her 6th cycle after adding assisted occyte acctivation to the cycle as her husbands sperm couldn't activate her eggs. This did not work for us as its an egg problem, we did get some embryos with it but they failed to
> progress.
> I am sure you will have success with icsi as it sounds like you may have a problem with the signalling between egg and sperm which we were told sometimes can happen. Good luck x x


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## cvaeh

Not sure why it posted twice. Sorry. I am typing on my phone x x x x


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## Rurin

wow - you've been through quite a journey! I'm so sorry - and well done you for having the strength to keep going.

Dr Google seems to reflect what you say - that some do find ICSI nails it and some have lots of cycles refining the issues to solve it. So thank you for your thoughts.

We can really only afford to do one paid cycle - so I'm trying to weigh up if we'll be one of the ones it works for or to cut our losses now and not risk feeling this awful again. Oh for some guarantees in this game!

Right now I guess we wait for the WTF appointment and see what the docs can add. My DH is not in the zone for next step conversations yet though he did say in a few days he will be.


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## bugs

Hi Rurin, just to add my story. I've had 6 full cycles and we've always got to transfer with 2 to put back (no frosties) on my 7th cycle with ICSI we got zero fertilisation. We were so shocked, I strongly believe that I was on a too high dose of stimms (6 amps menopur) our consultant does not agree and thinks we should move to donor eggs. I'm 31 so not quite ready for that but what I'm saying is that there doesn't seem to be any reason why. It's possible you could get really good fertilisation or it could happen again and when it's so expensive it's just a nightmare xxxx


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## Canagirl

I know how devastating a cycle with no fertilization can be. Our first IVF cycle we got 4 eggs and none of them fertilized via ICSI. They couldn't give me an exact reason but said probably egg quality. I believe it had to do with high stims and being on stims a long time (I triggered on night 15 of injections).

We went forward with another cycle (at a different clinic) and we had 2 embryos (a 5 and an 8 cell) to transfer (6 were retrieved, 5 immature, 2 fertilized via ICSI (including 1 of the immature eggs). We were successful on this cycle and are very cautiously pregnant.

The fact that you haven't yet tried ICSI means you have a very good chance of successful fertilization with ICSI. I wish you the best of luck.


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## Disneyfan88

Rurin, I'm heartbroken to find out that none of your eggs fertilized. I'm sorry that I don't have anything better to offer other than hang in there and don't give up hope. This fertility journey is a long and bumpy one for so many, but I have no doubt that we will all see the light at the end of the tunnel one way or another. I wish you comfort, peace, and the best of luck on your journey. :hugs:


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## Rurin

Thanks girls for all your kind replies.
These forums are so brilliant for helping the 'why me?' thoughts and making me feel less alone when I see others' battles.

I'm sure as we get our next appointment through hope will stir again and we'll have the strength to give it another chance with ICSI. I think I would always wonder if we'd given it everything if we didn't at least try once with ICSI. I hope DH comes to the same conclusion!


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## bettybee1

am sorry about your fert report hun :(

all i know is with standard ivf most off the time if its poor fertlization its to do with then sperm , but if its isci and poor ferlization its to do with egg quialty x


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## Rurin

Thanks hon - I guess only time will tell which it is. Sigh - back to the waiting game again.


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## bettybee1

It's horrible all this ivf infertility shit !!! It's not fair at all ! 

And am sorry you fell at fetlization everything is just a waiting game and expensive game at that !! Keep positive hunnie xxx


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## sammy1987xxx

Hi rurin so sorry to hear ur news. 
I have seen some documentaries that have shown zero fertilisation with standard Ivf. Icsi has about 75% fertilisation rate so I think u should go for that if funds allow u espc as u sed eggs and sperm were great. When is ur follow up appointment? Xxx


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## Rurin

don't know when the follow up is - they said nurses would call to arrange - so am kind of waiting. If I don't hear anything by the time I'm back from my holiday (in about 10 days ish) then I'll phone and follow up.


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## pone123

OMG Rurin I was in very similar position 3 months ago and I would like to share our story with you and give you HOPE! We were classified as 'Unexplained" me and my husband are both around 30 and we had 12 eggs colected on our first IVF,...our specialist was very hopeful.and then next day we got a call " none fertilized" ..the biggest shock in my life..they said eggs are normal sperm are normal...and we had a natural pregnancy 2 years ago which ended in misccariage ( 12 weeks baby died at 5-6 weeks ) ...and I was so scared for the next cycle..then we got 10 eggs and ALL FERTILIZED now we have one perfect embie on board :)) so remember, if the eggs are normal mature and normal morphology and normal sperm you have very HIGH chances...I ve read the cases when next step icsi fails is when woman has abnormal eggs which are appeareant in the lab..thats what my specialist confirmed as well.
So please remember there is HOPE dont give up yet....
Wishing you the best


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## pone123

and I read up in the post from CVAEH about the woman that had 6 icsi cycles and she is pregnant after oocyte activation I just wanted to add that her husband had severa male factor problems and once the sperm once in the egg was unable to activate the egg which in your case rurin Iam pretty sure its not a problem as you've had pregnancy in the past so yr husband sperm was able to activate the egg...so remember you had normal eggs and great sperm same like us and im pretty sure you will have a success with ICSI...those rare cases when fertilization fails with ICSI is when there are immature or abnormal eggs or sperm, very very very rarely happens with normal sperm and eggs, thats what my 75 year old specialist said to us with more than 50 years of experience...


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## pone123

she even said I cant guarentee but im 99.99 % sure ICSI will fertilize the eggs and she has never seen a case of failed ICSI in her career with normal eggs and sperm ( they do 800 ivf cycles a year ) ...and then after we got 100% fertilization with icsi she said to me "I knew it but i wish I can guarentee things like this "


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## Rurin

Just a wee update in case anyone searching for this in a similar situation.

The doc said he thought my fertilisation failure in the summer was a fluke. He said that 50% of the time, if IVF was attempted again, there was no problem with fertilisation. But we agreed to go with ICSI just in case with a higher dose of drugs to get more eggs..

We are in the the middle of our ICSI round now and heard this morning that 22 of our 27 eggs fertilised!

Still a way to go in the cycle, but I hope this gives hope to anyone who goes through the shock of a failed fertilisation with IVF.


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## V2R

Hi rurin sorry about your failed ivf. I will tell you my journey so far. I have done a short protocol I felt awful on the meds only 3eggs none made it to transfer. 6 months later I did a long protocol (I think it suited me better as I didn't feel like I did last time)which ended up 7 fertilised eggs half was ivf other was icsi one was very good to transfer which was the ivf one but unfortunately the rest never made it to freezing. At the moment I am on the 2ww which I test this Sat.
All I can say is don't give up after the 1st failed cycle I didn't think I could go through it again. Your doctor will advise what is the best protocol to try


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## tulip1975

Congrats on all of the fertilized eggs, Rurin! I imagine your story will give some couples some much needed optimism during a stressful time. :)


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## Chrissy22

Has anyone had success using calcium ionophore? My husband and I have had 2 failed IVF ICSI cycles with zero fertilization. I am currently 28 and he is 32. Any help would be much appreciated!!


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## jmartinez

Chrissy22 said:


> Has anyone had success using calcium ionophore? My husband and I have had 2 failed IVF ICSI cycles with zero fertilization. I am currently 28 and he is 32. Any help would be much appreciated!!

Hi, we are in the same situation 2 IVF ICSI cycles 13 eggs and 10 eggs with zero fertilization. Have you found a solution ?


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## Magnolia36

I just had my first IVF cycle 2 mature eggs retrieved. I was so excited only to get a call yesterday from the lab telling me my eggs didn't fertilize. Apparently there was a sperm and egg binding issue. Does anyone have any information to share on this issue or have experienced anything like this. I am really distraught:((


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## Lesley1125

Good morning, I had 3 eggs retrieved on July 28th and got the call that none had fertilized (1st round of ivf) They said everything was normal with eggs and sperm. I'm currently waiting to have a follow up to see what happened. Once I get any info with my situation, I can share what I learn. You're not alone with the distraught feeling. Stay strong!!!!!


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