1st ICSI - 5 day transfer yesterday and hung up on Embryo grade/quality. Help!

[Kzee]

Hi ladies (and any gents!)

I hope you're all well.

I wondered if there's anyone out that who could put my mind at rest. I'm only 1dp5dt and I'm struggling a bit already

So, during my ICSI cycle, we only had 8 eggs retrieved which I was pretty disappointed at when you see others getting 20+ but I kept telling myself, maybe it'll turn out to be quality over quantity in our case. The next day 6 had fertilized normally. I thought that was good number out of 8! Then on day 3, 4 embryos were developing well at the 8 cell stage and the other 2 were at 4 cell and 3. I was freaked out a little that out 8 were now just 4, but glad that the majority were doing well so they scheduled me in for a 5 day transfer!

This was yesterday and we were told that only one had made it to blastocyst stage. What the hell happened to the rest? I feel so lucky to get a blastocyst and the embryologist said that having a front runner is exactly what they'd wanted (I'm pretty sure he was just trying to put a positive spin on things!). I just can't help wondering why so many of our other embryo's did so badly in the end and that this could indicate that the one that made it this far, probably won't result in a BFP. I pray it does! Really trying to be positive, I promise!

To top it off, our blastocyst that was transferred wasn't very good quality. So we have neither quality OR quantity! I'm trying not to obsess over the grades etc as to be honest, I don't really know what it all means, but I can't help just wishing we had top quality and i'd feel so much more confident. I know it's not a guarantee to work, even then, but the grading system is there for a reason. Ours was graded at 3 (1 being the best) C+ B. I guess a 1AA would be the perfect blast and ours is pretty low on the scale.

I feel so stupid obsessing over this, but I can't help it. I'd love to hear from any success stories with lower grade blasts or just any advice in general really.

Any other advice about what's best to eat/drink/do after ET would also be gratefully received. You guys are so supportive on here.

Thanks so much in advance

x

 

[Northernmonke]

Hey hun just wanted to say that you have had similar fertilization to me and those that have 20 eggs collected are being over stimulated. It only takes one but I know we would all like to have lots to freeze so we don't have to go through the torture again, believe me I have had egg collection 5 times!
In regards to grades it all luck I think, I've seen people with poor embies get Pregnant and those with excellent ones not.
Try and relax and take time out to chill, I obsess to, its a really long wait. DO NOT test early. It did my head in and this time I really wish I hadn't x Good luck x

 

[Blue12]

My close friend had a poor quality blastocyst transferred who is now a 2 year old little girl. She has since had 2 more cycles with amazing quality blasts and none of those worked.
Best wishes. The 2ww is the hardest part of the ivf process

 

[Kzee]

Thanks you guys! Very lovely of you to respond with your support. I know it's silly to worry too much about grades. I'm sure if we had a top grade one i'd still be sh*tting myself!

I guess that trying naturally is only a 15-20% chance of conceiving each cycle (probably 0% for us though!) and with IVF it's about 40-50%, so that's something I guess!

Northernmonke - 5 EC - Jesus, you are hard core! You're right about being Over stimmed i'm sure... I've seen a lot of women on these boards that have a lot of eggs and just half fertilize, that can't be right. How did your October cycle go in the end, well, I hope?!!

Blue12 - Thank you! The TWW is horrendous and i'm only on day 2, ha! Dread to think how i'll be in a weeks time! Always good to hear some positive stories though, so thank you! I see you had a couple of successful ICSI's, that's amazing, what is your story? x

You know what is frustrating, this is so silly but, I know I need to relax and the thing that I find most relaxing is probably stuffing my face with junk food! I got healthy this year, quit smoking, cut down on alcohol and lost 33lbs so I have deprived myself so much this year and all I want to do is eat sweets and chocolate and go out for dinner every night to take my mind off it, but I want to eat healthy so that i'm giving the embryo the best chance! So I'm sticking to protein and lots of veg which is fine, but I want to BAD STUFF! Ha ha!

 

[Northernmonke]

Thanks hun, well yes it is going well but I am extra cautious at the moment, I am 5 weeks and 1 day and got my first scan a week today to check how many (beta suggests twins) and also check they are in the right place and growing well.
I had a VERY bad clinic for the first 3 cycles and believe me I have hated each and every EC but hopefully worth it in the end x

 

[Kzee]

Oh brilliant! Very happy for you! It's never ending... you worry when you can't seem to conceive naturally, then you find out you can't, more worry, then you go through fertility treatment, SO much worry then you finally get your BFP and the worry continues, phew, this whole thing is mental!

Are you in the UK? which clinics were you with? Were you NHS funded? x

 

[Northernmonke]

Thanks, yes tww worry then first scan worry and after that still loads more worry.

Yes I am in the UK - south. I went to BMI Missenden - wouldnt wish there on my worst enemy, so far behind the times.

I finally changed to Lister in Chelsea london. Excellent! No NHS funding as I was too young and by the time I got to 30 I had had too many private cycles for nhs to fund! a right load of rubbish! x

 

[Kzee]

Wow! That's awful. Well, good on you for persevering through what sounds like a very long and difficult time. So pleased you got your BFP and the very best of luck for your scan next week! How exciting! xx

 

[Blue12]

My story is I have pco not pros as I do ovulate. Also had endometriosis removed. Dh has Sperm antibodies. So basically we were told zero chance. My first cycle I got 47 eggs and 3 fertilized. I was hospitalized for a week and drained. They froze the 3 very poor quality day 3 embryos. Bfn. My second cycled I got 6 eggs and all 6 fertilized (I had my dd). And this cycle I got 3 eggs and am pg with twins and have 1 frozen

 

[Kzee]

Blue12 - that is fantastic! So, aside from the OHSS and your loss (sorry) both the normal cycles worked for you. That's amazing!

Sounds quite similar to me, I have mild PCO - my FS said I did ovulate even though a few tests revealed low progesterone?! Hmmmm. But, also MFI.

Did you have blasts transferred? x

 

[Blue12]

I had day 3s transferred. I think because my fs is too chicken to risk day 5. When I saw other drs filling in for her at the clinic they strongly disagreed with the day3 and said I should do day 5. But all my cycle were day3s

 

[Kzee]

Thanks Blue12, and it worked! Congrats again x