anyone over 35 going for fertility treatments this year? IUI, IVF etc

[sarahincanada]

While waiting for the update call , I'm working myself up into a lather. I've read that some embryos may arrest and that it may be better to do a Day 3 transfer. My RE had mentioned that if by Day 3, embryo development remains good, that they would push it to Day 5. However, I've read some instances where embryo development ceases after Day 3!!

I'm Day 2 now and thinking of calling the clinic to push for a Day 3 transfer. What has been your experience? Any insight would be much appreciated! it would be devastating to come this far only to end up with nothing.

personally I would always do a day 5 transfer....I believe that an embryo that doesnt last in the dish wouldnt last in your body either. technology is so far advanced that I dont believe the 'better in the body' thing and I personally feel either the chromosomes are right or not. we had some in the lead on day 3 that arrested on day 4, so if we had transfered those it wouldnt have worked.

another big reason is that naturally the blast doesnt enter the uterus till day 5, so when they put back an embryo into the uterus on day 3 it wouldnt naturally be there. of course lots of people have success with day 3's (but those that work would have probably made it to blast in the dish anyway) and if you have a limited amount its probably best to do a day 3 if the clinic suggest, but if they suggest a day 5 I would take it.

between days 4 & 5 quite a good number arrest as apparantly before that they are using the dna from the mothers egg, but at day 4&5 the embryos dna has to 'turn on' and work as an embryo. so many people lose quite a few, but again I believe they wouldnt have worked in the body either.

 

[DaisyQ]

Like LL bean says, it depends on the number of embryos you have, and how they are developing. If you have a lot of embryos, they will push to day 5, and put the strongest, most developed, best looking ones back - it helps weed out the ones that look less promising. If you have fewer embryos and/or they seem to be developing more slowly, they will often do a 3 day transfer, so as to not risk losing them by day 5.

All of that said, my current clinic will ONLY do day 6 transfers, period. If they all arrest before then, they think the wouldn't have made it in utero. They have a state of the art lab and great embryologists and feel that if they don't make it in the lab, they weren't viable to begin with. I'm not sure how I feel about this because I know of others at other clinis who have had day 3 transfers, and it does work. I know my clinic used to do both day 3 and day 5/6, but in the last year or so they have switched to only day 5. I'm guessing their data supports day 5 (really 6) being much better. They are very big into synchrony - they don't want to put a day 3 embryo, that would normally still be in the fallopian tubes, into the uterus.

 

[l8bloomer]

Thanks everyone for all the info.

I'm still anxious but less so now that I understand the rationale behind the Day 3 vs Day 5 transfers. Maybe I shouldn't have taken the day off work. I've got too much time to think.

 

[PositiveUs]

While waiting for the update call , I'm working myself up into a lather. I've read that some embryos may arrest and that it may be better to do a Day 3 transfer. My RE had mentioned that if by Day 3, embryo development remains good, that they would push it to Day 5. However, I've read some instances where embryo development ceases after Day 3!!

I'm Day 2 now and thinking of calling the clinic to push for a Day 3 transfer. What has been your experience? Any insight would be much appreciated! it would be devastating to come this far only to end up with nothing.

personally I would always do a day 5 transfer....I believe that an embryo that doesnt last in the dish wouldnt last in your body either. technology is so far advanced that I dont believe the 'better in the body' thing and I personally feel either the chromosomes are right or not. we had some in the lead on day 3 that arrested on day 4, so if we had transfered those it wouldnt have worked.

another big reason is that naturally the blast doesnt enter the uterus till day 5, so when they put back an embryo into the uterus on day 3 it wouldnt naturally be there. of course lots of people have success with day 3's (but those that work would have probably made it to blast in the dish anyway) and if you have a limited amount its probably best to do a day 3 if the clinic suggest, but if they suggest a day 5 I would take it.

between days 4 & 5 quite a good number arrest as apparantly before that they are using the dna from the mothers egg, but at day 4&5 the embryos dna has to 'turn on' and work as an embryo. so many people lose quite a few, but again I believe they wouldnt have worked in the body either.

Hi. I just happened to read the last page of this thread for some reason, I never get on this thread, but now I'm worried about my recent 2 day transfer because my clinic said the best place for the embryo to be is inside my body, not growing in a dish.
Since I only had 2 that fertilized, we knew we were transferring both, they said there is no reason to wait and grade them or anything because grading is for when you plan to transfer some and freeze some. So since there was nothing to freeze, there was no sense in grading them and they felt the embryos would do much better back in their "natural environment" as soon as possible (even though they technically would still be in the fallopian tube on 2dpo).
This is some scary sh*t and I don't propose to know as much as they do about this, there comes a point when you just have to trust them, you have no choice. I hate that!

 

[DaisyQ]

Positive US - I think it really depends on the clinic and on the lab. Some doctors find greater success with earlier transfers (probably because their labs are not top of the line). Also, I think that doctors are afraid to wait it out with only two embryos, because if they DO arrest in the lab and you can't do a transfer at all, you would be devastated and would likely blame the lab... so with only 2 embryos, they'd rather take the chance that it will stick...

Just remember that earlier transfers DO work. At most clinics it's really a numbers game, and it's how many embryos you have that is the deciding factor on how many days to wait for a transfer.

 

[sarahincanada]

Positive US - I think it really depends on the clinic and on the lab. Some doctors find greater success with earlier transfers (probably because their labs are not top of the line). Also, I think that doctors are afraid to wait it out with only two embryos, because if they DO arrest in the lab and you can't do a transfer at all, you would be devastated and would likely blame the lab... so with only 2 embryos, they'd rather take the chance that it will stick...

I agree! I read a blog where a top fertility guy that only does 5 day transfers said he thinks clinics do day 3 transfers as its easier for a patient to accept the embryo just didnt implant rather than have them arrest in a dish and have nothing to transfer. Its like patients seem to feel they got more for their money if they have a transfer, even though the end result is the same.

Positive US I would worry too much...hopefully you have 2 good embryos and they will implant (and they would have lasted time day 5 in the dish too). I think when you have only 2 fertilize a lot of clinics would do the early transfer. And theres lots of day 2 and day 3 transfer success stories on here (so the being early in the uterus thing cant always be toooo much of a factor), I just believe those would have last in the dish too if they are good embryos. good luck!

 

[DaisyQ]

OK, so I'm back from my follie check. Good news, or at least I think so.

Six follies on the right, and another six on the left, so 12 total, which is two more than I had on Saturday. ALL under 10mm, which I'm interpreting as good news. Last time I had one at 12 and one at 13. Those were my two leads, and they are the two that grew to 16-17 mm two days later, and the reason my dang cycle got canceled. PRAYING they all grow together now...

Waiting for a call later today with instructions (keep the meds the same or adjust), and will go back on Thursday for another check.

Grow together, grow together, grow together!!

 

[sarahincanada]

PLEASE please please grow together daisys eggs, and while Im praying lets have lots of good ones

 

[hockey24]

Yeah Daisy! Sounds like your off to a great start! When is the next scan?

 

[DaisyQ]

Thanks guys! Sarah! I love it!

Hockey, my next scan is on Thursday.

 

[drsquid]

afm- so doc said i could wait til thurs for the us... i of course then panicked that i was messing things up by waiting.. emailed him and asked him if i was messing anything up by doing that etc.. i think i kinda insulted him. he wrote back that my e2 was in good range, that he didnt see any dominant follicles on the sono and that he wouldnt do anything that would jeopardize my care. so umm. yay =) today hopefully i get my car back from the shop. gotta run out at work to do the car exchange (and flirt with the adorable but way too young car rental guy... nice full on irish accent) and then flirt with the car repair guy (gorgeous tall, dimpled chinese guy). almost makes up for having to spend all kinds of money on car repair. im still all icky crampy from yesterday but some is gas (oops too many cherries).

hope everyone is well

 

[hockey24]

Oh Drsquid - that made me laugh!!!

 

[DaisyQ]

Dr. S - glad you can wait until Thursday. And glad you have a lot of flirting on the agenda for today!

Got the call from my nurse. My E2 levels have not yet risen, it's right around 65. I'm to increase my follistim/gonal F to 375 units, and my low dose Hcg to 30 units. Yikes. Hope something starts to happen - and of course that it happens to ALL the follicles at the same time.

 

[l8bloomer]

daisy, my e2 levels were low after 4 days of stims and they had to double my dosage. turned out ok.

AFM, they ended calling me in today for Day 3 transfer. 5 embryos transferred with 3 hopeful frosties. I remember reading on this thread (I think) about eating pineapple cores to help with implantation. Does anyone know how much to eat and for how long?

 

[sarahincanada]

daisy, my e2 levels were low after 4 days of stims and they had to double my dosage. turned out ok.

AFM, they ended calling me in today for Day 3 transfer. 5 embryos transferred with 3 hopeful frosties. I remember reading on this thread (I think) about eating pineapple cores to help with implantation. Does anyone know how much to eat and for how long?

5 embryos transfered is that right?
good luck keeping everything crossed for you!
as for pineapple core I did it, cut the core into 5 pieces and ate one piece per day. its very chewy and hard to digest but it tastes ok!

 

[l8bloomer]

daisy, my e2 levels were low after 4 days of stims and they had to double my dosage. turned out ok.

AFM, they ended calling me in today for Day 3 transfer. 5 embryos transferred with 3 hopeful frosties. I remember reading on this thread (I think) about eating pineapple cores to help with implantation. Does anyone know how much to eat and for how long?

5 embryos transfered is that right?
good luck keeping everything crossed for you!
as for pineapple core I did it, cut the core into 5 pieces and ate one piece per day. its very chewy and hard to digest but it tastes ok!

Yes, 5 embies. I was also a bit taken aback but the RE said the chances of multiples at my age is practically nil and they wanted to give me the best chance possible. He said it is their clinic's practice to transfer up to 5 embies for ladies of my vintage

I will go to WF this evening to pick up a pineapple. Anything that will help, I will do. Would love to know if you have any other tips.

 

[DaisyQ]

Thanks for the reassurance L8. I appreciate that. FIVE embies??? Holy cow! My clinic does a maximum of two.

 

[drsquid]

l8- how old are you?

i dunno what my clinic's max is. id like to do 2-3 depending on how many i have and how they look. just found out that if i have any frozen embryos im going to have to pay the clinic where the ER and ET is being done 300 to transfer them back to my clinic even though my doc will be doing the actual transferring... nickel and diming it is ridiculous

 

[l8bloomer]

drsquid, i am 44.

My clinic only said to take it easy for the remainder of the day, and to wait few days before resuming normal activities. I have read however that after transfer, bedrest is recommended, as well as showers are to be avoided. Did your REs suggest any other restrictions?

 

[drsquid]

got a quick us at work today. 1 have about 8 follies on each side each measuring around 1 cm.. largest is about 1.3. so yay no dominant... heh now the question is... do i send the pic to my doc..