IVF or ovulation induction? which path to take??? so confused....anyone help???!

[NewFlowers]

Hello everyone, i am a newbie and this my first post so i am sorry if i dont get things quite right.

I was diagnosed with pcos and i do not ovulate on my own. I have used clomid but my drs found i was resistant so moved me onto inectables. So far this has worked well regarding ovulation and pregnancy but i always miscarry between 4 - 8 weeks. I am currently on miscarriage no5 .I have had thyroid testing and Aps testing - all ok. My egg reserve is super high which is common in pcos so quantity isnt a problem but quality seems to be.
My consultant has said they would like to see me to discuss IVF. But as i am 39 (40 in dec) i will only be offered 1 free go poss 2 if they can start my 2nd before my 40th bday. So my thoughts are, should i continue on ovulation induction and hope we get a good one, or stop and try IVF now???

Sticking on ovulation induction i can have 3 more attempts then 1 go at ivf when i am 39 or 40 (If i wait till i am 40 i will still be offered 1 free go).

Or

IVF now so they can select the best quality embryo and see if that would help with my quality problem (if its sucsseful)

I would be so grateful for any thoughts or advice as my brain is completely fried!! And i am just going round in circles.

Thank you xxx

 

[MsRipple]

I'm sorry for your losses.

Do you or your dr. have any theories regarding the cause of the miscarriages? Have you (or your partner or the lost pregnancies) been tested for genetic issues? Also, you mentioned thyroid - did you test t3, t4 and tsh? A thyroid antibody test can also rule out Hashimoto's, which can cause miscarriages.

If the causes is really not known, I think it's a personal decision, but I would probably move to IVF earlier if doing so means that my second cycle is paid for.

 

[NewFlowers]

Thank you so much for your reply.

My consultant believe they have complete all apropriate tests but i have not had any genetic testing done. When i mentioned it they said it they would test the miscarriage products if i reach 6-8 weeks so they have something to test. Since that discussion i have had 3 further miscarriages all at 4.5 weeks. They believe with pcos i have a higher proportion of poor quality eggs and now think ivf is the only way forward.
I spoke to my husband again last night. We are going to go for ivf so they can choose the best quality embryo and pray it works well. I am so nervous though as i feel this is our only hope xxx

 

[WishnandHopn]

I just wanted to say I'm sorry for your losses and good luck with the IVF. I think in your place I would make the same choice.

Are you taking any supplements for egg quality (ubiquinol?)

Do you take progesterone after ovulation? My mom had 3 miscarriages and after she started progesterone supplementation she carried 3 babies to term.

good luck!

 

[hmommy219]

Hi there,

First off, I am so sorry for your losses. I would go directly to IVF if I were you and here are just some reasons why:

1. Solid implantation may be an issue. What I learned at my IVF clinic, is that once a woman is over 35, the shell around her eggs becomes much harder than that of a younger woman, making it harder for the sperm to properly penetrate to form a good embryo. Also, at my clinic embryos are always (mandatorily) put through assisted hatching if a woman is over 35 and it is also mandatory that she has a uterine biopsy prior to implantation which is said to substantially increase odds of implantation. I absolutely swear by the uterine biopsy (or it is sometimes referred to as 'scraping' which sounds awful!!) lol..You seem to be getting pregnant, but perhaps your embryos are having difficulty implanting well-thus the early miscarriages.

2. Egg quality: in IVF, you have an embryologist specifically combing through sperm and egg to find the 'alpha' types.

3. Speaking of sperm: maybe your husband is the one with the issues? Has his sperm been evaluated? Does he drink? Even small amounts of alcohol on a daily basis can effect sperm quality. My poor hubby loves his beer after a long day, but when we jumped on the IVF train, he went cold turkey 3 months prior and now we have 2 year old twins!!

4. When you have an IVF cycle, if your doctor is worth his/her salt, they'll have you on all types of meds (even testosterone if need be) to increase egg quality. You will also take progesterone for weeks after implantation to help the pregnancy stick. Since I had a miscarriage and was a very nervous mom, my doc kept me on progesterone the entire first trimester, and I swear it made all the difference because women in their 30s are notorious for having low progesterone.

Other advice: healthy diet. Lots of protein. I used supplements too although the jury is out on that.

I wish you the best of luck but YES, DO IVF!!! You deserve to get results!!