In need of some comforting :(

[Londongirl84]

This is my first time writing on a forum but I am desperate for some kind helpful words. I had my embryo transfer yesterday so am in the 2ww of my 1st icsi cycle. I had 23 eggs retrieved, 18 fertilised. On day 3 we had 11 so the embryologist wanted to go to day 5. When we arrived, we were devastated to discover that 9 had arrested, leaving us only one morula and one early blastocyst. Our doctor and embryologist were extremely hopeful that we would have 2 very healthy blastocysyts to transfer and lots to freeze- sow hat on earth could have gone wrong?? I have no known fertility problems and my husband has low sperm count and morphology. We are both late 20s. I am absolutely devastated.

[Nodney]

You must be devastated, but as Expat says, there's still hope. I had 18 eggs harvested, 16 successfully fertilised. As I had so many, the clinic recommended going to blastocyst stage. Over the next five days, all but one died. I was gutted that after all those eggs I only had one embryo. Well, that one embryo is six this weekend and very excited about his party! I wish you luck x x

[worldgonecrazy]

You only need one to get a succesful pregnancy. It is not unusual to lose a lot of embryos when trying to get to blastocyst. I went from 18 to 4 blastocyst. Two were put back in and one made it (she is now 3).

Just getting to blastocyst means you have a much higher chance of a succesful pregnancy, so it is actually a really good thing.

Good luck for your 2ww. I am sure that chocolate cake helped me.

[Londongirl84]

These are all such lovely replies and have made me feel comforted knowing at least someone living the same nightmare as me. Thank you so much. Youre all so sweet. Can I ask whether your doctors gave you any reason why so many embryos died? I'm so worried that there may be some sort of underlying sperm issue since they flourished on day 1 and 2 and then died on day 3....
Also do you know anything about early blastocysts like mine? Google terrifies me.
Expatwifey thank you so much for the link. X

[Londongirl84]

P.S. Also good luck with you EC tomorrow x

[worldgonecrazy]

Londongirl I was told the reason they lose so many is that the laboratory condition is not ideal. Really, although the clinics do their best, the safest place for an embryo is back in mum's womb. The clinics have to balance the risk of taking an embryo to blastocyst - which shows that it has a good chance of developing into a baby, against the risk of losing potential embryos because of the clinical environment.

I've heard of women getting pregnant with "no hope" 3 cell embryos. There is still a lot of research being carried out, which is why I've donated my spares to the clinics so they can keep looking for reasons. Hopefully it will help other women know the joy of motherhood.

[lozster]

I had

[lozster]

Sorry - I'll start again. I had one morula and one blasto and am currently soaking my swollen pregnant trotters in water.

Think of the process as having selected out the strongest.

[Londongirl84]

I'm so pleased I wrote on here! You have all made me feel a bit more positive which I didn't believe possible a day ago. Thank you so much.

Lozster congratulations on your pregnancy!

My concern is mainly that not only did 9 embryos arrest suddenly (and they were good embryos!) but also the 2 remaining embryos are underdeveloped so I am worried that we as a couple can't make embryos that will survive.

I hate the 2ww wait- so many unanswered questions and all-consuming thoughts. Lots of horrible horrible what-ifs. X

[Nodney]

I couldn't believe it when so many died, but, as worldgonecrazy quite rightly said, it is usual to loose quite a few when you go past the 3 day stage - only the v best make it in that environment. Some of those lost would never have made a baby anyway, even if put back earlier. In my case, it's male factor infertility too - low motility and morphology. Stay positive - I was convinced all was lost as I only had the one and all the others had died. Then in the 2 ww I had period pains and mild hyper stimulation syndrome. I was totally convinced of failure. Hope you can get lots of rest x

[Londongirl84]

Thank you Nodney. I hope so much that I have the same lovely result as you x

[Poutintrout]

I had 14 collected, 11 mature enough to be fertilised and ended up with only two blastos (one currently on ice). Like you mine were looking ace but literally arrested overnight. When I had my follow up appointment I was told that perhaps a factor in the high arrestment rate was that my eggs were a little immature and small when collected.

Good luck with everything and do take heart that producing a blasto at all is a very positive thing in itself!

[Poutintrout]

should read 11 mature enough to be shown the sperm and 6 fertilised

[KnackeredCow]

Morulas can go on to make good blastos. I am guessing you had a double transfer and both the blasto and morula were transferred?

I had my third round of IVF last June. Of 12 fertilised eggs I ended with two blastos and two morulas. Had the two blastos (one was early too) transferred on day five, and one's currently having a feed, and the other having a nap . But, the two morulas were cultured on for an extra day and did make good quality blastos that were put on ice. Some embryos just don't become blastocysts until day 6, and there's nothing to say your morula won't. And it's also worth remembering it's quality not quantity. That blasto that was transferred has every chance. Good luck, I really hope it works out for you.

[Londongirl84]

Thank you so much for your comments :)

Poutintrout thats interesting that they told you that about the eggs. Did the dr say anything about the quality of the sperm?

X

[Poutintrout]

londongirl We had to have ICSI because my husband had in the past an iffy/borderline morphology result (oddly the sperm test before the IVF was much improved). When we had the stewards enquiry following the failed cycle nothing was said about the sperm so we assumed that it wasn't especially relevant because of the ICSI IYSWIM.

I was surprised too at the comments about small and immature eggs. I was told that if we ever did a fresh cycle I would need to be stimulated on a slightly higher dose.