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Our Infertility Support forum is a space to connect with others in the same position, discuss causes, treatment and IVF, and share infertility stories of hope and success.

Infertility

anyone trying IVF at 44?

13 replies

Acacia88 · 06/04/2014 17:41

Hi there,
I'm new to mums net and blogging but have used the site for information for a while..I need your kind advice or experiences if applicable...

My DH and I only settled down nearly 4 years ago, we decided we wanted children ( no previous children). I got pg almost straight away naturally at the first try but MC at 6 weeks, then getting pg naturally again proved harder but success a year later but mc at 10 weeks -docs said they didn't believe it looked over 6 weeks. since then- nothing so tried IVF this January but cramped at second day so knew it wasn't right and didn't get pregnant, I thought I would at least get pg even if I couldn't carry to term.

My DH is on threshold of low mobility sperm but still seen a'normal' to specialist.

I'm currently trying tcm and lots of organic multivitamins to 'cleanse and detox' myself along with organic food-having read lots of books etc but did the big cleanse before 2nd mc now adding the tcm with acupuncture.

Now 44 going 45 and want to try again and would like to talk to anyone else in a similar situation? I'd be grateful to hear from you.

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Chocolatestain · 07/04/2014 06:40

Hi, I got together with my DH in my late thirties and started TTC as soon as we got engaged. After four years with no joy we tried IVF and I conceived on the second cycle at the age of 42. For the second cycle I had acupuncture with a really good acupuncturist who specialises in fertility treatment (she bent over backwards to make sure I could get a treatment at the right time to coincide with the egg collection/embryo insertion timings). I also cut back a lot on my workload as I had been crazily busy before the first cycle. I'm sure these things helped a lot.

We're you offered ICSI (sorry can't remember what it stands for, but it's used to boost chances when men have low sperm counts or motility)?

Good luck.

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Chocolatestain · 07/04/2014 08:52

Also meant to add (but got distracted by DS) that diet and lifestyle have a huge impact on sperm quality so it's worth DH going on a health kick as well if he hasn't already. It does take three to four months though as new sperm take 74 days to mature.

You didn't mention how many eggs were collected or successfully fertilised on your first round of IVF. That can be a good indicator of your fertility reserves and a good IVF specialist should be able use the information to fine tune your hormone regime for a second attempt. We seriously considered egg donation as an option if our second round failed. I don't know if that's something you've thought about. It brings a whole new range of complexities but has much higher success rates for older women (and I mean 'older' in a fertility sense - obviously 44 isn't at all old in the normal sense!).

Hope some of this helps.

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Acacia88 · 09/04/2014 22:42

Thank you Chocolatestain so much for your advice. I only had 2 eggs retrieved, both fertilised but only one was a 'good egg'. We had changed our diet after my first miscarriage-the organic food, exercise, vitamins etc etc but was rather deflated when the second miscarriage happened. I was quite adamant that I would not go the iVF route because of all the drugs etc and the cost -'the once you start you can't stop as it is like giving up hope'..
The clinic we went to was in north cyprus as it was recommended and we could have a restful holiday-which it was, (I had IVF with ICSI). I realise now that they give me no advice (sounds stupid but it was my first time). So your gynocologist at your clinic boosted you with meds to increase your success the second time? or did you go only to the acupuncturist?

I've started to go to acupuncture and TCM at my local shop, about a month ago, it seems to be working ok-its got rid of some headaches but I don't actually feel much different. The Chinese doctor changes the herbs with how I am feeling and seems happy with my progress. I bought a package of acupuncture treatments but his advice recently was that I finish off the acupuncture and just carry on with the herbs only. I had a friend has recommended a very good acupuncturist who specializes in fertility apparently-so will see her since it helped you-getting desperate really...

thanks for you help again

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YesIcan · 09/04/2014 23:01

I conceived at 43 and 45 using donated eggs. We went to Barcelona.
An 40 something acquaintance of mine is currently expecting her first - but has been diagnosed with a form of Downs. Eggs decline in quality and quantity with age.
Good luck

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Acacia88 · 10/04/2014 10:44

Thank you, YesIcan. Which clinic in Barcelona did you go to? any language problems? did they just do the treatment and nothing else, any tests on you before hand ? Did you have to give up work and have bed rest for the duration of the pregnancy? sorry so many questions..

I knew about the down syndrome but didn't want to think about it..

Look forward to hearing from you.

A

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YesIcan · 10/04/2014 23:54

Ds1 was with institut marques. Then my doctors started their own clinic (name?) and I used them for ds2. My first donor was 35, the upper age limit, though it would have been my preference to use same donor. All had perfect English.i forget what tests but there are some.
I worked for all of my first and most of my second pregnancies. I'm a Physio. Also walked and swam 1km regularly. I had 2 v deliveries.

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Acacia88 · 13/04/2014 09:52

thank you, YesIcan. could you let me know the name of the second clinic to which the doctors started up themselves? I'd like to check both out.
Many thanks for your help.

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YesIcan · 15/04/2014 01:13

Barcelonaivf, they come up with google. IM were good, and older established.

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suzylee73 · 15/04/2014 10:35

I have been researching IVF abroad but haven't actually been. I found as a while Spanish clinics are very good and have great customer service and reply super quick, which is important if your overseas I think Smile
At 41 I am toying with the idea of donor eggs, the success rates in over 40's do seem higher than with your own eggs. They don't have long waiting list abroad either.

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sarah00001 · 18/04/2014 12:28

Hi Acacia, I just wanted to share a story with you that I colleague of mine told me. She had a friend who didn't meet her partner until she was in her 40's and they tried for a baby naturally without success. They then had several rounds of IVF and they were unsuccessful (please note that this was many years ago though). She was understandably gutted and believed she would never be a mum as at this point she was 46, but her fertility doctor told her to go away, have some acupuncture, avoid alcohol, eat a healthy diet and take a holiday. She followed his advice and fell pregnant naturally aged 46 and gave birth to a healthy baby. Also, my sister has a friend who tried for years to have a baby both naturally and with IVF but was told her eggs were such poor quality her only hope was to use donor eggs. She did just that and had a baby girl. A couple of years later she fell pregnant naturally and recently gave birth to a healthy child (I think its a boy but I'm not certain). So please don't give up hope. Sarah x

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suzylee73 · 18/04/2014 13:28

That must be what I need .... A holiday. Maybe Spain so I can pick up a donor egg while I'm there Wink

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Acacia88 · 21/04/2014 20:58

HI Sarah,

thank you so much for that lovely story-really gives some hope and motivation when everything seems so bleak.
A

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Acacia88 · 21/04/2014 21:26

Hi Suzy

I went to North Cyprus for IVF cos my DH has family there and we could have support whilst we were there. The clinic was nice and most spoke english but its more difficult to pick up turkish than spanish I think unless you have a good ear for languages.

On my last (which was my first) IVF, I had my eggs and donor eggs prepared-just in case my eggs weren't good enough. I also had some frozen, one mine and one donor egg. I am currently in N.cyprus now, I had the transplant this afternoon. so fingers crossed..

good luck on your choice of clinic. I think you should pick one which is convenient for you to get to and return home to as you dont want to be changing planes etc when you have had the transplant, you;d want to put as little stress on your self as possible.

A

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