Number fof scans during the stimulation phase of IVF

[kimmi]

I am a little confused.

I have PCOS and my fs says that I am on a low dose of gonal f due to the risk of OHSS. I haven't started my cycle yet and wont until july.

A friend of my partners is also doing IVF and she went for multiple scans and blood tests during the stimulation phase.

My fs has said I only need to come in once during the two weeks on day 9 of injections to get a scan.

Is this normal. What were your experiences?

Thanks ahead of time ladies!

[Miss K]

That sounds exactly like what I did then just before trigger we had another scan to count mature follies and then went from there.. The scan during the injection process is to monitor how the dose is going if they need to increase decrease or cancel injections! I hope that helps and all the best with your 1st IVF!!!

[Lily Dust]

Think it depends on the clinic hun. A friend does IVF at a different clinic to me and she has lots of bloods and I dont recall any. I had the first scan and then depending on follicle size as to if and when I had a 2nd scan. My puregon amount was never changed through the entire process as my clinic sticks with the same amount and doesnt 'up it' half way through.

HTH and good luck with it all x

[butterfly_warrior]

For my first two cycles - I had two scans during the stim phase, and lots of blood tests and was badly overstimulated so my puregon dosage was decreasing constantly through the cycle.

For my third cycle - I only had one scan. The usual protocol was two, but they decided I didn't need it. I still had lots of blood tests and still had a constantly reducing puregon dosage.

Different clinics do things in different ways - some do lots of blood tests, while others do none and just work on scans. Sometimes it can even vary from patient to patient within the same clinc, trust that they know what they are doing and that the plan may change along the way - it's still all ok.

BW

[kimmi]

Thanks ladies.... It's amazing how a little reassurance goes a long way

[onthefly]

I think I had lots of bloods and 2 scans. Every clinic/FS/patient seems to have a slightly different protocol.

[kass]

For each of my collections I had a blood test about a week after starting injections, then an ultrasound a couple of days later. That was it.

I think the synarel means that your cycle is controlled so it takes out the guesswork of when you'll be ready. The blood tests and u/s is like a final check that everything is ok. If the blood tests show you've responded too well (lots of follicles) then they may cut back your dose or cancel the cycle. Likewise if your ultrasound shows not enough follicles.

Like butterfly and lily dust have said, different clinics may do things different ways, but they do them a lot so trust that it will be ok.

[ZigZag]

I had a scan before commencing drugs to ensure there were no cyst before commencing, then a further 2 scans during injections; 1 a week after starting meds and 1 just before EPU to count follies / size...but the last cycle I had an additional scan due to a slow response. Every scan I had a blood test as well to check hormone levels.

[Aurian]

I'm in the down-reg phase of my first IVF cycle, so it's been handy to read this thread. Clears things up for newbies (even if I pretend not to be one!) like me. :P