IVF with PGD #6

Thanks anyway. Just looking for some inspiration at the moment as our journey for another Ivf miracle seems to be slipping away.

EJE - no, for me it was for recurrent miscarriage/failed IVF after multiple embryo transfers. We did 2 fresh PGD cycles, 2 regular fresh IVF cycles and 5 FETs. I am incredibly impressed that you have survived 9 fresh PGD cycles. How are you going? What are your specialists recommending? How are you feeling about it all? Have you been getting "normal" embryos? Have you been tested for immune issues including NK cells/have you had any pregnancies since starting the PGD and been tested for recurrent miscarriage (I guess this is how your translocation was found)? Where are you doing PGD? Hope not too many questions. I am in awe of you.

Jaki - congratulations!!! Great news!!


Molisa - how are you going?

EJE--That is the question I was devastated to know after we failed the first cycle. Below is the answer from my PGD scientist. Hope it is helpful to you.


It seems daunting because the % unbalanced is quite high at 70-75%. However, the use of a stimulated cycle means that there are enough embryos created to give a good chance of having one for transfer. Our success rates can only be determined with cycles that have a transfer and we see implantation rates of 50% for women <38 yrs. The average number of embryos biopsied is 3.4 but 15% get no biopsy at all. 86% of couples with a biopsy have a transfer and 50% of those have a foetal heart pregnancy at week 8. This translates to 30% of couples have a foetal heart pregnancy on their first transfer of their first cycle. So you can see that unfortunately it is a matter of statistical chance that you have a suitable embryo to transfer and once this is identified the chance of a pregnancy is quite good. The IVF-PGD process is one where the number of chances you have access to are increased. It can be daunting when things don't go the way you want but nothing is guaranteed in the process for any couple entering. When you look at it objectively though, PGD gives the highest chance of success in the shortest time.


Foxy, I didn't know that you have the translocation problem. You are lucky to have three normal ones to transfer after two IVF+PGD cycles. Hope we can have better luck this time. I just had my first BT yesterday. My E2 was not as high as the first one under this long cycle. It went up to 1300 same time last cycle and reached 8000 when triggering.

Good luck Molisa. Keep us posted :)

We found out that DH had a balanced translocation (18 & 21) after many miscarriages. We were tested for everything but not sure if that included NK cells- what is this? And the karytope test revealed the translocation. We then found out about PGD Ivf and once our probe was built did our first cycle. That cycle collected 12 eggs, and 4 were suitable for testing and of those one was fine. That one is now our precious 3 year old boy . Since he was one we have no attempted 8 more for a sibling. I am what you call a good chicken and produce lots of eggs on low doses of fsh. The lowest number has been 15 eggs, and the last 2 cycles we have had 21 and 22. We have good fertilization rates, using Icsi ( even thought we don't need to use Icsi, we do just to make sure we have good fertilisation iykwim) . Last cycle was had 15 fertilise and 10 to biopsy/test. All 10 had the translocation. Cycle before we had 8 to test and again all carried the translocation. We had another cycle where although we only had 5 to test 2 amazingly were fine. We put both back in / transferred both but for some reason they didn't make it.

We are with MIVF.

Do you have any suggestions for what we could do differently? I have done some cycles with accupuncture, but this doesn't seem to have made a difference.

On a side note, I have underactive thyroid and pcos, and seem to get ohss everytime, including when I was pg with ds. Ohss is REALLY horrid.

Oh and Molisa thanks for those stats. We have basically been told that on paper for us that I in every 10 biopsied/ tested we should get one that is fine. Butbeven though we have had cycles with 10 to test thus doesnt seem to be the way it works in the real worl iykwim. Seems to be more a case of genetic tatslotto. Can I ask who your scientist is with?

You are very very fertile. What you do or not do don't alter the likelihood of a balanced chromosome set occurring. That 1 in 10 likelihood is estimated by your scientist specifically for your DH's involved chromosomes and breakpoints? What I was told by my lab is they observed 1 in 4 is genetically balanced from their own data. It can 'vary according to the amount of chromosome involved and which chromosomes are involved but seems to vary from run to run'. I also searched some technical literature and the reported sperm normal rate for male BT varies from 20%-50% based on the FISH analysis. But my scientist also commented that 'testing of sperm is error prone and does not necessarily give accurate detail on the true % normality'.
I joined a BT Yahoo group and there are many BT couples from all over the world. I don't check it very often. But last time I checked I saw a couple hit the genetic lottery and they naturally conceived a completely normal baby (not even a BT carrier). Another couple from the USA got 3 fine ones out of 14 tested.

I am with SIVF.

Our scientist has also told us the likilihood if 1 in 4 being affected too, but they said this statistic was outside of Ivf, and what they found was that for Ivf it ends up being a 1 in 10. I think though this is for 18 21 cases. I can't believe that someone got 3 from 14. Do you know if these transferred successfully?


We have not had any sperm analysis done for our translocation before. All our testing has been done based on the karyotyping. Have you had sperm analysis done specifically to analyze your translocation?

I don't know, I didn't follow up.

We have no plan to do such test.

WOW EJE, you do have good numbers... Keep focused. I'm thinking of you all

EJE - sounds like it's a numbers game for you, like you say. 2/5 sounds great, must have been a major blow your last few cycles that you haven't had any normal embryos. I don't know much about balanced translocations (my PGD was for failed IVF/recurrent miscarriage) - do you know if they test your embryos for all the chromosomes or just specifically for the BT? If they don't test all the chromosomes, a small chromosomal problem (random) might have been the reason these 2 embryos didn't take? Your egg numbers sound amazing, which is great, especially as you only need a small dose of FSH - but OHSS each time would be horrible. I was on 600 units to get about 8-10 eggs, my ovaries aren't very good, even though I'm only 33 - my FSH was high.
I can see why you've kept going and I would encourage you to keep doing so (if you can!) from what you've said - sounds like it's a lottery and if you keep going, you will most likely get there eventually. How are you coping with all the cycles?

Yes they do test other chromosomes too, which is why it was so upsetting that our 2 didn't make it. They told us that sometimes it happens without any real reason, and once that they do a transfer, then we are in the category of all pregnancies ( ie including people without transoocations) and one in three will fail.

The highest fsh I have been on is 225. I can't imagine what would happen if they put me in 600!!!
I am determined to keep going, but our major problem is coming up with the money. We will have enough saved for one more cycle later this year, but after that will have run out. I don't want to go and buy a tatslotto ticket to help us out as I would prefer to save any luck coming my way fir a bfp!

Emotionally the cycles make me a wreck ( as well as the major physical toll the ohss takes) but I am determined to put that aside rather than to give up.

Nervously waiting for tomorrow's PGD results...

I have everything crossed Molisa... x

EJE, don't lose hope. Sometimes bad luck just happens and you just have to hope for the best next time. I went through two PGD cycles and from 31 eggs we got one precious little chromosomally healthy embie. We don't have any underlying chromosome problems, so you can imagine how devastated we were when all our tested embies from our first cycle, and all but one embie from our second cycle had chromosome problems. We had a much higher rate of problems that the average, yet sometimes it happens :(

I wish you all the best and hope you have some good luck soon!

Hi all,

We had two completely normal ones and transferred one this afternoon. Can't believe we can even have a spare one. Not sure if it is because of the herb DH was taking.

FABULOUS news! I have everything crossed for you... good luck in the TWW

Oh Molisa that is such wonderful news. I'll be thinking of you in the TWW. x

HEY!! Look at your new name jaki! I LOVE it

Thanx hun! Got a new avvy coming too :D

It didn't stick.

My AF come as accurate as a clock even with so much FSH injections. I didn't have a chance to do a HPT...

I'm so sorry to hear that Molisa!!!
Hopefully your frosty bub will become your miracle bub.
Massive ((((hugs))))

Nurse said the one I transferred was a bit over-hatched...
FS also suggested to have another fresh cycle before FET.

Hmmm... I did that with cycle 3. I had one in the freezer. It's a really hard decision. I'd say once again have a wee break then see how you feel once your out of that initial 'grieving period'.
How do you feel?

Jaki-

I was devastated yesterday but am felling much better after a long sleep. If we decide to go ahead with a new fresh cycle, I need to start taking BCP now because FS thinks long cycle wroks better on me though I prefer an antagonist cycle. What your embryo looked like on the screen? This one looked like a pillow, not a round one at all.

Mine looked different both times.
2nd cycle was day 6 so pretty fully hatched and kind of looked like a figure 8. This was my bio chemical pregnancy.
3rd cycle was a day 5 and he looked more like a roundish thing but with lots of cells hanging out the side from the testing.
The only problem I had with my embies being hatched was I had one healthy male embie which was fully hatched, he had latched on to the glass peitry dish and when they tried to get it off for storage he got stuck in the pipet and was 'killed'.

I'm glad you feel better today. I had long breaks between cycles but to be honest if dh and I coped better as a couple I'd have done back to backs. It just didn't suit our marriage, we ease into things.

I'm really sorry Molissa!

I have no words for you, I just want you to know that you can try to share your frustrating burden with us anytime you please.

I'm glad you are feeling better after your sleep, and remember, just make decisions you feel comfortable with. If that means going on BCP now, then do it, if it means waiting, then it's all your choice. You have to be happy with it.

Molisa- so sorry you had no Luck this cycle. It really is devastating, especially with normal embryos. please take care of yourself and good luck making a decision about next cycle. i'll be
Thinking of you.

Eje- great that you have the emotiomal resilience to continue despite the setbacks. It is so expensive, isn't it??? When will you do this year's cycle?

AFM gave birth at 31 plus 6 weeks, 3 weeks ago. Babies doing well considering, although some scary times early on. Next time will not be putting two embryos back!!! (although I wouldn't change them for the world...)

Congrats foxy!!! It does sound scary tho!! Details please!!

Foxy, congratulations! Like Jaki said, it does sound scary, but I hope they are doing well and getting stronger everyday!

Thinking of you

Hi
I'm new here

I'm about to start an iVf PVC cycle

I did iVf pgd about 3 years ago to screen for neurofibromatosis we were very lucky to have one normal emryo left to transfere now I'm blessed to have a 2yo boy

We tried again late last year but we were unlucky we had all 4 embryos not suitable for transfer

Just thought share my story

I'm so scared to start again looking for people to share the journey with,,,,,,
l

Thanks Lu


Thanks

Welcome to BellyBelly Luisella.
Wishing you all the best

Hi Luisella,
I can identify with being scared to start the journey again - I find myself feeling like we would really be being greedy or pushing our luck to try again!
Like you I used PGD to avoid transmitting a nasty gene (a bone disease in my case), and I became pregnant on my first cycle. And now DS is 3, and I'm not getting any younger, but I am scared to give it another go.
This thread isn't usually this quiet - but a few of the regulars are having a break at the moment.
hugs
Kate

You are really blessed and lucky. I just failed my FET:doh:

:

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You are really blessed and lucky. I just failed my FET:doh:

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Bum!
sending hugs, and hoping that the next few days aren't too hard.

That sux Molisa. Sorry to hear it :(

Welcome Lu.

It has been very quiet! I'm always thinking of my pgd girls.
Who's next?

X

Kim,
Thanks for the welcome.... I am doing ok with this cycle..... Just so anxious about it all after the last cycle with all 4 embryos not being suitable for transfer I cAbt help think that that could happen again.....
When do u think you might try again?

Molisa,
I'm so very sorry that cycle was not positive.....

Weemansmummy ,
Thanks for the welcome

Madb
Thanks for the welcome,


Just wondering is anyone doing a pgd cycle soon?

I'm off for my first bt on Wednesday "....then should start fsh on Friday........

Lu xx

Well if my hubby had his way I'd be doing a FET soon but I'm holding him off while BFing.
I'm just a follower, this beautiful ladies let me stick around ;)

Hey there,

Popping my head back in to the thread to say hello and to say I've missed this thread. Hoping to hop back in in the next few months to actually do a cycle!

Hi ladies

Hi kimmi all the best in your upcoming cycle

Wee mans mummy: w
How long b4 youbstart a new cycle? As I bf my ds unill about 13 months and then the doc said I had to wait 2 months go on the pill for those 2 months etc so i couldn't go traight away

Anyone else cycling here a little Lonley :(

I'm on day 9 of lucrin now and due to start 175 fsh on sat....all good so far apart from really bad headaches......but might be due to th damn cold weather here in syd

Anyone else in syd??


Take care ladies

Lu