Hi Leah-grace,

One of the hardest things is that it is very difficult to compare yourself to someone else. Every body reacts differently. Both my FSs have always indicated that a good number of follicles is around 12, so 6 each ovary, and assuming that they are all around a similar size and will all be mature at EPU and will all contain an egg. My FSH level was 12 on my first IVF cycle, and I was on 225 FSH injections, but I responded too well, had 25+ follies and this cycle was cancelled by day 9 of injections because for estrogen levels were off the chart (something like 25,000). I think they work out that at maturity each egg equates to approx 300-500 of estrogen. So despite having a moderately high FSH, I have been able to produce a good number of follicles on subsequent cycles (my FSH says I do have PCOS tendencies). I have found that it has taken quite a lot of trial and error to get the right FSH dose to get some good number and good quality embroys. My next cycle my FSH was reduced to 125, I still over responded, but went to EPU, and due to high estrogen levels again my embies were all crap quality, very slow growing and moderatly fragmented. I did 3 x day 3 FET with these, a waste? I don't know. I have however gone on to get lower numbers and better quality, but have done 3 subsequent blastocyst (day 5 transfers) and all BFN.

I would say that 4 + 4 follicles is an ok result, day 4 of injections is a very early scan, sometimes it is too early to tell. I have had day 5 scans where there has been lots of little follies around 5-8mm, which have all subsequently picked up and ended up mature. Ideally you want the majority of your follicles to be around the same size, so you might have a few larger and a few smaller, with the majority in the middle.

Each scan I write down how many follices, what size and also record the estrogen level. But I have been at this quite a while and feel more in control if I know what is going on.

The other thing I would mention, and I am sure you have hear it before, is that it is very much about quality and not quantity. I can't count the number of cycles I have done where I have had great follie numbers, and others have had much lower numbers, but they have ended up with the BFP not me. So please don't be disheartened. I know it is hard but you will just have to wait it out.

Also, I think in the majority of the case, from what I have seen those women that are doing IVF because of male factor, tend to get their BFP much earlier, which makes sense as IVF is overcoming this challenge.

I wish you all the luck and look forward to hearing how you go.