How many eggs make collection worth it??

[on tra_k]

I'm on my first IVF cycle and have reached decision point ... one dominant follicle 2.0 and only 4 at about 1.2. The clinic thinks that the dominant one will probably try to ovulate so I'm looking at a collection for 4 eggs next Wednesday and no fresh transfer this cycle. Is it worth it or should we cancel and try again next cycle?

Option 1. Go ahead with collection for four eggs
Option 2. Convert to IUI
Option 3. Cancel and try for another collection cycle next month

Option 1 & 2. apparently I will need to take a month off before the next action can be taken ie. Dec for FET or Dec for next chance at a collection cycle. I'm also a bit worried that if we cancel, I'll end up with a cyst and have to go on the pill for a month anyway (that's what happened after my cancelled IUI).

Any opinions or similar experiences that you can share? How many eggs should I be expecting for a collection cycle?

[Indadhanu]

I don't have any experience as I didn't do IVF, but it only takes one egg to make a baby! And some of the girls on here say its better to have 4 good ones than 24 poor ones.

I did want to comment on the IUI though, I don't think they let you go through with the IUI if there are 3 eggs? At least that was my clinics policy...?

[barney]

oh hunny this is a tuff one,
but i wish you luk in what eva choice you make .
from our first ivf cycle we got all the way down there to have 2 scabby eggs picked up the clinic should have cancelled us but just let us go we were devastated i know people say it only takes one BUT it always makes me feel better having more than that for me 1 or 2 eggs is not worth it for us we battle finacially,travell a very long way each time and i personally have spoken to my clinic and we will not be doing a EPU for any thing less than 5 eggs(thats just us ok)BUT Its just so hard to say the 4 eggs you have may be really great eggs and all fert you just never no hey its so hard.
but yes your rite with the waiting all clinics usually like you to have a month off before going again .
well hunny this is just my experience and i really hope you work this out and get a bfp soon either way /
let us no how you go

first cycles usually are all about learning how you body will respond its a big learning curve you never no hun one of these embies might just be the one

[farmgirl77]

hello,
i dont know what i would do in your situation. my gut feeling is to go ahead with the pick up and see how you go - the first cycle is generally a learning situation - and you might just get an embie that is sticky! if you cancel, is there a risk that you could end up in the same situation again?

what is the reason that you cant have a fresh transfer post pick up? i would also double check about having to wait out one cycle following a pick up before you can do a fet - while my clinic states that as their policy, if i had really pushed, i think they would have let me do a fet on the next cycle - they just have to do more monitoring to pick up when you are about to ovulate as it generally is later than a normal cycle due to the meds for the stim cycle. however, depending on your clinic, doctor and as this is your first cycle, it may not be an option.

have you asked your fs what their opinion is? even if they dont tell you what to do, can they give you some idea on the likely outcomes of each option so that you can have more information to base your decision on.

good luck with your decision.
fg

[MumofLewis]

Hi,

My first IVFcycle was cancelled because I only had 2 follicles. (I'd previously had 6 IUI's and only ever got 4 follicles max) I was so upset. I converted to IUI but it didn't work and I'm sure that was down to timing of the trigger and then the sperm transfer being too late.

Next cycle I had 4 follicles. They did the egg pick up. 2 fertilised out of the 4. They nearly didn't freeze the 2nd one because of the poor quality but did so in the end. The 1st embryo didn't take. The 2nd embryo was an FET the following month and it worked! Yes the poor quality one.

It's a hard decision but try and go with your instinct. It DOES only take one egg, but it is nice to have a few options when going through the whole pick up/transfer process.

Good luck with what you decide.

[buliej]

I only had 4 picked up my first cycle - and only 3 had viable eggs. All fertilized, they put in 2 but they didn't take....HOWEVER, the third was frozen and I used it last month after having no viable eggs and it gave me a BFP. I never thought this frozen one would take and was in such a negative state of mind after having no fresh eggs from my 2nd cycle...OH, and this 3rd one was the one that they thought was the poorest quality one of the three...so you never know.

[on tra_k]

Thanks to every single one of you for your inspirational stories and well wishes.

I don't think they let you go through with the IUI if there are 3 eggs? At least that was my clinics policy...?

Leasha - my cancelled IUI was because of 3 follicles so that's my clinics policy too, but in this case I think they were planning to trigger the dominant one and the others would be too far behind to be a problem. Congrats on the recent birth of your beautiful girl - was she an IUI bub? Keep up the good work with the BFing ... I was a passionate BFeeder of my daughter for the first 2 years of her life and can't wait to be doing it again!!

Smithy - thanks for the confirmation about clinics making you wait a month. They kind've don't let on about the odd "waiting" month when you first start, so my expectations of timeline have been a bit off. I was pretty frustrated having cancelled IUI followed by pill ... two whole months with ABSOLUTELY no chance of conceiving ... I was thinking that it would be better to just forget the whole FS thing and just keep up the BDing, but I think I'm finally starting to understand that these things just take time and every month is a month closer to that elusive BFP.

if you cancel, is there a risk that you could end up in the same situation again?

farmgirl77 - yes, I did have the same thought - that I could only end up with a lowish number of eggs on a subsequent collection cycle too ... that's making me think that maybe I should go ahead. You've obviously had the stamina to go for a second EPU cycle ... I hope there is a sticky one among them.

what is the reason that you cant have a fresh transfer post pick up?

If that dominant 5th follicle/egg has already ovulated ... my hormones will be all out of whack and so they won't do a fresh transfer. Luckily, they can still wait until the 4 other ones "grow up" a bit and collect them instead. There is a slim chance the synarel will hold the other one off ... they'll know more after my scan on Monday.

sarah, buliej - thansk so much for your wonderful success stories with 4 follicles ... I'll keep you posted how I go ...

[Sara69]

on tra_k - Wish you all the best with your decision.

Buliej OMG - met you in another thread but missed out on the BFP News - congratulations that's wonderful

Sara

[buliej]

Sara/Red Lady - thanks! I'm still in shock (thrilled shock). I am trying to hold back a bit until my 6 week scan.

[on tra_k]

this morning's scan was all good ... the big follicle is still hanging in there and 4-5 others coming up so we'll wait and see what the bloods are like and make a decision ...

[barney]

yay for you hun i hope it all works out well
good luk ill be following you hunny

[farmgirl77]

glad that the scan went well for your bt and then hopefully all the best for a succesfull EPU
fg