Good egg collection no ferterlisation?

I am posting for a friend who has recently undergone three stim cycles with all the same out come

all EPU have collected around 20 eggs which non have ferterlised at all.

Her DH sperm quality has gone from 90 million to 200 million at the last EPU.

Even her FS is unsure but is sending then to get the sperm looked at in more detail.

I am getting the feeling from her that she feels that her egg shells are too tough for the sperm to penetrate

Can anyone shed some light, has anyone come across this before.

I really hope to help my friend out and only found out of her struggles today. She is aged 34ish?

ETP
They have tried ICSI with the last cycle and her FS is not recommending DNA testing yet.

wow i was going to suggest ICSI, that seems a bit weird. i hope she gets some answers soon.

Hi Loula,
I just wanted to say that the same thing happened to me with my last cycle, 17 eggs, none fertilised. We're down for ICSI next, but the further SA test for my husband didn't reveal any problems - they tested for something called DZPIAR (which is something to do with penetrating the egg shell) but it was negative. I noticed that the info sheet was dated 1999. Really up to date technology down in Melbourne!
Hey, what happened with your friend?
What made her think it was her egg shells?
Best of luck to her,
WW

Thanks for your replies

WW - im not sure what made her think of her egg shells, and i guess even with the ICSI it didnt happen so they are baffeled.

I am catching up with her again on Tuesday. I think her and DH are going to look at what might be on offer in Sydney as they use polyscope and have PICSI although i contacted DrS for her and he suggested a new techinque IMSI as he suggested it better than PICSI, again none of these offered in Melbourne

I guess that i spart of the frustration, in melbourne they were led to believe they were the only ppl this has happened to and were left with no hope.

WW can i ask who you are seeing for treatment and if they have given any suggestion.

My friend had it suggested to her that they try donor sperm even though no issues are arising for them in this area, the FS siad it was easier to do that then work out if there was a problem with the eggs.

I will pass on the info from you regadsing the DZPIAR.

Thanks again

Hey Loula,
I'm seeing Geoff Clarke at MIVF. His suggestion has been to reduce the amount of the stims, assuming that it must be an egg problem.
When our last cycle failed, I should have said it was ordinary IVF, not ICSI. The eggs apparently looked normal and were mature (15 were).
I'm still not clear on DNA/hidden sperm factor stuff. I still wonder if it's possible that the sperm is contributing to the problem as well as the egg.
IMSI eh? I've just heard of this now - thanks so much for mentioning it.
Keep us posted on your friend's treatment, if you can. It's so relevant (for me, anyway). That is so shocking that she's not being informed of all her treatment options down here.
My friend says the Melbourne medical profession are the most conservative in the country. He's not necessarily an expert, but it seems like its fits to me.
Thanks,
WW

Hi Loula,

I just wanted to let you know of my experience. I am a little different in that I never had the greatest number of eggs collected (maybe the most was 11) but on my 2nd and 3rd cycle no eggs fertilised - in a way the 3rd cycle was the worst because ICSI was used, I thought that this had not happened to anyone else who had ICSI and the FS was at a loss to explain why it was happening (we were 'unexplained infertility'). I ended up changing IVF clinics as I wasn't happy with the way the first clinic treated me (they made me feel like there was no hope for us) and finally got a BFP on the 2nd cycle with the new clinic. I had the only two embryos that made it transferred and my DD was born in Jan. I hope your friends finds the answers she needs, I know how frustrating it can be.