Anyone done blast at Melb IVF?

Hello,
I know I'm jumping ahead of myself (but I always need a future plan to help when things go wrong), but has anyone dont blasts at MIVF?

I'm thinking that if we have no luck from our 2nd IVF/ICSI round, should be asking about going from day 3 transfer to blasts? We only have :sperm: issues (that we know of), have lost 50% of our embies in the thaw (so far), and have had all :bfn: with no hcg at all. So I'm thinking we are losing our embies early in the piece for some reason...

In some of the material I've got from MIVF, they seem to suggest that their prefered approach is to do day 3 transfers rather than blasts, so I'm wondering if they will make us go through more cycles with embies rather than blasts, or even if there are any benefits in considering/raising the idea of blasts?

Has anyone gone to blasts with MIVF (and with Dr Julie Whitehead in particular, our FS), and if so, was it hard to get agreement to do it? What made you go down that path and what were the results?

Thanks
FG

hey there farmgirl
i only ever did 3 day embies through MIVF. Didnt even discuss blasts with the 7 cycles i did with them. I think it works that if they didnt survive the thaw, then they wouldnt have developed to be viable anyway- its one way of weeding the goodies and badies out. Have you thought about having more than one transferred? Maybe that is something diferent next time.

If you are only getting a few follies that are viable, maybe that is why they are not offering blasties to you as you dont have the drop off rate to play around with.
Good luck. Remember its a roll of a dice if it works or not!!!!
Other things to try that may make a difference could be
- have more than one emby tranferred- if you are game
-a/puncture before and after to assist your uterus being more receptive to a tranfer. There is evidence to say that a/puncture increases the chances of success
-plenty of water,water, water. If you uterus is well hydrated then it is more likely to be accepting of the emby. It takes a few months of really good water drinking to make a difference. I believe that hydrationg made a huge difference to my success!!
-put your man on Menevit- proven to improve sperm quality in men. Its the male version of elevit! You can get it from the chemist.

hope this info helps and fingers crossed!!!

odette

Hi Farmgirl,

I have been thinking the same as you, having always done Day 3 transfers I am keen to know if my embies are making it to blast. Have a look in the Long Term Assisted Conception area, there is a sticky thread there titled Blastocyst Vs Day 2/3 Transfers, which is really interesting. This cycle I am going to push to go to blast, providing that I have enough embies fertilised, as really want to know if they are even getting past Day 3. Hopefully all goes to plan but I am prepared that I may end up with none.

I wish you all the luck for your BFP. :hug: xx

Hi again Farmgirl,
Just noticed after I posted that you are in your TWW, hoping that you don't even have to worry about the next cycle and you get your BFP now, all the best.

Hi FG
Yes I did blasts with MIVF.

I started with John McBain and because it was my first and I knew nothing about it I did 3 day. I got 15 eggs and 8 frozen so that meant after the fresh that didn't work I had to go through 6 (of the 8 that unfroze) FET's. All BFN. I was so frustrated because as I went on I realised that of the 6 months which added heaps of pressure to my relationship and now I know most probably didn't get past day 3 plus I kept getting shunted to different doctors. I then went to his wife and insisted on a blast because personally if they are not goign to survive past day 3 - what is the point to me. I KNOW people say that if they waited till day 5 it might not have worked but their day 3 did but I have had big discussions iwth the doctor and hte fact is if they are not strong enough to get past day 3 the likelihood of going to be viable is remote. It used to be an issue because of the medium they used. They have to change the medium at day 3 and back when that wasnt perfected it caused issues but now places like SIVF ONLY go to blast.
Anyway my second stim I got 6 eggs only one made it to blast nad BFN and I was sad but you have to realise that although its hard not to think you have so many goes what is the point of wasting time.
Our third stim i got 5 to blast and the fresh took.
SIVF say if you go to blast there is a high chance you will get BFP in 3 goes.

TO be honest I would NEVER do it any other way especially if you have never been pregnant. I know day 3 works but for everyone I know that fell pregnant iwth Day 3 - they had been pregnant before - just my experience.
If I had my time over I would never have listened to the FS - and may I say I changed FS for the last stim to Manuela toledo who I cannot recommend more highly she is brilliant.
I had issues with the service before that.
BUt you need to remember this is a service- I know they are helping us - but it is a service and happy to PM you to discuss further but personally I would only do a blast. I believe it makes sense but understand why when they don't know the first cycle they try day 3...... i jsut really desperately wanted ot be pregnant so didn't want to muck around. Having said that.... I was lucky to havea blast to transfer each time. If I didn't... not sure how i would react....... Good luck !

PS I had only sperm issues too - I remember you from when I started !

Farmgirl - so interesting - I am with Julie Whitehead and just asked her yesterday about going to blasts. I've done a bit of research and given my age I think this is the best way to go. She did say that she would do so, but only if I got more than 3 fertilized embryos as if there are less, then she wouldn't want risk losing them all before transfer as I do think it's a bit harder for them to survive our of your body (but then again, if they wouldn't survive anyway, it probably doesn't matter). I think it's all a bit of a gamble, but I am a firm believer of doing your research and deciding what approach you are most comfortable with - with the proper amount of deference to the experts (i.e., your FS).

I also bugged her about the what if's - my DH laughed - but that's my way, I wanted to know what approach would be next if this cycle didn't work (I have my egg retrieval on Monday). If this cycle doesn't work, then I'm going to 1 - continue to push for blasts where possible and 2 - push for 3 embryos to be put back in. I know I harp on this, but I have 3 over 40 friends back in NY who all had happy & healthy single bubs via IVF (with their own eggs) all of whom used blasts and had 4 put back in.

Hi everyone,
Thanks for your responses. I think that I'll talk to our FS about blasts if/when we get to it...i think AF is on the way and we will have lost our two embies from our fresh transfer, leaving us with one or two more transfers (we are putting 2 back at a time)...but I dont hold out much hope of a BFP. I thought that this time we were doing better than last time - better diet, more water etc etc, but without a noticable impact compared to our first stim cycle

Buliej - :crossfingers: that your pick up goes well and you get some blasts - I'll watch with interest how you go. It is good to know that Julie will consider them. Good luck.

Thanks
FG

Farmgirl - how is it going for you - hope you are hanging on to your sanity!

I thought I'd post this here as it belongs with this thread - as I mentioned in my other post, I only had 3 eggs picked up thus Julie was able to tell me when I spoke to her post-pick-up that I'd definitely have a 2 day transfer (assuming any at all:pray:). I don't know how many she'd want to see before agreeing to a blast, but 3 was not enough.

Hi Farmgirl - when I got 6 they let me go to blast so maybe 6 is the number as it wasn't many.....and buliej 3 is still a great number - you only need 1 !!!! Best of luck to you both

I thought 3 sounded good - but I just got a call from my FS - none made it. Just had a good cry about it. I do have 1 frozen & they are going to see how it defrosts overnight. I'm not sure I'd ever get 6...

Waiting 1 - how did things go with your blasts...how many made it and when do you get your test results?

buliej I am so sorry to hear that. It is such a pain - this numbers game.
When I got 6 eggs all of them fertilised and I went to blast and only 1 made it and BFN.

this last cycle which was successful I got 17 eggs and ended up with 4 blasts 1 fresh (whcih is hopefully in there growing like crazy now - I am almost 12 weeks) and 2 good enough to freeze.

In my first cycle i got 15 eggs and had a fresh 2 day BFN and 8 frozen 2 days that I got 6 that survived thaw and transferred at day 3 all BFN. it was frustrating because it took 7 months to work through them (one at a time).

If I had my time over, even if I got 3 eggs that fertilised I would still try to go to blast even though odds aren't as good.
It is very much a personal preference but I can't stand the wait if they are not viable past 3 days. Even though the FS don't like to do it (until they think you have sufficient numbers) you can insist. They are your embryos and eggs etc.
Of course first cycle - I relied on the specialists view - but I suggest you read SIVF's policies on it. They wont do 3 day transfers anymore.
It would be incredibly difficult to have nothing to transfer after going through the STIM process and egg collection adn drugs (and I was lucky enough not to be in that position) but for me personally - and this is just my opinion, the hope and wait and disappointment is worse. I rather have the month off and get back to it until I get the blast that will work.
It is NOT for everyone I am well aware of that and I am sure that anyone who has had a 2 or 3 day transfer that worked will have a different view but I just think for me and my body - I am best to get the stronger embryo's (those that can make it to day 5 outside the body) and then put it back at the time it would be in the uterus naturally. I just don't think my uterus was conducive to the embryo being there at day 3...... best of luck and you know what I have learnt. IVF works. It may be long and hard but it eventually seems to work for everyone so you will get there.
Love Waiting x

It does indeed seem to be a numbers game.

I totally understand what you are saying re: blasts and may end up insisting next time. I know that in NYC they only want to use blasts regardless of how many (I'm an expat who married an Aussie:), thus I know way more about US practices from my friends over there than I do about this process here.

My latest "concern" (I worry about everything!), if you can call it that, is about the quality of the labs. My understanding is that the reason why blasts are sometimes not the first choice is that they have to be transferred to a new culture. Thus, it sounds to me that both the skill of the lab technicians and the quality of the lab are significant factors. Of course, the quality of the embryo is at least equally important, but I do wonder how much also comes down to the lab. and I do not know how to find out about this.

Buliej - :hug:, i'm so sorry that your embies did not make it, i cant blame you for having a cry! It just never seems fair. Do you have a plan for going forward?

I dont think my embies have made it - pretty sure AF has started - right on time :( so I'll be joining you for that cry.

Maybe the our next cycles will be the one...

thanks FG - I just posted to you in another thread - so sorry about AF, but I'm hoping it is just spotting which I understand is common

as for a plan..well, I have 1 frozen that is being thawed and will be transferred in tomorrow if it survives. After that (if it doesn't work & I'm not feeling optimistic) - no plan but to try again - I feel like I'm at a casino trying to beat the odds! October will be a IVF-free month as I'm going overseas for work (on a trip I'm looking forward to), and then back to the drugs etc. If it works out that I'm home when ovulating, we will give it a go the old fashioned way!!:lol:

wow - the old fashioned way - what is that again:doh:

:crossfingers: for your embie to makes the thaw, and that you are quickly back in the TWW. Glad that you have something as good as an OS trip to be looking forward to - sounds like a great excuse for a break!

Buliej I am sorry that your embies did not make it but hopefully everything goes well with the thaw and wanted to wish you good luck with the transfer. The OS trip sounds great.
:goodluck2:

Farmgirl hope you are hanging in there. It must be disheartening if you feel AF is on the way, do you have a plan on when to transfer your frozen embies?

:grouphug:

Sara

Hi Sara,
Thanks for your thoughts. We have to wait for a cycle and then we can do a FET if we want to - and I think I will. I cant see any point in stopping or having a break as I dont think I am going to feel any differently. But will wait and see.
FG