IVF ICSI - Bio-Chemical Pregnancy

Hi everyone,

I am new to Belly Belly and in need of a little advice.

Did my 1st IUI cycle in January/February 2009 with no success.
Advised to do more tests on both me and DH. They did a new test on DH called Tunel Assay and found out that Sperm DNA is Fragmented over 20%. Was advised to do IVF, I asked my FS what are my chances of falling pregnant from going from IUI to IVF ICSI, I was told it would triple my chances.

I have just been through my first IVF ICSI cycle and on Friday found out that I had a Bio-Chemical Pregnancy, very upsetting.
I have never heard of this before and was wondering, does anyone know anything about it. Has anyone had a Bio-chemical pregnancy then later on done a FET with a happy ending.

I asked my FS is there any reason why it didn?t work, did I do something wrong ???
They said that I did nothing wrong its just something that happens.

Have now booked on for my FET, so fingers crossed for me. :crossfingers:

_____________________________
Me 39 (Pcos) DH 40 (Sperm DNA Fragmented over 20%)

IUI Dec 2003 1st Try - DD Born Sept 2004
IUI May 2006 3rd Try - DS Born Feb 2007
IVF March 2009 Fresh Cycle - No Good - Bio-Chemical Pregnancy
FET May 2009 ?????

Hi Danyelle,

Welcome to BB. I'm sorry this happened to you, I posted to you in your original thread. Not sure if it will help much but sure that there are many other ladies on here that can give you advice.

I have my fingers crossed for your FET. good luck x

Hi Infinity,

Thank you for your response, I am new to forums and It took me a while to find everything, I thought my first reply was lost as I couldn't find it this morning.

I was using asprin for this cycle as FS advises all clients that are doing IVF fresh cycle to take asprin. Do you think that I need to do more tests ???

I was very upset about the Bio Chemical pregnancy when 1st told by FS as I was given little or no answers regarding it but was advised my levels where quite high, not that that makes any sense to me. I going on Thursday to find out what my bloods results were and I'm going to write them down.

Thanks again for your help :)

Hi Danyelle,

Just want to say I am sorry for the pain you are going through. I know it all too well. I wanted to give you some hope too. I had a chem pregnancy (on an FET though - I have had two fresh transfers without any success) and then the very next transfer I got a positive! I am now 24 weeks. To help cope with the chemical pregnancy I kept reminding myself that a chemical pregnancy meant at least now I knew I could actually get pregnant. I found this helped a lot.

The chem preg cycle was the one I started taking half an aspirin a day if that helps. I kept taking it until the next cycle when we got the positive. I had done a range of implantation tests prior to doing this which showed me to be ever so slightly positive for Anti-Cardiolipin Antibodies, which is why the FS put me on aspirin.

I hope this helps!

Lilyx

PS I am also 39 with PCOS.

Hi Lily,

Firstly congratulations on your pregnancy. I am so happy for you :dance:
Thank you so much for writing to me! You have made my day today. :)
I was really not coping very well with all of this, but now I have a little hope.

I had high expectation with doing IVF, which was my fault.
I?ll explain: I first started using FS back in Nov 2003, which is how I discovered I had PCOS and FS suggested that IUI was the best method for my situation. I fell pregnant 1st trying and I just couldn?t believe it, I honestly thought it would take about 4-6 tries.
In January 2006 we decided to try again for another baby, this time I wasn?t as lucky, I was just about to give up and head down the IVF when I fell pregnant on the 3rd IUI.

After having my son within two days I wanted another baby but it took 2 years to convince my husband, so in January 2009 and after asking my husband every day for 2 years (except on his birthday) he finally gave in. We headed back to FS to try our lucky, I requested we do IUI again, against my FS advice, but while doing IUI we were also doing all the test. That?s when I found out DH had a problem.
My chances of falling pregnant with IUI was very, very slim but hey it was worth a try : )
I sat down and had a chat with FS, asked what was my chances switching from IUI to IVF, she said that I would tripled my chances with IVF. So that?s where the High expectations come into it.

When I found out that I had a biochemical pregnancy I got really depressed, I was starting to think that I was wasting my time continuing on with the FET. I thought that because this one didn?t work then they all wouldn?t work. Silly I now know. :redface:
(Note: I don?t handle disappointment very well).

I went to the FS today and had a long chat with the nurses and Lab Techs. I had lots of question, especially about the embryos and also about my age and how it effects everything. I told them that I was thinking about quitting. They convinced me otherwise after hearing the stories of what happen to other ladies that had been through their doors.

May I please ask what was the implantation tests that you did and what is involved ???.
I asked today if I was required to do any other test and they said no. Unless I keep have biochemical pregnancy then they would look into doing bloods test. Apparently they are very expensive.

You mentioned that you did two fresh cycles that didn?t work !
I?m sorry I am a little confused. So you did 2 full IVF cycles with no success or did you do 1 IVF cycles with 2 fresh embryos transfer which wasn?t successful then you did a FET which you had a biochemical pregnancy then you did another FET with success and you are now 24 weeks pregnant is that correct. ????

Thanks again and I will keep you posted on the outcomes of my FET.
Kind regards
Danyelle

Hi Danyelle,
I have just read your story, sorry to hear that your last cycle was a chemical pregnancy, it is hard to lose a pregnancy, not matter at what stage.

In my humble opinion, I would say that it is far too early for you to worry about implantation issues. If I read right you have had two previous pregnancies correct. Since then how many embryo transfers with IVF? Did you do a fresh transfer before this FET? Normally FSs don't start doing implantation tests until after 4 unsuccessful embryo transfers, some wait until up to 8 unsuccessful embryo transfers. I would think with your history it seems it is just a matter of timing and getting the right embryo. From what I have seen of other women, most seem to get their BFP within about 3 IVF transfers.

With regards to the implantation tests, if you are intersted have a look at this thread, https://www.bellybelly.com.au/forums...g-implant.html or this thread https://www.bellybelly.com.au/forums...y-testing.html

When I had these done, the upfront cost was about $480, but medicare paid for all but 2 or 3 of the tests, so out of pocket was something like $60 or $80. If you really are concerned you can get your FS to write these up for you.

All the best, I hope you get your BFP next cycle.

Hi Baby Dreamtime,

Firstly congratulations on your :bfp: I am so happy for you. :happyforyou: :cheer: :bluecheer:

Thank you so much for posting the information on the thread for me. I have read throught it a few times now, I even had my sister over here the other day to read the thread on Immunology. She has been doing IVF for 6 years with no success. It was so heartbreaking for her. She is going to give it one more try again in a few months.
(She has implantation then gets past due date then off to blood test the next day, blood test come back with levels just not quite high enough then she has to go back to have a blood test in 4 days time. When she has the blood test again all the levels have dropped and she gets AF in 2 - 6 days time.) plus she has had 2 MC prior to 12 weeks. She is sick and tired of all the FS's telling her that you just got to have the right embyro.

I know you mentioned that FS don't do implantation tests until after 4 unsuccessful embryo transfers, some wait until up to 8 unsuccessful embryo transfers.
But I just have a gut feeling that something isn't just quite right.
When I started seeing FS I fell pregnant straight away with my daughter the 1st try on IUI. WIth my son it took 3 tries doing IUI. During my pregnancy in last 2 weeks I got pluracy then 2 weeks later I got pre-eclampsia. Was raced straight to hospital and I had my son the next day.
Since the birth 2007 I just haven't felt right so in 2008 I went to my Gp and I was told I have No Alcholic Fatty Liver Disease. And after some research found out that pre-eclampsia can cause NAFLD. I just wondering what else might be wrong.

When I started IVF I asked my FS does NAFLD cause infertility, she said ask the person who diagnosed it, (a bit rude I thought) so I ask my GP and she said no. But then again what would a GP know about Immunology.

My sister and I have decided to go and see Dr Sacks, our appointments are in Mid August. I will keep you updated with our progress.

Thanks again for the information and I wish you a very happy and healthy 9 months.
♥
Danyelle

Hi Danyelle,

just wanted to add my story for you....

I started IVF when I was 39 (your current age?) and on my first fresh cycle had a chemical pregnancy (we had two embryos put back in).

On my second fresh IVF cycle we also had two embryos put back and we had a BFP, with my son now being 16months old.

I have just had a BFP (yesterday) from my last transfer, (frozen) and we now have no embryos left. My HCG levels are on the low end (though in the normal range) and I have to have another BT in 3days to check if they are rising.

Although you conceived easily with your first babies, just remember that you are now 39 and that fertility declines a LOT after 35 (thats the main reason I was on IVF... no other issues at all). This doesnt meant you wont fall PG with IVF, just that it might take time.

Stay positive, it WIll happen again for you :)

drbeee,

Thank you for your story, I see that there is still hope out there.

We had to do IVF ICSI cause of DH sperm (DNA Fragmentation and lets just say his little swimmers aren't doing to well) and my pcos.

I just had another FET cycle fail, good old AF arrive this morning. So I have decided to take a month off. I am going to see Dr Sacks about immunology issues. As I am not getting any answers from my current FS. Once I get my results from Dr Sacks, good or bad, I will again do another Fresh IVF cycle.

Congratulations on your BFP and good luck with your upcoming blood test.
May you have a happy and healthy pregnancy.
♥
Danyelle

Hey Danyelle,

A chemical pregnancy is still a pregnancy - it's just too early for the heart (not yet developed) to be picked up on U/S, only in the chemicals (hormones) in your blood. I hate the term, myself. It makes it sound 'pretend' almost.

Best of luck. :)

Hi danyelle,

a break sounds really good. I am sure you wil get your BFP in time, but I really think its a numbers game.

we all 'know' that a young, fertile couple DTD regularly still has only approximately a 20% chance of getting pregnant (ie implanting) in each cycle. Its in every book, and we remind ourselves of this continuously. And thats in couples who do actually achieve fertislisation each cycle too!

when we are on IVF of course we know that there is an embryo 'up' and while a BFN is bad enough, a 'chemical' pregnancy (shocking word) feels worse b/c it feels like we have lost our baby.

But when you look at the numbers with my two fresh cycles. In total I had 8 eggs fertilise to become embryos. Of those 8, one stopped developing a day or two in, leaving 7/8.

One did not survive the thaw, leaving 6/8. One survived the thaw but did not continue to develop, leaving 5/8.

Ok so we have 5/8 embryos that are 'semi good' (ie good enough to survive a thaw, or to continue developing). Of 5/8 that have been transferred (two lts of two, and one single), we have had three implantations (the chemical, plus my son, plus current burrowing bean). Of these, two have been strong enough to get past the TWW test.

SO that is 2/8 or 1/4 or very very close to the 20% in 'natural' pregnancy. Of course there is no guarantee that my current BB will continue, but I pray to the universe every night....

So I guess what I am trying to (clumsily) say, is that you WILL get there, although it will take time. You have a proven track record of carrying babies, so any issues with lack of implantation are the individual embryos, and no reflection on FUTURE embryos. It only takes ONE! :)

You stay positive and keep on chugging my friend!