Blastocyst defrost rates

[jules30]

Hello

We are now going onto 2nd attempt with FET, we have 7 blasties on ice and i just wanted to here your experiences of survival rates of thawed blastie embryos.

Also can anyone tell me do they thaw one at a time or a few to see how many survive to enable FET? Im just scared of losing some embies and therefore further attempts if needed. We had made a decision to only do one stim cycle and only try until all frozen babies were used up.

[lil_chookie]

We talked with our FS about blasts before our last cycle (we decided to go with 2, 3 day embies instead). He said that they would have thaw'd all 7 of our embies and put one blast back and then re-freeze any others that got to blast.

I feel the similar about thawing everything to get a blast, I have a fear that none of them will get there and we will lose them all.

Saying all this we have decided to do this next time if the most confusing cycle I have ever been through ends!!

[briggsy's girl]

if you already have blasties on ice, they will thaw one at a time until they get one that has survived the thaw. hopefully, you'll have a good thaw, and the first will survive - though it's been known to take several embies being defrosted before a strong enough one is found

FWIW - i have had four embies (day 3) frozen, and all defrosted perfectly. another friend has had several frozen, and had bad results at thaw. it's unfortunately something no one can predict. even from one cycle to another for an individual, results will vary greatly...

[butterfly_warrior]

As BG said, it varies from person to person and from cycle to cycle. My stats aren't great - from two stim cycles we've had 11 frozen blasts and only four FETs, no fresh transfers. 50% thaw rate on the first cycle, and an absolutely dismal 30% rate on the second. My situation is fairly unusual, though, and heavily influenced by the fact that I had OHSS on both of those stim cycles (hence the no fresh transfers). I also know of many women that have perfect thaw rates. It's absolutely impossible to predict, unfortunately.

BW

[jules30]

Thanks ladies. I guess i just have to real hard that the embie/s survives. Its probably a common thing but i was so positive (i had an excellent diet and acupuncture too!) on my first cycle and now im preparing for the worst and trying not to be negative for this FET. I have to go see my FS before the first FET.

Can i ask what is the process for FET, approximately when do they schedule the transfer and do u have to take any meds?

[lil_chookie]

With the FET transfer I took no meds and the transfer was done 3 days after I got a + OPK. I have not lutal phase support this time either.

Good Luck with you FET.

[jules30]

lil_chookie - what is OPK?

[butterfly_warrior]

Ovulation prediction kit - some clinics use them to detect an LH surge instead of blood tests.

BW

[briggsy's girl]

jules - an opk is an ovulation prediction kit. it's a home test to track ovulation. dependin on the type of FET, the clinic may ask you to use the OPK to track for ovulation at home, or you may be asked to come in for BT's - this is assuming you ovulate! when ovulation is detected, you'll be asked to come in however many days after ovulation your embies have developed to. so, for a blast - it's likely to be day five or six after ovulation

if, like me, you don't ovulate, or your clinic prefers a medicated FET, you may have to use HRT meds until a day they predetermine as ovulation day (minus the ovulation) - then they'll start you on progesterone to create an artificial luteal phase. again, your embie will be transferred on the number of days post O that it was frozen

hope that helps hun

BG

[jules30]

Ok, thanks. Hope my clinic uses them as im getting sick of the blood tests already!!

So with the 2nd AF after bfn, is it pretty much on time or delayed? Im trying to work out when i might roughly have the fet after my next AF.

Also, my AF at the moment (after transfer) is pretty light and all black when usually its medium to heavy and very red. Anyone experience this or know why? I was thinking maybe my bub didn't implant cos my lining wasn't thick enough.