I have a friend who is in her mid-thirties and has high-ish FSH and diminished ovarian reserve. She went through egg retrieval at the famed top clinic in Colorado, but only had 4 mature eggs retrieved.
Can any of you point me toward any blogs with similar IVF results that led to success? Nobody in the blog world is coming to mind, and I have never focused on those kinds of details because we always had quantity in terms of eggs, just major quality and implantation problems. She is feeling very downhearted at the moment, and I'd love to let her know hope isn't lost yet.
Much appreciated!
Mo
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Can any of you point me toward any blogs with similar IVF results that led to success? Nobody in the blog world is coming to mind, and I have never focused on those kinds of details because we always had quantity in terms of eggs, just major quality and implantation problems. She is feeling very downhearted at the moment, and I'd love to let her know hope isn't lost yet.
Much appreciated!
Mo
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Check breathegently.com I think she only had 3 retrieved, got pregnant, and froze 2!
ReplyDeleteI don't have a blog but I had similar results (at the age of 29 though). Low ovarian reserve, AMH=.6, with 5 eggs retrieved, and ended up with twins out of it (although one died of SIDS- but I've had two natural pregnancies since that time).
ReplyDeleteOffhand I can think of InBetween and Fern at Insert Metaphor (both in my blogroll) who had success with 2 embryos retrieved.
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm guessing from the way you framed this that DE is not yet on the table... but I'd encourage your friend to look at DE blogs, too.
Elizabeth - thank you for taking the time to comment and share to offer my friend some hope. And I'm so sorry to hear about the loss of your child.
ReplyDeleteMo
Gwinne - thanks. she doesn't think DE is for her at this moment, but she is still very very early in the process.
ReplyDeleteI don't have a blog to recommend, but I can share my personal story: at my egg retrieval, they only got 8 eggs, and out of those 8, only 4 were mature. I was devastated. Only 3 out of those 4 fertilized.
ReplyDeleteBy day 2 (after retrieval), only 2 of the three embryos were looking good. So our doctor decided to do a day-2 transfer of the two embryos that were better looking. I am now 14 weeks pregnant with a singleton from that transfer!
This sounds like a cliché, but it's true: It only takes one! I wish your friend good luck!
(I am 37, I have PCOS and I was trying to conceive for over three years before finally getting pregnant).
i was also a pt of CCRM, only had 5 total mature after two retrievals. VERY LOW AMH. now pregnant after FEt with transfer of 2 CCS normal embryos.
ReplyDeletedid they try and mature her other eggs.
I am happy to speak to her offline if she wants
I do not have a blog, but I do have something that may give your friend some hope. I am 38, 7 years of TTC with endometriosis and PCOS and many failed treatments and an ectopic pregnancy after my first IVF. I cycled this past fall in a clinic in Belgium and only had three eggs retrieved, two of which were mature. They went ahead and did ICSI on both of them. Well, after years and nearly an MD degree in infertility issues, I knew that this was a horrible outcome and I prepared for the worst. Surprisingly, or miraculously, both of those eggs fertilized and both implanted and I am now 28 weeks pregnant with twins. What were the odds? Very, very low and even my RE and the embryologists were surprised.
ReplyDeletePlease tell your friend not to give up hope. As a good friend reminded me when I was at my lowest: it only takes ONE! This is a case where quality is more important than quantity.
Lots of luck and positive energy for your friend.
I don't have a blog but I have the same story. My FSH was 16.. AMH was.5 . They retrieved 4 eggs .. I had only one embryo left on Day 3 and I did get pregnant.. I was 37 years old. My daughter is 14 months and we are going to try again.. I know my odds are very small but it only takes one:)
ReplyDeleteDOR is a pretty crappy diagnosis--it's mine (37, high FSH, undetectable AMH) and I have not yet had success--and it often leads to DE. I'm at whenwhyhowbaby.wordpress.com. I've been banking eggs, and the most I've ever gotten at retrieval is three, I've also gotten 2 and 0 and had cancelled cycles. We'll see in a few weeks if my eggs work. For success stories, see http://torthuiljourney.blogspot.com/ or http://overworkedovaries.blogspot.com/
ReplyDeleteor http://aubreyandnick.blogspot.com/ or https://infertilechemist.wordpress.com/. She doesn't blog any more but did have success: http://idioticinfertility.wordpress.com/. But your friend might also want to look at http://infertilesmurf.blogspot.com/ (moving on to DE) or http://binkymoongee.wordpress.com/ (is between treatments, trying to figure out next steps). http://itsgonnatakeavillage.blogspot.com/ is undergoing her second IVF, http://mybrokenoven.wordpress.com/ (30 weeks with DE twins) or http://minetocommand.blogspot.com/, an OBGYN who hasn't had success yet even after IVF and FETs.
My blog is entirely out of date, but I also had POF and highish FSH (and I'm upper 30s). Only did one IVF. Retrieved 7 or 8 eggs (never heard how many were mature), only had 3 fertilize (there are sperm issues too) and only one made it to a day 5 transfer (that's all my clinic does - no 3 days). We were given approximately a 15% chance of pregnancy from it with all of the factors we had going on. My daughter will be one next week. I'd be happy to talk to your friend via email or phone if she would like to.
ReplyDeleteI don't have a blog, but I cycled at CCRM two years ago at 40 (FSH under 10, but AMH 0.3 and AFC 4). I had four eggs, two fertilized, both aneuploid based on a polar body biopsy. Got pregnant naturally twice subsequently, one resulting in miscarriage and one in a baby born in November when I was 41.5. I would really urge your friend to keep trying naturally. IVF for those of us with DOR/poor response is not a great tool and has limited power to predict success, ultimately.
ReplyDeleteI have a fertility/pregnancy question, and as someone who has followed here for years, I trust your judgment more than the lay people (without science backgrounds) on message boards. I have extremely regular periods-down to the hour. I am TTC, BD in three day O window, and then... started bleeding similar to my period 8 days early. Flow is lighter than a normal period, but bright red, clotty, and accompanied by milder than usual symptoms, like lower back pain, cramping, and joint achiness. Any insight??
ReplyDeleteAnonymous @1:56pm - I have no idea, honestly. What does your RE or OB/GYN say?
ReplyDeleteI didn't have ovarian reserve problems as such but I was 34 when I had my IVFs.
ReplyDeleteSecond one I had 4 mature eggs, they ICSId them, 2 grew nicely to day 3 and were transferred, and both of those are my nearly 5-year-old twins today!
It only takes one to make a baby!!! Don't give up.
My situation is a bit different, in that we were using donor eggs. However, we only had 5 eggs, 4 fertilised and I had the best put in and he's now 3 and a half years old. I have a blog at: http://silverhopeforthebest.blogspot.co.uk/.
ReplyDeleteThis is me exactly! High-ish FSH, low AMH. Went to Colorado after having 5 miscarriages from 6IVFs locally. We got 4 mature eggs in Colorado (7 total, they couldn't mature the other 3), 3 made it to blast and 2 were normal. We transferred both and have 3.5 yr old twins. There is most definitely hope!!
ReplyDeleteInfertile in the city - found the link on your blog. She was late 30s - they got 3 eggs at ccrm and she ended up with twins. It can happen!!!
ReplyDeletehttp://infertileinthecity.blogspot.com/?m=1
ReplyDeleteInfertile in the city
ReplyDeletehttp://infertileinthecity.blogspot.com/?m=1
I had 3 eggs retrieved and came out with triplets!!! My AFC was always 2-5. My blog is linked on your triplet blog roll. :)
ReplyDeleteWww.atrioofmiracles.blogspot.com
Oh and a great support site is http://www.network54.com/Forum/209394/
ReplyDeleteI also have a similar personal story with a happy ending. I had high FSH - I went through 13 attempts at IVF but only had 3 transfers; most of my attempts stopped on the first day because my FSH was so high. When I did make it to retrieval, I never had many good eggs. I believe they retrieved 8 a couple of times, but I never had more than 3 that were mature, and (until my very last cycle) I never had more than two mediocre embryos to transfer. Lucky cycle 13 produced 3 embryos, and we transferred all 3. One of those is now a nearly 4-year-old sleeping upstairs. Tell your friend to not give up hope! Towards the end, I was pretty much just going through the motions to make it to the third transfer (the state I was living in at the time has an insurance mandate for IVF through 3 transfers). I actually almost didn't go through the 13th cycle because I didn't want to miss my 20th high school reunion...but my husband (thank goodness!) convinced me we should. Tell your friend to not give up hope! Even when you have a load of truly crappy eggs, there can still be a good one in there.
ReplyDeleteWhile she has not yet had success, Maddie lateforaveryimportantpregnancy.wordpress.com took an unusual treatment for DOR which while it hasn't been successful for Maddie, seems to have been successful for others-- I'm sure that offline she'd be happy to divulge the doctor she worked with. Wishing your friend much luck.
ReplyDeleteFSH of 13 at 41. IVF turned to IUI because only three follicles ... After fail that cycle two months of intense acupuncture (at suggestion of Cornell). Pregnant on my own during second month of acupunture treatment. Proud mom of 4 year old. Hard to believe but miracles do happen all the time ...
ReplyDeleteAnother anything's possible story here. Went through 4 retrievals and a cancelled cycle between ages 37-40 (after one easy, immediate natural pregnancy /birth at 36). One blocked tube after an eptopic as my second natural, easy/immediate pregnancy. FSH, etc., were at the high/low end of normal. But my 4 IVFs resulted in only about 14 eggs retrieved. They did all fertilize and I think they all made it to 5 days or were high grades, but after all the transfers, we only had 1 to freeze. We did one frozen transfer, so 5 transfers in all, and got pregnant only once, with a miscarriage at 9 weeks.
ReplyDeleteNever any real reason for the secondary infertility besides the 1 blocked tube, some mild implantation issues and mild sperm issues - that obviously weren't really the issue since I had 3 pregnancies and 1 baby within a total of about 6 months of trying. Classic unexplained secondary infertility.
Fast forward 2 years from the final IVF, and I got pregnant naturally, unexpectedly, with completely inappropriately timed intercourse. I didn't even take an HPT until 5.5 weeks because I really thought I was having some pre-menopause cycle issues. The pregnancy was completely uneventful and that baby, born at 42, is 15 months now .
I give this story hesitantly, because when I was in the depths of it, they didn't really give me hope but just made me jealous/more wounded. But since you asked for it - there you go! Anything's possible!
At 40 I got similar results....only 7 mature...but 4 of them progressed enough to 3 day embies and they transferred them. I got one beautiful baby boy. Our clinic always said that all you need is one....and that those people who got tons of eggs just made it harder to choose which ones to transfer. 4 was the perfect number because statistically in nature 1/4 fertilized eggs results in pregnancy. Our story proved it. I would say if she is worried make sure they do a 3 day transfer vs the 5 day. Our clinic believed that waiting to 5 in the lab was not as ideal as getting them to the womb while they were still growing.
ReplyDeletekd
At 36 diminished ovarian reserve and endometriosis: 12 eggs retrieved, 8 fertilized, 2 fresh transfer. Of the remaining 6, 3 made it to day 5 and were frozen. A singleton pregnancy and birth resulted from the fresh transfer. Three years later (39), went in for transfer of one frozen embryo. First embryo wasn't good enough for transfer, but I am 33 weeks pregnant from the second one thawed. Still have one frozen embryo. Can't believe I got pregnant the first time and even more surprised that it worked again. So it's possible, but we never know if it's going to happen or not. Good luck to your friend.
ReplyDeleteI was 34 with an FSH of 13. Three IVFs (12 embryos) before I had twins at 35. At 37, retrieved 10 eggs, 8 fertilized, transferred 2 = m/c. Insert 2.5 FETs = bfns. At 38, retrieved 10, transferred 3, no frosties = singleton. At 41! had a natural bfp that ended in m/c.
ReplyDeleteThe thing that helped me most was no Lupron or bcps before I cycled. It down regulated me too much. I went straight to stims on cycle day 3.
There's hope. Good luck to you!
Anonymous @1:56pm, i have found that using even OTC hydrocortisone cream, or worse a steroid shot, can make cycles suddenly shorter.
ReplyDeleteI had two IVFs, both times with just a few eggs. First time was unsuccessful- (4 eggs retrieved, 3 embryos put in, no pregnancy) The second time, they only retrieved three mature eggs. By the time they went to put the embryos in (at that time it was 3 days) there were only 2 embryos. Both implanted. One was an early miscarriage and the other one is a 16 1/2 year old boy!! . I was 39 at the time. Tell your friend not to give up!!
ReplyDeleteJacky in MD
I have DOR - undetectible AMH, FSH at one point at 17.6 and AFC of 1-4 depending on the month. I've conceived naturally twice while on a strict regimen of DHEA, acupuncture, COQ10, etc. I can't offer guidance on IVF b/c we haven't done a round yet, but I have otherwise hopeless statistics and was pushed by that same Colorado clinic to use a donor egg ASAP (I was 32 at the time). Happy to communicate with your friend if she is interested.
ReplyDeleteI didn't have diminished ovarian reserve or high FSH, but we only had 4 mature eggs. All 4 fertilized with ICSI. An IVF on day 3 resulted in healthy baby boy (now 5 years old). One frozen embryo transfer failed. The next frozen embryo transfer worked and resulted in a healthy baby girl (now 3). And I still have one frozen. I, too, was devastated by just having 4 mature eggs, but it can work out!
ReplyDeleteA friend of mine used to blog at If It's Not One Thing It's Your Mother. She underwent IVF and was dubbed a poor responder when they only retrieved two eggs. They both matured, fertilized and ultimately resulted in twin boys who just turned four.
ReplyDeleteI have been diagnosed with dor at 35, 2 failed iui's and now ivf has been recommended. We are building up the courage to tackle ivf but I wondered if other people who have had success did anything else to increase their chances? Diet? Accupuncture? And so forth, and what worked? I find that at the moment I am drinking more wine than I used to as I am so stressed but am worried that I might be hurting my chances of success. My doctor says not, but I don't know. I am also eating healthily, doing yoga and going to therapy in vain attempts to get into a better head space. Any help or advice would be so much appreciated. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteHi Mo, you could send her to my blog, Infertile in the City. I always had terrible egg retrievals - 3 eggs, 2 eggs, then 3 eggs again at CCRM. That last one resulted in 2 embryos which became my gorgeous healthy twin boys! So yes, there is hope! You can tell her she's free to reach out to me if she has any questions as well. Hope all is well!
ReplyDeleteMy FSH was supposedly normal, but I barely responded to meds.
ReplyDeleteMy successful cycle, I had by best response, 3 mature eggs. (2 fertilized and made it to transfer, didn't look to great either - turns out on was perfect though.)
I had 4 retrieved, two fertilized, ONE DELLA
ReplyDeletexo
Hi! I went through this heartbreaking diagnosis at the age of 27 back in 2009. At my first RE, he didn't really offer me support and wasn't positive. At all. My FSH was 27, but my AMH was 0.1 I opted to switch doctors closer to NYC. Was told the same, but my RE said he'd at least try to help me. I went on estrace, DHEA (25mg 3x/day), changed my diet to eliminate wheat, sugar, and dairy, took wheatgrass shots daily, prayed, and began going to acupuncture once a week. We tried an IUI with injectables in April 2010, which failed, but by the grace of God I got pregnant naturally the following month. My daughter is 3.5! She's truly my miracle!
ReplyDeleteWe've tried for a second, unsuccessfully, since my daughter was about 4 months old. Hoping to have one more miracle!
If your friend would like to talk, my email is vanhise.keri@gmail.com