IVF #4 = 1 Embryo

I haven't had time to post, last week was super busy with all the Halloween activities.

The results of my IVF #4 Cycle = 1 Embryo

Details:

I had my retrieval on Tuesday, October 30, 2018.

  • Eggs Retrieved: 3
  • Eggs Mature: 2
  • Eggs Fertilized: 1
To say I was disappointed... is an understatement. I received updates on Day #1, Day, #3, Day #5, and Day #6: 

Day #1: Is when I found out that only 2 were mature and it looked like only 1 fertilized 
Day #3: The fertilized embryo was looking great and was at 8-cells 
Day #5: The embryo was looking good, but wasn't ready for biopsy (early blastocyst)  
Day #6: The embryo finally was ready for biopsy and was frozen 




The Embryo is a Grade 1 (which is my clinic's highest rating). My son was a Day 6 embryo and a Grade 2 embryo. 

I tell you... it was a rough week emotional-wise. I wasn't sure what was going to happen and the stress was so intense. Not to mention, we were just so busy as a family - so many Halloween activities going on. 

Next step is waiting for the PGS results of the embryo.... with my age, there's a 50-50 chance the embryo will be normal. I don't like those odds very much... 

Thoughts: 

I'm trying not to think too far in advance... BUT, I can't help it. Things jumping through my mind: 

- If the embryo is abnormal - I would need to switch clinics and go to a cheaper one. I would need to save enough money to do another cycle, so I wouldn't be able to cycle until Feb/Mar of 2019. I am willing to do ONE more IVF cycle with my own eggs. But I need a different IVF protocol and I need a more affordable clinic. 

- If the embryo is normal - this would be AMAZING! However, PGS-normal embryos don't always lead to a viable pregnancy. I believe it's a 60% chance. There's also a chance the embryo wouldn't survive being thawed. My thoughts on this: maybe I will push up a FET date to early 2019 (originally I wanted to wait for a FET until July 2019), that way if it doesn't work I can fit in another IVF cycle in summer 2019. The rush? I turn 39 this year... I'm sure the results will not get better the longer it takes for me to do an IVF cycle. The sucky part of doing an earlier FET is that if it works, I won't have the 3 year age gap I was hoping for... I also have some work career goals I wanted to meet in 2019. 

BUT, as all things with fertility treatments - nothing is guaranteed. I'd rather have a closer age gap between the kids vs. not being able to have another baby. I'd also put off all career aspirations for another baby. You know? Having another baby trumps all that. 

- Then there's the thought of doing donor embryos, in the event this embryo is either abnormal or doesn't lead to a pregnancy if normal, and another IVF cycle has similar results... 

- Or possibly doing IUI's - which I don't think is cost effective and then there's the egg quality issue. But maybe I'd get "lucky?" 

Lots of things running through my mind... and I have to wait TWO more weeks to have a clearer picture on what to do next. 

Needless to say, I've started a few projects to keep myself occupied! I'm working on decluttering the house (yes - AGAIN), I'm working on multiple photo books (I WILL complete at least ONE), I've started some new cleaning / house management routines, and I've been reading books on strong-willed children - because I have two of those :). 

Trying to keep busy... hoping time flies by fast... praying this embryo is PGS-normal... 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

FET 2 (Cycle #11): Baseline Ultrasound + FET Calendar

Image
It's so weird to jump from cycle to cycle! It's been a long time since I've done that... since my IUI's really. Yesterday was my beta test for Cycle 10 and today I had my baseline ultrasound to start my FET#2 Cycle. I had my ultrasound and everything seems to be well with my ovaries. Although my left ovary was hard to find (again).  The cyst from Cycle 10 is gone. Yay for that! My ovaries seem to have recovered from the stim meds and I officially start Birth Control tomorrow. My clinic has moved quickly and I already have my FET Calendar! Crazy. I have it listed at the bottom of this entry. A few things: My RE wants me to do another Saline Ultrasound (Sonohysterogram or SHG). I hate those things! I did the last one in November and I guess they recommend doing them every 6-9 months. Really hoping no polyp is found, like at my first Saline Ultrasound . If they find any polyps or fibroids, I'll have to make a choice to move forward with the FET or do another hystero...
Read more

My Induction Story and my Son's Birth - Day #2

Here is the continuance of my induction story. For how the first day of induction went, please see my entry on  Day #1 . Here is what happened on Day #2. Sunday, May 28, 2017 6:30am : They take the Cervidil out. The cervix check HURT LIKE HELL!!! The nurse didn't tell me what she was doing... but she decided to stretch my cervix while she was in there. She stretched it from a 1 to a 3! Ouch and ouch and ouch!!!! Argh. Not to mention she stretched it during a contraction -- so it was double (triple/quadruple) ouch. Effaced: 70% Dilation: 3cm  Position: -2  10:30am : We get the green light from the OB to start Pitocin. This means no more eating real food and I would be on a strictly liquid diet. The Pitocin goes through the IV and they would up the dosage every 30 minutes. What was also kinda cool is they switched me to a wireless baby heart rate monitor, which allowed me to get out of bed more and I could wonder around the room. I couldn't go too far though because I neede...
Read more

FET #2 (Cycle 11): Monitoring Appointment #2 - Transfer is a GO!

Image
I'm at the point in my cycle where I'm obsessively thinking about my FET. Doesn't matter how busy I am, it's on my mind - constantly. Non-stop. 24-7. I don't remember if I was this intense or not on my last cycles. I've been trying to keep busy, but it doesn't matter - my mind and heart are "all in" about this FET. All in with my last two embryos from IVF #2 . I remember feeling so optimistic and happy with the results of that cycle and thinking I was just so much closer to having a baby. My very last 2 embryos, my day 6-ers that trudged to the blastocyst stage, is all that's left of that cycle and of all my IVF tries thus far. It feels like a huge deal to me. If this doesn't work, I have to start over. All over. Do it all again. My mind just can't wrap around that concept just yet...  I'll know in 14 days if this cycle works or not. My beta is on 9/30. Crazy. Two more weeks until I can know what my next few months are going to loo...
Read more