3 failed transfers with 4 euploids (RIF) and Endo all along
My wife and I have been on the IVF/TTC journey for over two years now.
I’ll spare many of the details and get to the point of this post: advocate for yourself.
In my last post, I shared that our latest double euploid FET failed — again, with zero implantation. This was our third failed transfer in a row. We were completely at a loss. Every test, blood panel, and examination kept coming back “normal.” We did endometrial biopsy that showed normal Receptiva and no endometritis. The only known issue was a fibroid that multiple doctors told us was not distorting the uterus or impacting outcomes, and my mild MFI due to grade 1 varicoceles.
Instead, we finally sought second and third opinions, changed to a clinic within a well known research hospital, and requested a pelvic MRI with an endometriosis protocol to rule out the small possibility that the fibroid was actually adenomyosis.
Turns out the MRI showed deep infiltrating endometriosis with extensive adhesions and scar tissue — arguably Stage III disease — including an endometrioma (“chocolate cyst”) on her left ovary and additional adhesions throughout the pelvis. (Ironically, her left ovary had always underperformed during IVF).
Her retroflexed uterus may actually be secondary to the endometriosis. Severe scar tissue and adhesions were literally pulling the uterus backward. We also learned that the fibroid, which has always previously looked intramural on ultrasound, did have characteristics of submucosal on the MRI.
Looking back, the breadcrumbs were there all along:
• A chocolate cyst was collected during our very first IVF cycle (we brought this up and it was dismissed as a benign blood cyst)
• Chronic lower back pain despite no former injuries
• A borderline BCL6 result
• An endometrial biopsy that was unbelievably painful
• A retroflexed uterus
• Recurrent failed implantation despite euploid embryos
None of these clues alone proved endometriosis, but made us question deep down if in fact something else was going on.
We regret not going with our gut earlier and pushing for more extensive testing and getting second opinions. We feel like we wasted 4 lovely embryos and gave them no chance of success.
At this point, we are wrapping up our third egg retrieval and are looking at our next steps; any success stories out there after finding out fibroids / endometriosis was causing your infertility ? What steps did you take? Would love to hear your story as this journey feels so incredibly lonely.