u/Independent-Crab9894

I think I’m looking for a bit of a reality check from people who have been through this!

I am 31 years old, i have Type 1 diabetes, and after our egg retrieval we ended up with 3 day-5 blastocysts 4BB and 1 day-6 blastocyst 4bb. We’re now preparing for our first frozen embryo transfer. (They are all untested)

I’ve been trying really hard to make positive lifestyle changes — cutting down alcohol, having just one coffee a day, eating okay, taking my supplements and not be stressed etc.

I know there are absolutely no guarantees, and I understand that even with a good-quality embryo, implantation is never certain. But I can’t help feeling really hopeful that our first transfer could be successful.

At the same time, I’m worried I’m being naive by letting myself believe it might actually work first time. I think part of me wants to be realistic and prepare myself emotionally for it not working, while another part just thinks… why shouldn’t I hope?

For those who have had their first FET, how did you approach it? Did you let yourself believe it could work, or did you try to manage your expectations?

I also appreciate there are still so many unknowns. On my anxious days i worry i have silent endo of adenyomisis etc all these things i have no idea about yet.

I’d love to hear some honest experiences ❤️

I’m 31 with PCOS and Type 1 diabetes, and we’ve just finished our first NHS IVF cycle. I’m trying to work out whether I should be feeling hopeful or whether I’m getting my hopes up too much.

Our cycle went like this:
\-30 eggs collected
\-27 mature
\-10 fertilised (this was a huge shock and much lower than we expected)

Final result:

1 × Day 6 4BB+
3× Day 5 4BB (towards the lower end of the grade)

We’re doing a frozen embryo transfer in September because I was at risk of OHSS.

I know having four blastocysts is something to be grateful for, but I can’t stop focusing on how many embryos we lost along the way. It feels strange to have started with such high numbers and ended up with four.

I’m also aware the NHS doesn’t offer PGT-A testing in my situation, so I find myself worrying about whether the embryos are chromosomally normal.

1. For those who’ve been through something similar:
   Would you feel hopeful with these results?
   Has anyone had success with Day 5 or Day 6 4BB+/4BB embryos?

2. Did anyone else have a low fertilisation rate but still go on to have a successful pregnancy?

3. Is there anything you did before your frozen embryo transfer that you think made a difference?

4. Is it worth paying privately for any investigations before our first FET, such as a uterine microbiome test, EMMA/ALICE, probiotics, or anything else? Or would you wait until after a failed transfer before doing additional testing?

5. Are there any supplements or lifestyle changes you’d recommend in the lead-up to transfer?

I’m particularly anxious because I have Type 1 diabetes, so getting my blood sugars into the best possible range is a huge priority. If anyone has Type 1 diabetes and has any advice for preparing for an FET or pregnancy, I’d really love to hear your experience too.

I’m trying to stay realistic while also allowing myself to be hopeful. Any advice or success stories would be hugely appreciated. ❤️

I’m preparing for my first frozen embryo transfer in around six weeks, and I’d love to hear any advice from people who’ve been through it. Is there anything you did to optimise your chances before transfer or pregnancy?

A bit about me: I’m 31 with PCOS and Type 1 diabetes, and we’ve just finished our first NHS IVF cycle.

Our cycle went like this:
30 eggs collected
27 mature
10 fertilised (this was a huge shock and much lower than we expected)

Final result:
1 × Day 6 4BB+
3 × Day 5 4BB (towards the lower end of the grade)

We’re doing a frozen embryo transfer because I was at risk of OHSS.

I know having four blastocysts is something to be grateful for, but I can’t stop focusing on how many embryos we lost along the way. It feels strange to have started with such high numbers and ended up with four.

My HbA1c is currently 52 mmol/mol, and my goal is to bring it down even further over the next six weeks before transfer. I’m working really hard on keeping my blood sugars as stable and in range as possible.
I also know the NHS doesn’t offer PGT-A testing in my situation, so I do find myself worrying about whether the embryos are chromosomally normal.

I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone with Type 1 diabetes who’s been through IVF:

-Would you feel hopeful with these results?

-Has anyone had success with Day 5 or Day 6 4BB/4BB+ embryos?

-Did anyone else have a low fertilisation rate but still go on to have a successful pregnancy?

-Is there anything you did before your frozen embryo transfer that you think made a difference?

Is it worth paying privately for any investigations before a first FET (such as a uterine microbiome test, EMMA/ALICE, probiotics, or anything else), or would you wait until after a failed transfer?

Are there any supplements, blood sugar tips, or lifestyle changes you’d recommend in the lead-up to transfer and early pregnancy?

I’m trying to stay realistic while also allowing myself to be hopeful. Any advice, experiences, or success stories from fellow Type 1s would mean so much. ❤️

I’m 31 with PCOS and Type 1 diabetes, and we’ve just finished our first NHS IVF cycle. I’m trying to work out whether I should be feeling hopeful or whether I’m getting my hopes up too much.
Our cycle went like this:
30 eggs collected
27 mature
10 fertilised (this was a huge shock and much lower than we expected)
Final result:
1 × Day 6 4BB+
1 × Day 5 4BB+
2 × Day 5 4BB (towards the lower end of the grade)

We’re doing a frozen embryo transfer in September because I was at risk of OHSS.

I know having four blastocysts is something to be grateful for, but I can’t stop focusing on how many embryos we lost along the way. It feels strange to have started with such high numbers and ended up with four.

I’m also aware the NHS doesn’t offer PGT-A testing in my situation, so I find myself worrying about whether the embryos are chromosomally normal.
For those who’ve been through something similar:
Would you feel hopeful with these results?

Has anyone had success with Day 5 or Day 6 4BB/4BB+ embryos?

Did anyone else have a low fertilisation rate but still go on to have a successful pregnancy?

Is there anything you did before your frozen embryo transfer that you think made a difference?

Is it worth paying privately for any investigations before our first FET, such as a uterine microbiome test, EMMA/ALICE, probiotics, or anything else? Or would you wait until after a failed transfer before doing additional testing?

Are there any supplements or lifestyle changes you’d recommend in the lead-up to transfer?
I’m particularly anxious because I have Type 1 diabetes, so getting my blood sugars into the best possible range is a huge priority. If anyone has Type 1 diabetes and has any advice for preparing for an FET or pregnancy, I’d really love to hear your experience too.

I’m trying to stay realistic while also allowing myself to be hopeful. Any advice or success stories would be hugely appreciated. ❤️

I’m 31 with PCOS and Type 1 diabetes, and we’ve just finished our first NHS IVF cycle. I’m trying to work out whether I should be feeling hopeful or whether I’m getting my hopes up too much.

Our cycle went like this:
-30 eggs collected
-27 mature
-10 fertilised (this was a huge shock and much lower than we expected)

Final result:

1 × Day 6 4BB+
3× Day 5 4BB (towards the lower end of the grade)

We’re doing a frozen embryo transfer in September because I was at risk of OHSS.

I know having four blastocysts is something to be grateful for, but I can’t stop focusing on how many embryos we lost along the way. It feels strange to have started with such high numbers and ended up with four.

I’m also aware the NHS doesn’t offer PGT-A testing in my situation, so I find myself worrying about whether the embryos are chromosomally normal.

1. For those who’ve been through something similar:
   Would you feel hopeful with these results?
   Has anyone had success with Day 5 or Day 6 4BB+/4BB embryos?

2. Did anyone else have a low fertilisation rate but still go on to have a successful pregnancy?

3. Is there anything you did before your frozen embryo transfer that you think made a difference?

4. Is it worth paying privately for any investigations before our first FET, such as a uterine microbiome test, EMMA/ALICE, probiotics, or anything else? Or would you wait until after a failed transfer before doing additional testing?

5. Are there any supplements or lifestyle changes you’d recommend in the lead-up to transfer?

I’m particularly anxious because I have Type 1 diabetes, so getting my blood sugars into the best possible range is a huge priority. If anyone has Type 1 diabetes and has any advice for preparing for an FET or pregnancy, I’d really love to hear your experience too.

I’m trying to stay realistic while also allowing myself to be hopeful. Any advice or success stories would be hugely appreciated. ❤️

Hi everyone,

I’m feeling a bit lost and directionless today and would really appreciate some advice or hearing from anyone who’s had similar results.

I’m 31 with PCOS and Type 1 diabetes. I had my first IVF cycle and, because I have PCOS and a high AMH, I think I built up my hopes after such a good egg collection.

We had:

-30 eggs collected
-27 mature
-10 fertilised with conventional IVF

Today on Day 5 we had only have 2 frozen 4BB blastocysts, with 1 more still being watched for Day 6.

I know I should be grateful to have two embryos, and I genuinely am. I know many people would love to be in this position.

I think it’s more the shock of seeing such a steep drop at every stage. Going from 30 eggs to 27 mature, then only 10 fertilised, and now 2 blastocysts has been really hard to process. I think I expected better results because of my age and PCOS, so I’m struggling to understand what happened.

My partner’s semen analysis has previously shown moderate agglutination, elevated round cells and a drop in motility, although the clinic wasn’t concerned enough to use ICSI this cycle. Now I’m wondering whether we should be looking into DNA fragmentation testing or whether this could just as easily be egg quality or simply bad luck.

Has anyone had a similar pattern of good egg numbers but a much bigger-than-expected drop-off? Did you ever get any answers, or make any changes for a second cycle (such as ICSI or further testing)?

I’m trying to stay hopeful, especially as we still have one embryo being watched until tomorrow, but today I just feel really deflated. Where do we go from here?

Just fyi im based in the UK and we are receiving NHS treatment.

Thank you to anyone who takes the time to reply. 🤍

Hey everyone,

This is my first IVF cycle and I’m trying to manage my expectations for the next few days.

I have PCOS and type 1 diabetes. We had our egg retrieval recently and are now waiting for our Day 5/6 blastocyst update.

I’m curious — what results would you consider a “good” or reassuring outcome at this stage?

How many blastocysts would you be happy with, and what kind of Gardner grading would you consider a good result?

I know everyone is different and it depends on age, egg numbers, fertilisation rates, sperm factors, etc., but I’d really appreciate hearing people’s experiences to get a realistic idea of what to hope for and what the journey ahead might look like.

Thanks so much ❤️

Hi everyone, I’m very aware that I’m still at the very beginning of my IVF journey, but I’m trying to be as proactive and informed as possible.

I have PCOS and type 1 diabetes, so I know my IVF journey may have some extra considerations. I had my egg retrieval yesterday and we collected 30 eggs (which wasn’t a huge surprise given my PCOS). Today I found out that 10 eggs fertilised. I know the next important milestone is seeing how many make it to blastocyst, but I’m already thinking ahead and trying not to panic.

1. If my blastocyst rate is lower than expected, I’d really appreciate advice from those who have been through something similar:

2. What investigations would you recommend looking into after a poor blastocyst outcome?

3. Would a low blastocyst rate point more towards egg quality, sperm quality, or something else?

4. Would you prioritise sperm DNA fragmentation testing?

5. Would it be worth investigating silent endometriosis, especially if there are no obvious symptoms? At what point would a laparoscopy be considered?

6. Are there any other tests you wish you had done earlier?

I’ve seen people mention things like microbiome testing, immune testing, blood clotting/thrombophilia testing, karyotyping, and PGT-A testing. I’m trying to understand what is genuinely evidence-based and what may not be worth the cost.

I’m 31, so I know I have age on my side, and this is only our first IVF cycle. However, because I have two autoimmune conditions and our finances are limited, I’d like to focus on the investigations that are most likely to give useful answers rather than spending money on lots of tests without clear benefit.

I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone who has had a similar situation — particularly those with PCOS, type 1 diabetes, unexpectedly low blast rates, or who went on to find an explanation.
Thank you ❤️

I’m feeling really anxious and could use some hope.
If you have PCOS and had a successful frozen embryo transfer (FET), would you mind sharing:
-Your age
-AMH (if you know it)
-How many eggs were retrieved
-How many were mature/fertilised/blastocysts (if you’re happy to share)
-Whether you did PGT testing
-How many FETs it took to achieve a pregnancy or live birth

I’m 3 weeks away from my egg retrieval and keep reading stories about multiple failed transfers, and it’s making me spiral a bit. I’d really love to hear some positive experiences from people with PCOS.
Thank you so much. ❤️

31F, Type 1 diabetes + PCOS, starting IVF this month and looking for positive stories.

I’ve had Type 1 diabetes for 15 years and, if I’m honest, my HbA1c has mostly been in the 7s and 8s for the majority of that time. Since we started trying to conceive a year ago, I’ve worked really hard to improve my control and have consistently been around 6.5–6.7%.

We’re about to start IVF, with egg retrieval next month, and I’m struggling with anxiety that my years of less-than-ideal blood sugar control may have permanently damaged my egg quality.

I know age is on my side (I’m 31), but I can’t stop worrying that I’ve somehow “missed my chance” by not having tighter control earlier in life.

Has anyone with long-standing Type 1 diabetes (especially if you also have PCOS/retinopathy) gone through IVF and had good outcomes? I’d really love to hear positive stories about egg quality, embryo development, or successful pregnancies.

Hi all. Im type 1 diabetic with pcos. Due to start Ivf in a few months and really nervous. My t1d has not been well controlled but my a1c is now 48 (6.5)

Any tips/advice/ or success stories welcome please from fellow t1ds going through ivf 🙏❤️

Hi everyone. Im type 1 diabetic and have PCOS. My blood tests this year seem like my pcos is more extreme than last year. Im on metformin, inositol and many other supplements.

4 failed letrezole cycles. Waiting to start IVF.

Ive never had a positive pregnancy test and we’ve been trying for years.

I dont really know what im hoping from this post. Maybe just some hope. I feel really down and scared that its just not going to happen for us :(

Hi all, could anyone give me an idea of NHS wait times and the general IVF timeline in the UK? I had a call with my consultant yesterday and was told our nurse appointment will be in around 2–3 months, which I understand is our initial IVF planning/teaching appointment (we’ve already had the IVF consultation itself).

I’m trying to understand what the road ahead might realistically look like from here in terms of timelines. What usually happens after the nurse appointment, how long does it tend to take before starting treatment, and when might a frozen embryo transfer realistically happen? We’ll likely be doing freeze-all with FET because of my PCOS.

It feels like such a long road already and we’ve only just begun, so hearing others’ experiences with timelines and wait times would be really helpful. Thank you.

Edit: im in east london and currently under the care of St Barts hospital