r/40Plus_IVF_Pregnancy

I transferred 3 day-3 embryos 5 days ago and am having heavy cramping today that feels exactly like after my egg retrieval and impending withdrawal bleed. I'm convinced that this is not going to work and that if it did I wouldn't be feeling a withdrawal bleed coming on. I've also been having hot flashes starting today and a little bit of light pink spotting yesterday. I never spot and my clinic said that could have been implantation bleeding, but I'm just convinced that it's not because this feels identical to the hormone crash after an egg retrieval. I guess I don't really know how it works since this is my first time actually doing a transfer. I've also had some strange painless uterine contraction like feelings and just strange sensations down there in general, I don't really know what to make of it. I'm on one unit of progesterone in oil nightly. Has anyone experienced this before?

Wondering about the type and frequency of testing and monitoring others had after their first positive beta. How many betas and how often? When did you move on to your first scan, and what was the purpose of the first scan? Any other scans or blood tests that were done prior to moving to your OB’s practice? Thank you.

My journey has been years in the making, and while I’ll keep it as brief as I can, it’s been anything but simple.

In 2018, I had a natural pregnancy that ended in a miscarriage at my 6‑week ultrasound. A 2.5 cm fibroid was found, but my OB chose to “watch it,” and despite years of trying afterward, I never became pregnant again. Even with yearly visits, I was always told to just keep trying.

By 2022, at 35, I switched OBs and tried to begin fertility testing — but the office repeatedly failed to schedule things within the right cycle window. After months of delays, I finally saw a reproductive endocrinologist in 2023. At that baseline appointment, they found an 11×7 cm fibroid. I needed an emergent open myomectomy via C‑section incision, and it took a full year to heal.

In 2024, at 37, I began IVF. My BMI was over 40 and the clinic required it to be lower, so I started Zepbound and lost over 60 pounds in a year.

In 2025, at 38, we began egg retrievals. After attrition and genetic testing, our first retrieval gave us 2 embryos; the second gave us 6.

In July 2025, at 39, our first transfer failed. I also had a reaction to progesterone in oil. In September, our second transfer initially looked promising, We switched to progesterone in ethyl oleate and estrogen patches — 10DP5DT beta was 83, then rose into the 300s — but I miscarried a week later. At this point I decided to change providers. I found a large medication error that could've cancelled my transfer (i'm a nurse), and I was yearning for a more thorough approach and not feeling like a number. We consulted with my new Reproductive Endocrinologist, and she decided to start from square one and go from there. We started with another Saline Sonogram, and then a hysteroscopy. The hysteroscopy showed endometritis, so I completed 14 days of doxycycline before trying again. We transferred for the 3rd time, and our December transfer failed.

In January 2026, my doctor ordered the full “kitchen sink”: EMMA/ALICE and Receptiva. EMMA/ALICE were negative, but Receptiva was inconclusive because the biopsy sample was insufficient — something that has only happened to one other patient in the U.S. A repeat Receptiva in February was negative. My doctor doesn’t typically believe in ERA testing, but I advocated for it, and it was also negative.

In March, another hysteroscopy found a small polyp, which was removed and tested (negative). In April, we prepped again: estrogen patches, progesterone in ethyl oleate, and 4 mg daily Solumedrol.

In May 2026, we transferred a beautiful 5‑day AA embryo — our fourth FET.

My beta on May 18 (11 days post‑transfer) was 92. Today, May 20 (13 days post‑transfer), it’s 166.5 — an 81% increase. My doctor wants another draw again Friday to make sure things are trending well. If my HCG is trending in the right direction on Friday, we'll schedule my US.

And here’s where I am emotionally: anxious, scared, grateful, hopeful, and exhausted all at once. IVF takes so much joy from the process, even while offering the possibility of the greatest gift. I’m thankful to be here, but I’m also terrified because I’ve been here before. I’m trying to hold space for both hope and fear, but it’s hard. I just needed to say that out loud.

I just wanted to say, wherever you're in your journey...I see you, I hear you, and I'm here for you!

Update: I realized later that I had a zinc lozenge a few hours ahead of my GD test and that probably killed my taste buds enough that I couldn't taste properly. I passed the test thank goodness.

I can’t believe pregnant people complain about the glucose drink for GD. Compared to that nasty magnesium laxative I had to drink before my egg retrievals, the glucose drink is almost nice tasting.

Hi All!

I’m blessed to almost be 12 weeks this Friday at 43, so for that I’m grateful. I also just got the NIPT test results and they came back low risk and we now know we’re having a little girl. Again, grateful 🙏 since we opted out of PGTA testing . But, I find myself nervous with every milestone or appt.

Next week, 5/27 they’re doing a detailed sono and I’m meeting with the MFM for the first time and my brain goes straight to “Hope you’re good in there and have a heartbeat”. At what point in your journey did you begin to just live and let go a bit. Wishing everyone much luck !

I’m getting ready to do a modified natural FET, just waiting for my period. I only have 1 euploid and it’s graded a Day 6, 4BB, so I’ve only got 1 chance at this. I’m 39, but will be 40 in 2 months.

Anyone have success with your 1st FET? Was it a modified natural FET or fully medicated? What grade was your embryo and what age were you? Vaginal progesterone vs PIO shots? Did it lead to a live birth or MC?

Looking for positive and negative stories. Thank you! 🤍

I saw the results but my clinic hasn't messaged me yet. Beta hCG is 2208 mIU/ml. From what I can tell, that's really good and out of the gray area (not the Pregnyl I took 12 days ago).

I'm 43 now. This is the first of two euploids I got from 3 retrievals. It was a day-6, transferred two weeks ago. I feel so lucky!

Thank you all for letting me share!