r/EmbryologyIVFSupport

I just wanna start out by saying that while I did get a “pretty” embryo this retrieval, I only got two in total due to *severe* DOR. We did mini IVF. Just wondering if anyone else had a positive outcome with a day 7 6AA. I know grading is nothing but a beauty contest, we are waiting on PGT results.

Love and sticky baby dust to us all 💜

Hi everyone,

Reposting now that I have complete information from all three retrievals. We're still waiting for our clinic's multidisciplinary review.

I know Reddit can't replace medical advice, but I'd love to understand how you would interpret this pattern and what you'd discuss if this were your patient.

I'm 29 and my husband is 30. We're doing IVF for genetic testing rather than known infertility. With autosomal dominant genetic issue (50% chance of passing it on).

Cycle 1

Protocol

Gonal-F 225→237.5 IU

Orgalutran

Ovidrel trigger

Results

26 eggs

25 mature

21 fertilised (ICSI)

Embryos

Day 5: 4 × Grade 1, 1 × Grade 2, 1 degenerated

Day 6/7: 4CC, 3CC, 4AB → downgraded to 4CC, 5CC

Outcome

4 blastocysts

0 suitable for biopsy

Clinic impression: Egg quality. Developed OHSS.

Cycle 2

Protocol

Gonal-F 62.5 IU (later increased)

Pergoveris 150 IU

Orgalutran

Ovidrel trigger

Results

17 eggs

15 mature

10 fertilised

Embryos

3 failed to survive ICSI

2 failed fertilisation

5 arrested at single-cell stage

1 arrested during compaction

1 poor-quality cavitating embryo

2 degenerated by Day 5

1 reached biopsy (4AB)

Outcome

1 euploid, genetically unaffected embryo (currently frozen)

Clinic impression: Egg quality still discussed. Possible sperm contribution also raised.

Cycle 3

Protocol

Pergoveris 225→250 IU

Orgalutran

Ovidrel trigger

Changes

NAC

Myo-inositol

IMSI

Zymot

Results

12 eggs

12 mature

8 fertilised

2 poor-quality blastocysts

0 suitable for biopsy

Additional information

Female testing:

AMH 16

Two laparoscopies - endosalpingiosis found and removed, two big cysts removed no endometriosis found. Suspected adenomyosis.

All other tests fine but slimes raised ana levels but further testing didn't uncover anything.

Male testing:

DFI 18% (normal)

HDS 26% (high)

Current clinic opinion:

Likely a combination of egg and sperm factors rather than one isolated issue. Leaning towards a genetic level issue that can't be explained (we love kicking rare and unusual goals).

Overall:

55 eggs retrieved

52 mature

39 fertilised

7 blastocysts

1 embryo suitable for biopsy

1 euploid/unaffected embryo

Questions:

Looking at the three cycles together, where do you think the biggest attrition is occurring?

Does this pattern make you think primarily egg factor, sperm factor, both, lab variation, or something else?

Does having one euploid 4AB embryo make you think this is largely a numbers game, or does the overall pattern still suggest something unusual?

Have we already implemented most evidence-based interventions (IMSI, Zymot, supplements etc.), or are there other changes or investigations you would discuss?

If this were your patient or a member of your own family, would you transfer the existing embryo, do another retrieval first, pursue further investigations, or something else?

Thank you so much for reading. I'd really appreciate your thoughts.

Hi,

I'm 4 days in from my fresh embryo cycle. I am really struggling with waiting the 2 week period as this was my only embro this time around and they said it hadn't grown as much it was a grade 2. How early can I take a pregnancy test. I'm not getting any symptoms apart from the mild period like cramps. (Still taking cyclogest 3 times).

Last year I had 2 frozen, had 3 failed and everything is dependant on this one as we have now decided after 10 years to close the chapter on having a baby if this doesn't work.

Now im worried that affected my transfer. Im kicking myself for not speaking up and asking her to the leave the room. I didn’t wanna come off rude and i was too focused on the transfer itself. This clinic is so strict about no fragrance for fet but their nurse failed to follow this rule! Did this ruin my chances?😔

Went from 17 mature eggs -> 10 fertilized -> 5 day-5 blasts -> 1 euploid embryo ranked 3CC by our clinic.

Dr said she has never transferred a 3CC, but wouldn’t stop us from trying since it is Euploid. We feel hopeful with a euploid embryo and would like to try before pursuing another egg retrieval.

My husband and I want to know any success stories or estimated success percentages that you heard from your clinics in similar situations, thanks

TLDR: We lost 21 mature eggs due to a total fertilization failure that is being investigated for a lab error. My clinic has not updated us after nearly two weeks, and says a case review still may not be completed even after 3+ weeks and no deadline or explanation of the review protocol has been offered. Are we right to think that 3+ weeks should be sufficient time for a case review, or is it normal for these investigations to take longer than that?

BACKGROUND: I recently posted here about my husband and I experiencing a sudden and unexpected total fertilization failure on our fourth cycle of conventional IVF. You can see my prior post here https://www.reddit.com/r/EmbryologyIVFSupport/comments/1u9d1iw/sudden_total_fertilization_failurelab_or_sperm/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=1&utm_term=1 But in short, he has all normal semen parameters. In our prior three cycles our fertilization rates were 68-77% with conventional insemination.

In our fourth cycle on June 17, we retrieved 21 mature eggs and had 138 million pre-wash sperm with 60% motility, and 30 million post-wash sperm with 100% motility. We used conventional insemination as always, but this was our first cycle pairing conventional IVF with Zymot. Very unexpectedly, we were told all of the sperm stopped moving overnight for reasons no one can understand and we lost everything.

As everyone agrees this is very unusual, the lab is supposed to be conducting a review of our case for any lab errors. In the meantime, my husband had a DFI test (results pending) and blood work to confirm no recent infections (results all normal), to cover our own bases.

My RE contacted me today just to say that there are no conclusions from the lab yet after almost two weeks, and she indicated that the review still might not be completed by the time I have an appointment scheduled on July 10, more than three weeks after the investigation should have begun.

Age is not on my side and I will age-out of my state’s mandated insurance coverage in a matter of months, so I need to make decisions soon about proceeding with this clinic or starting over elsewhere. The lack of communication and seeming lack of urgency is causing concern for my husband and I.

MY QUESTION: What is a typical timeline for a case review like this? Are we being unreasonable to think that an internal review of our case could be able to be completed within three weeks, or do cases like this genuinely take much longer to review?

We lost our first daughter to a genetic disease when she was two days old, which led us to pursue PGT-M.

We now have a healthy little boy who came from a 3BB embryo, and we’re so grateful.

We’re planning another transfer soon, but I’m completely torn about which embryo to choose.

Our two options are: • A male 1BB non-carrier embryo • A female 4AA carrier embryo

For anyone unfamiliar with PGT-M, carriers are healthy—they have one working copy of the gene and are not expected to develop the disease. Most people are carriers for something without ever knowing.

My partner (41F) and I just went through embryo transfer.

Prior to transfer, my partner had three failed IUIs (no reason given, other than just poor luck).

I recently had a complicated but successful egg retrieval (38F) where we had the euploid embryos.

We transferred our best graded ( day 6 5BB) eight days ago and had a negative home pregnancy test tonight. Has anyone had a successful pregnancy following a negative home test?

Also, should I attempt a second egg retrieval? Or try to carry one of our two remaining embryos- fay 6 4BB or day 6 4BC?

I only had one embryo from my first egg retrieval, which came back as low level mosaic -x
I was doing research on it as well as Turner’s syndrome and had my heart set on transferring considering it is low level, but I was told I should do another egg retrieval.
I thought that LLM embryos have decent outcomes.
What are your thoughts on transferring vs not a LLM?

I just completed my egg retrieval, and wanted to know what causes attrition at the morula to blast stage.

I retrieved 9 eggs

7 mature, 6 successfully fertilized all were good or fair quality

Got 5 morulas by day 4/5, on day 5 got a 5AA blast waiting on pgt-a testing

of the 6 fertilized eggs 5 made it to morula and one blast

I am 40 and this is my first cycle. I was a very fast responder and had 3 follicles in the upper 20’s on day 7 and I triggered with a dual trigger on day 11 and had follicles in the 20 mm-29 mm range.

What causes this attrition and is there anything evidenced-based that could help get over that maturity hurdle? Protocol? Supplements? Is this normal for a first cycle?

Ty in advance

Hello!
Yesterday I had my first egg retrieval.
Just found out that of the 9 retrieved only 3 fertilized.

Feeling very nervous about further attrition.

Any positive stories about similar circumstances? Or any thoughts of helpful questions to ask the embryology team? I don’t know what is appropriate or relevant to ask.

I’m 41 (f), AMH 1.6, AFC was 6

Husband is 47, high sperm count and all parameters at last check were “good”. Last check did not include dna fragmentation though and previous dna frag levels were 44% (he had done about 3 months worth of supplements for sperm quality before the retrieval.

Zymot and ICSI were used for sperm selection.

Please share any feedback or recommendations. Thank you so much!

Hi everyone,
I’m a 44-year-old woman from Denmark. After two tough years of fertility treatments, my doctor recommends egg donation as my best chance. It’s been a long and painful process.
I’m looking for honest experiences:
• Success rates with egg donation around age 44?
• Recommendations for clinics in Denmark or Europe?
• How did you handle the emotional side?
Any advice or shared stories would mean a lot to me. Thank you ❤️

​

I am dealing with infertility and taking treatments from past 6-7 years. At first my husband sperm quality, motility, volume was low. They asked to try iui which we did but both are unsuccessful.

Later we moved to another clinic where doctor said "with sperm irregularities we don't suggest iui better go with ivf". They started ivf procedure where for first cycle of retrieval we had only one euploid and one low mosaic embryos. Doctor asked to do another retrieval as egg quality can decrease by age.

We had second retrieval where we had the same situation. So we stopped retrieval and started euploid implantation. Where first one turned ectopic and second one miscarried at 6th week. I got hysteroscopy done and blood test for thrombophilia and everything was normal.

I was kind of sad and took an year break and tried for another retrieval where this time I had two euploid. PGTA said they found the egg outer padding was more than expected. I asked my doctor for DNA fragmentation before retrieval he said it is not necessary.

I had implantation of one euploid but no luck this time also had a miscarriage around 7th week after seeing heartbeat.

Doctor didn't say to collect the tissue for better evaluation.

I have PCOS. AMH is 1.77 and my age is 35

I saw a post here saying checking for APS help and any more suggestions? Everytime we are coming to the place we started.

Thank you in advance.

When I speak with couples, I've noticed that almost everyone has at least one moment during IVF where reality is very different from what they expected.

Sometimes it's how emotionally draining the waiting becomes.

Sometimes it's discovering that retrieving a high number of eggs doesn't always translate into many embryos.

Sometimes it's realizing that the physical part of IVF was easier than the uncertainty.

I'm curious what surprised you the most.

Not necessarily the hardest part—but something nobody prepared you for before you started treatment.

I think hearing real experiences can be incredibly helpful for people who are just beginning their IVF journey.