r/IVFLadies

Firstly- I’m NOT suggesting you get a dog during IVF but personally for me, it was the best thing I ever could’ve done.

Background- 4 years fertility of struggles/losses leading to starting IVF this year. I have DOR, my husband’s sperm is good except for bad morphology. Our first cycle we didn’t make it to the egg retrieval because I was a poor responder to the med protocol so they converted me to IUI half way through the stim cycle and that failed (expectedly). The two week wait was terrible because of the progesterone and made my mental health plumet (and I mean BAD). It got much better after getting off progesterone. My doctor also then said if this next med protocol doesn’t work out then I’m likely not a candidate for IVF (send good juju for a successful response this time please!!)

Okay so we were in between cycles 1 & 2 and I had been volunteering at an animal shelter to walk dogs once a week before work. I grew up with dogs and our last elderly cat passed about a year and a half ago and I just needed animals in my life but we weren’t sure if we wanted to adopt a pet yet with IVF and all. Well this dog just captured my heart and i just fell in love at first sight. We were toying with getting a cat or a dog because the house was just so empty and our dynamic from IVF has just been not awesome. Of course my husband and I love each other but it’s been so hard and increasingly harder to keep things light together. Long story short my husband said I could bring the dog home as a foster and that lasted 2 hours because we knew this was our dog.

It’s hard adjusting to a new pet but man is it worth it. I’m 4 days into cycle two with a new heavy duty med protocol and we’ve had our dog for a month now. It’s always a little tough adjusting with a new pet but im just so happy. I have purpose again and lots and lots of unconditional love and cuddles (&play!!). I’m submitting to this IVF journey in the way that I wish I could’ve previously and it’s because of this godsend of a dog. I love having a happy little buddy and he’s just increased the happy energy of the home in a way that I am just so endlessly grateful for.

I really want this IVF plan to work out and it’s just so hard to grieve the life that you wanted or that you hope to have and don’t know if you’ll be able to have it. But this sweet pup has opened my eyes up to starting to accept alternative options if IVF doesn’t work for us for the first time. He’s helping me realize there’s a life outside of this journey waiting for me no matter what the outcome is. This dog is just so resilient and gives me strength to find joy even in grief.

I’m not sure what the future holds but in a time when it’s really hard to live in the moment because it’s so painful, this dog has helped me to actually start enjoying the moment for the first time in a very very long time.

Anyway, long rant but if you’re struggling I suggest spending time with animals because they’re awesome. Sending all of my well wishes and good luck to everyone here!!

Take care ✨🐾

Hi all, this is my second iui fail. My doctor told me we should try 3 rounds of iui before switching to IVF since I have no underlying fertility concerns. I’m not sure what steps to take next, I was told that ivf has a higher rate of success but I know it’s a much more intense process and that does make me a little nervous. I know we have one more iui attempt but I’m kind of feeling like I want to go ahead and make the switch to ivf. Has anyone else made that switch or had any experience similar?

For added info-my wife and I are using donor sperm and do not have unlimited resources to continue to pay $2500 per vial for these attempts along with the costs adding up with iui attempts.

I have DOR and I’m in an egg freezing cycle. I only have 1 follicle, which is normal for me. Im on the Microdose Lupron Flare protocol and Ive been on Gonal 300, Menopur 225 Lupron 20units 2x daily, and Omnitrope. I have a 20mm follicle and I’m suppose to trigger tonight, my RE just called and said my estrogen is only 123. He’s concerned with it being this low. Would you still move forward with the retrieval? Has anyone had low estrogen like this and still had a healthy egg?

I’m starting IVF again and this is the first time I’ll have my ring. Do people add every day they take a medicine/ shot or just the first day? Or do you not track at all while doing IVF stim

#ivf #ouraivf

Age 38 (39 in less than a month)
17 eggs retrieved
10 mature
6 fertilized

Waiting on blast stage results and then PGT-A tests.

Any success stories from similar results? Please share, thank you!

Hey there,

I am 39 years, 10 months old.

I had my first round of IVF Jan-March 2026, second round April-June 2026.

Round 1: MLEA Protocol -
Primed for 3-4 weeks with t-gel and estradiol;
Stimmed with 300 Gonal-F and 300 Menopur, plus clomid and dexamethasone, added Ganirelix closer to the mid/end, then did a dual Lupron/pregnyl trigger with indomethacin.

Used TESA sperm, due to MFI, ICSI, assisted hatching

Round 1 Results:
12 eggs retrieved
8 mature
2 didn’t survive ICSI
4 fertilized
1 blast on day 7, graded 4BC, euploid

Round 2:
Low stim protocol - Primed for 6 weeks with t-gel and estradiol (was extended due to scheduling issues);
Stimmed with 300 Menopur, plus clomid and dexamethasone, added Ganirelix closer to the mid/end, then did a dual Lupron/pregnyl trigger with indomethacin.

Round 2 Results:
17 eggs retrieved
10 mature
0 blasts, all were poor quality except for 1 deemed “good” by day 3 and by day 5 all had arrested

Used TESA Sperm, Artificial Oocyte Activation, Assisted hatching, ICSI

My doctor said that high levels of granularity was seen in my eggs indicating poor quality and essentially was like “what do you expect after 39 years of aging?” He also brought up donor eggs. I feel super stunned and like at a complete loss. Any advice?? Any hope for a successful outcome next time? Anyone have any naturopath doc recommendations for San Diego area??

Thanks in advance!