[sooz]

I wonder if someone can help please. I had egg collection yesterday on my 3rd ivf. This one was a short protocol, and i produced 9 eggs.

I was phoned this morning by the hospital to say that none had fertilised. They will leave them another 24 hours but i was warned that it is very unlikely anything will change, and that's therefore it for this cycle.

I know i need to sit down with them and discuss it more (i was too upset on the phone this morning), but i wondered how common it is for this to happen? I am shocked because fertilisation has not been a problem for us before.

Has anyone else expereince of this and the reasons why it might happen?

Thanks

Sooz

 

[Lucia]

This must be a horrible situation to be in, I'm so sorry. I shall keep all crossed things have changed overnight however unlikely that might seem.

I had short protocol ICSI too and a week ago had 8 eggs collected. Only two showed any signs of fertilization but did not divide overnight as they should have done. I had a pessimistic phone call a bit like yours in the morning.

During the day the embryos did start to divide however and were both put back. Sometimes the really unlikely can happen.

Take good care of yourself at such a worrying time, let us know how things are this morning? Good luck.

 

[sooz]

Thanks for your reply. I had a phone call this morning to say that 1 had fertilised, so i have just come back from having it transferred. Because it hadn't divided yet i don't know what grade it is, but it's our only chance so it's gone in!

Just the waiting now. Good luck too for your result.

Sooz

 

[Lizz]

Hi Sooz
I have just had the bad news that none of my eggs have fertilised by ICSI I had 9. Told very unlikely that this would change over night but to phone back anyway.

Feel absoultely devestated and even worst they can't seem to give us any answers as to why this has happenend.
Did you get any feedback as to why this didn't happen?

It is great news that you have had an embryo to put back and I wish you every success. Rememeber it only needs one.

Liz xx

 

[sooz]

Hi Liz

So sorry to hear your news. It's absolutely awful when you take a phone call like that isn't it? It's such a reminder how up and down this whole process is.

Like you they weren't able to say why none fertilised, but mentioned it might be due to poor egg or sperm quality. Similarly they also weren't able to say why 1 suddenly decided to fertilise (other than it's quite rare apparently for such late fertilisation when nothing has happened in the first 24 hours). It's so frustrating not to have clear answers for why things do or don't happen.

The only advice i can offer you is to try and stay positive if you can until tomorrow and see what happens. You never know, and i will be thinking positive thoughts for you.

Let me know what happens.

Sooz

 

[Sue MJ]

Sooz and Ross,

Firstly sorry to hear what a rollercoaster of a couple of days/week you've had - All the best with your late starters .

I have had six full ICSI cycles in total, all long protocol todate (been wondering if I ever manage to convince my dh to try again whether short protocol would be worth a go).

My fourth full cycle, I got 13 eggs, 11 were OK to ICSI and to my horror, none of them fertilised.  I was devastated - having had three previous cycles where fertilisation had occurred and I'd had fewer eggs, I never expected NIL fertilisation at this point.

As our dx is down to my dh having Cystic Fibrosis and the sperm we use is what was obtained through testicular biopsies, the Clinic can't confirm, but do think it's down to sperm quality and the fact they have so few to choose from.

We then went on to have our fifth cycle, which resulted in 7 eggs being collected, 6 good for ICSI, 5 fertilised, though only four went on to develop properly, so on that cycle I had 3 good embryos put back and hey presto - I now have the most gorgeous little boy Iestyn, who is now 17.5 months old.

Last Aug/Sept I went on to have another cycle, in the hope of having a sibling for Iestyn, when I had the poorest EC, only 5 eggs.... and again NONE of them fertilised.  We now have no more sperm in storage.

So, I've been from two totally different ends of the spectrum - my cycle where I produced the most eggs and then the one with the least eggs - and both produced no embryos.

The reason for my post though is to say, hang in there, it is the most devastating news to get no embryo's to get so far and not make the 2ww, to me, that's even worse than getting to the end of a 2ww with a -ve, but that's just my experience....  But just coz you've had such a devastating outcome with this cycle, doesn't mean to say you have to write any future attempts off.

Wishing you all the best and hoping and praying that you, Sooz and Ross get a lovely BFP with your little late starters and Liz, you get some good news on late starters too!



Sue xxxx

 

[Lizz]

Thanks Sue and Sooz,

I am sat here through a blur of tears trying to fine answers, but keep telling myself that there are much worst things that happen to people and at least we can have another go and will find the money from somewhere.

Your posts have given me hope for the future and we will just have to fine out whether it was egg or sperm quality before we start again (or maybe it is both).
I am not putting any hope on the phone call tomorrow as I feel that I could drive myself mad and the dr was adamant not to do so.

Liz xx

 

[birthbaby]

hi emm

this is for tommorow
sooz all the best it only takes one
well take care girls love nikki

 

[Sue MJ]

Liz,

I can feel the pain in your post - I remember only too well trying to type posts with tears streaming down my face.  You are right, there are worse things that people have to deal with - but that doesn't help you right now, you can not help your longing for a child

I will praying like mad that you get a more positive phone call tomorrow.

Love,

Sue xxxx

 

[dawnybabes]

Hi

My 2nd go was non fertilised - we were devastated - no-one had every mentioned this could even happen, our next cycle was ICSI and produced my beautiful 2.5 year, Josh.

Fingers crossed for you

Dawn

 

[Mrs CW]

Hi Sooz,
On my first IVF I produced 10 eggs and only one fertilised.  I know how devastating this can be. When it then failed, I was advised to do ICSI. On my 2nd cycle I had half the number of eggs but 2 embryos, and after my 3rd cycle it worked. 

Let's hope this is all academic and your little emby does the job for you, but you should be able to ask questions of your clinic. When mine didn't fertilise the embryologist  looked at the sperm to see how mobile they had been (all OK) and then they counted how many had been attracted to the eggs.  Most of my eggs had plenty of sperm latched on around the eggs. A couple didn't. They looked at the maturity and quality of the eggs and that was OK.  So they concluded basically that my eggs had 'tough shells' as none of the sperm that were all hanging on could get through.  I asked if there was any more research to be done and they said they could spend a long time and a fortune doing that or I could just as easily have ICSI next time and it would probably solve the problem. So please do press your clinic for more info, there are a few things they can look at and it can help you to know whether it's just 'one of those things' or whether there's an alternative route for you.

For those of you who've had low fertilisation on ICSI I'm very sorry, I have no advice to give. But my thoughts are with you.

Best of luck to all,
Claire xx

 

[Lizz]

Just had the phone call to say that 2 have fertilized over night so going back in at 1.30 to have them put back in. OH my GOD!!!!!

I am shell shocked and just hope that all my crying yesterday hasn't upset my body too much.

I am not going to be too positive as I know that they have been slow to get this far but at least i can join others on the 2ww.
Thanks for all your kind words and I will keep you posted.

LOL Liz xxx

 

[Squeak]

Sooz,
We had 13 eggs the first time 9 fertilised and only 2 were of any use for ET. The rest did not continue to divide / or the quality was poor, so we had none to freeze.
This time we had 10 eggs, only 4 fertilised. The best 2 were put back. The  remainder were not good enough to freeze.
So out of 23 eggs to date  - only 4 were feasible.

So don't feel bad about it - it's just one of those things. At least you know the routine now. Sometimes it is good to have a knock back. It keeps your head on feet firmly on the ground. Even if you get preggers there is a long way to go. I've had 8 attempts with 3 different types of treatment (IUI, IVF, Donor) over the past 2 years and suddenly one of them has begun to work.

Be nice to yourself. You will get there - but probably not as quickly as you want.