Secondary infertility with IVF (TW: child mentioned)

MamaK225

DH and I were TTC for 5.5 years before we turned to IVF, and were successful with FET#1 (could not do a fresh transfer, due to risk of hyperstimulation). We thought we would try again when DD was 1. Have had 2 failed FETs since (Jul, Aug), but scheduled for another try this month. Has anyone else had similar experiences with FET after a success? Did your RE suggest any alteration to your path? I'm trying to be positive and hope for the best, but just feel a bit lost, given the outcomes the last two times.

tosh24

Welcome! Sorry I'm no help on the IVF front - I'm just beginning that journey.

What protocol are you using for your FETs? Has it been the same each time? Is there anything that has been of any concern with your response/numbers (hormones, lining, etc.) during the process? 

MamaK225

Congrats on your first steps ... they're the hardest, but it will all soon be moving faster than you realize

Same protocol as the first: no difference in any of the blood tests, ultrasounds (when looking at uterine lining thickness), and I'm even the same pre-pregnancy weight!

cseley321

This is my situation exactly, except we had success on the fresh transfer. We started doing FETs in July and this will be our third try.

With that being said, the only thing that has changed so far is they switched me from the suppositories to the progesterone shot. I was never really given a reason, but I guess researchers have found the shots to be more successful. Also for the FET this month, they are putting me on plaqueinil, I guess in hopes of making it stick better.

My issue is early miscarriage. The reason is still unknown, but the doctor suspects I have poor egg quality. If the next two FETs do not work, he is recommending PGS to us. We opted not to do it last time and got lucky, but if these fail we might have to pony up for PGS...

MamaK225

@Crystal321 - I feel like we're in the same boat! We actually ended up with a lot of high-quality embryos (from visual assessment), so we opted to not do PGS - under the assumption that if that many were successful and "looked" great, there was no need. And so, yes, I also feel we might have just gotten lucky, too!

We're concerned mostly with the PGS now that they're frozen, given that there is that whole extra thaw+freeze put into it, and the impact on quality and integrity of the embryos of undergoing that is not well known as of yet.

Sorry to hear about the early miscarriages, my issue was that I was anovulatory (due to high levels of androgens). So much so that I had to take the highest level of ALL the meds when going through IVF to just get those suckers to mature. However, with all my FETs (including the successful one), everything has measured the same, so I don't feel it's me, per se. But then again, I am reticent to test the embryos because of the concern above - and the fact that they formed and looked so great.

I was always on the same protocol: estrace escalation (for uterine lining) and then added PIO after lining thickness was measured and transfer date confirmed, then added suppositories (to estrace & PIO) after transfer. There was a 2-day difference in FET#1 (the success) than the other two, but that was due to massive flooding that made it impossible for me to get to my RE - and my RE said that it would have had no impact (waiting longer v. keeping the typical time schedule).

After much soul-searching, we have actually decided to do a double-transfer with FET#4 (so I guess, technically, FET#4/5) - since there would be approx. a 90% chance of pregnancy and we are in a good spot to be able to take care of twins, should that occur. If this round does not work, we do still have 8 embryos left and - at that point - is when we would consider the risk of non-pregnancy would finally outweigh the risk of completing PGS.

cseley321

My doctor was suggesting we run PGS on the remaining frizen embryos, but we declined. It just didn't make financial sense and there were only 3 left at the time. I like my doctor, but sometimes I feel like he has no concept of how expensive this crap is for us everyday joes, lol

MamaK225

Thank you! I think - with meds - our IVF came out to about $27,000 with NO insurance coverage. The two failed FETs and this one in a couple weeks are getting close to another $10,000. I mean, we make decent money, buuuuut it's not like it's just sitting around every time we go through the process. Lots of shuffling, saving, etc. And I agree with you. My doc was also pushing PGS after FET#2 faile and again after FET#3 did, but was understanding of our concerns and allowed us to choose to do a double transfer (he is very much against them).