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another IVF with my eggs vs. donor eggs -- advice?

jandj2005jandj2005
in Infertility
so we have our WTF appointment tomorrow and we'll need to decide whether to move forward with another IVF with my eggs or to move on to donor eggs.  we have had 4 IVFs, but the last two were with ZIFT, and we had our first BFP ever (after 2 years of TTC) with our first ZIFT.  we'll see what the RE says, but in the meanwhile, i wanted to see if any of you ladies have advice about what to ask the RE.  i always feel like i don't ask enough questions at these appointments and so i'm going to go in with a list of prepared questions tomorrow.  any advice would be appreciated.
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Re: another IVF with my eggs vs. donor eggs -- advice?

  • epphdepphd member

    I would ask him to be honest about your chances trying again:

    1. is there anything you can try to improve your eggs/response?  New protocol, DHEA, CGH testing, etc? Why does he think ZIFT was successful compared to IVF - could a new culture medium be used if you try with your eggs?

    2. odds of success with your eggs versus donor eggs

    3. Can you be sure that it is an egg, not a sperm issue?  Can your DH be tested any further?

    4. If you decide to move to DE - does the clinic have a pool of donors? do they offer shared risk? what are their success rates? Do they recommend certain agencies? How long is the wait? Can you see pictures? Do their donors participate in a registry?

    GL - I hated those conversations but the information you get can hopefully help you make a decision you can feel good about.

    image
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    I am a runner, knitter, scientist, DE-IVF veteran, and stage III colon cancer survivor.
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  • jandj2005jandj2005
    Thanks, E.  You have been so helpful about all of this.  One question:  what is DHEA and CGH testing?
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  • epphdepphd member
    DHEA is dehydroepiandrosterone, a hormone that is thought to be linked to egg quality. There are a handful of studies that suggest that supplementation with it can improve egg quality, but it's still controversial.  CGH testing is comparative genomic hybridization: it's a method that is becoming more widely employed to assess the chromosomes of a developing embryo and select "normal" embryos for transfer.  If you aren't making a ton of eggs it is risky, but worth at least asking the doc about to see if he thinks you might have a shot. Only a few clinics are doing it, so again, it's a technique that is still in its infancy.
    image
    image

    I am a runner, knitter, scientist, DE-IVF veteran, and stage III colon cancer survivor.
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  • jandj2005jandj2005
    Thanks, E!
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  • Temp848906437505510Temp848906437505510

    I know this isn't what you're asking, but, I would also say that, once you have the information, go with your heart and your gut. 

    As Elizabeth said, talk about they reason the doctor thinks you're not having success.  Are there any other protocols that you might want to consider?  While it didn't work out for me, I went to another clinic to try a protocol and technique that my clinic wasn't offering.

    Good luck!  It's a tough conversation to have....

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