If you have frosties (IVF)

atc282 · March 2012

I know that I am thinking waaay in advance (we're not ready to add to our family any time soon) but I can't help but think/ feel concerned about the remaining frosties I have from our IVFs.

DH and I have committed to giving our frosties each a chance but what has me already concerned is that my 2 best blasts are in the same straw. With DS we transferred one (sFET) and were thankful for its success. But transferring 2 again has me worried...I am grateful to have had a successful multiples pg but knowing all the added risks, fears, etc. I am left wondering "what if they do both stick and we'd be expecting twins...again?!" I know that just b/c I had a uncomplicated multiples pg doesn't guarantee another one, kwim?

While I would be over the moon to have more children, both DH and I have always wanted a big family, I don't want to go about it with so much risk. Perhaps neither of these 2 will even stick but seeing that I have 3 children as a result from transfers that have stuck, I can't help but wonder...

I was hoping to hear of what others have done or plan to do as I am grappling with our future frosties

TIA!

keg · March 2012

We had two frosties left over from our first cycle and while I adore my girls, I couldn't imagine dealing with a high risk pg with toddlers. Both of our embies were frozen in the same straw also. We decided to only transfer one. My RE said that they could re-freeze the other embryo. We did a sFET last year with the better embryo, but it resulted in a c/p. The other embryo didn't thaw too well and it was decided that it would survive another freeze-refreeze cycle. Anyway, it is possible to thaw both, only transfer one, and still give the other a chance to refreeze.

nikinikinine · March 2012

We had 2 from IVF #2 thawed them and transferred them and neither implanted. I did a fresh with an sET and that's where this baby came from. We have one frosty left from this cycle. I'm 99.9% sure we're done after this baby. We plan on donating our remaining embryo to research if we feel our family is complete.

KarlsSweetie05 · March 2012

Donating your embryos to another couple is another option.

Lots of good neutral info about this option at the RESOLVE website:

https://www.resolve.org/family-building-options/donor-options/using-donor-embryo.html

sdb421 · March 2012

I can't help with the frozen embryos question, but I'm pregnant currently with my second set of twins (both spontaneous) and this pregnancy was a total accident. While it really sucks being pregnant with twins again and also having toddlers, I'm hoping that I can keep up and still manage. I have many fears about bedrest (I avoided it the first time), newborns AND toddlers, etc. but I know it will work out. That being said, if I could have avoided this second set, I would have without a doubt.

I'm assuming you have to thaw both since they are in the same tube? Would you be open to cycling with one and donating the other (is that even possible?)? Best of luck to you with whatever you decide!

cocojack10 · March 2012

We struggle with the same issue. We have 4 frozen embies, 2 pairs. At this point, ideally, we'd like 4 kids, max. Granted, the chances of all 4 embies defrosting, and sticking is very slim, but the risk is there, and freaks us out a bit.

For now, we've said we'd give each a chance. We'll see how the first FET goes.

cocojack10 · March 2012

What is "sFET"? Not sure what the "s" stands for. TIA

nikinikinine · March 2012

cocojack10:
What is "sFET"? Not sure what the "s" stands for. TIA

s = single, sET = single embryo transfer, sFET = single frozen embryo transfer

atc282 · March 2012

cocojack10:
What is "sFET"? Not sure what the "s" stands for. TIA

Stands for single (one embryo) frozen egg transfer.

Thanks for your replies. DH and I really want a big family as mentioned so having frosties is a blessing as I sincerely pray that they result in more children (we'd love 6 kids, crazy, but true!)--I'm still so thankful and blessed that the ones we have transferred are now our three miracles--but again that anxiety that goes with putting more than 1 back is something I think about.

I should also mention that the 2 blasts are a re-freeze. Initially, we had 3 in a straw (I never discussed prior to our 1st IVF how many they'd freeze per straw...I really wish I would have known more about it to have requested separate straws for each frostie) and on the day of transfer, but back one blast (the best quality of the 3). DS resulted. The remaining 2 were refrozen. Our RE provided enough research for us to feel comfortable with refreezing. But I don't feel that comfortable re-freezing a frostie twice....Again, if we transfer 2 it doesn't necessarily mean both will even stick, but if they do stick, I feel responsible for putting myself in a high risk pg again.

And to those who have/plan to donate, I really, really respect your decision to do so. Such a beautiful gift. DH and I personally can't do that but it is always great knowing options.

schoolsoutbride · March 2012

Is it possible to defrost them both and refreeze another?

I wish I had known enough about FETs when doing my fresh IVF to ask that they be frozen individually.

TinyTeacher · March 2012

schoolsoutbride:
I wish I had known enough about FETs when doing my fresh IVF to ask that they be frozen individually.

THIS. I knew nothing about FETs when I did my IVF. I also wish I would have capped the number of eggs fertilized. Now I have 21 month old twins (IVF- transferred 2 embryos and both stuck) a 2 month old (accidental pregnancy- apparently I'm not infertile anymore...) and 13 frozen embryos. Of the 13 frozen, only 8 are good quality, but still. DH and I are completely against destroying them or donating them to research and the idea of donating them to another couple weirds us out a little (but we will do it if we have to). So we are trying to use all 13. The good news is I'm only 27, the bad news is I am going to have to do an FET every year until I'm 40 and may have a lot of kids.

I wish I knew more about FETs and capping # of embryos made before we did our IVF...

jdancer5 · March 2012

We have 2 frosties, frozen in the same straw, and I probably think about this everyday. I can't stand the thought of choosing only one of them (both are A+ perfect so how could you choose anyway??). I also can't stand the thought of sFET and getting a BFN. I know we will never go through another whole cycle, so those two little frosties are all we've got. My RE said they would not survive a refreeze. I'm surprised to hear that some of you have done/heard of successful refreezing! I truly wish you the best in your decision. This issue is on my mind so often, and I can't help but think it would be foolish to risk twins again. My gut right now is saying I have to give priority to the loves that are in my life already (LOs and DH) who would certainly fare better with the relative "ease" of a singleton entering our family.

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