RE only does 6 day transfers?! Any insight?

MAK06 · April 2012

For my first IVF they did 3 or 5 day transfers (i did 3). Now they ONLY do six. Even if you have only one embryo. I questioned my RE about this because isn't the best place for your embryo inside? She said they used to think this but no longer do. It scares me waiting 6 days!! Last time only 2/4 fertilized. Any insight?

howleyshell · April 2012

Anyone who's requiring a day SIX transfer with only 4 eggs retrieved is an idiot in my oh so humble (not) opinion.

I get that some clinics are really pushing for day 5+ these days but when you're dealing with a low egg yield those "rules" need to go out the window.

No way would I cycle with a clinic that requires day 6 for all patients regardless of how many are retrieved or how many are still growing at day 3 and 5.

What do her success rates look like?

I'll be her success rates with poor responders is almost non-existent.

AimeeL85 · April 2012

An acquaintance of mine just underwent IVF and I was surprised to hear they did a 6 day transfer - and I believe, though I'm not positive, that that was their rule, too.

She said they did a 6 day because if an embryo was going to split into 2, it would do it before then. I had never heard that. They were very nervous about twins so maybe that had something to do with the 6-day decision.

emmyloustu · April 2012

Dd#1 is the result of a 6dt after an fet. The embryos were frozen on day 3, thawed, grown to blast and watched carefully. They looked ok on day 5, but the embryologist wanted one more day. They ened up hatching, so it was a good decision. Thawed 6 (I think( & was left with 2 to transfer & pg with one.

I am a fan of 6dt, but only when it makes sense given the development of the embryo, not due to an arbitrary rule.

I would be super nervous & want a more detailed explanation & chat with the embryologist as well.

pamela-matt · April 2012

Well, if they were my RE I would never have had children!!!!!!! Cannot even comprehend this approach. So many people never make it past day 3

charmcitygirl · April 2012

pamela-matt:
Well, if they were my RE I would never have had children!!!!!!! Cannot even comprehend this approach. So many people never make it past day 3

This. Both of my sons are from 3dts. I don't think that any of my embryos would have made it to a 6dt. I guess I understand the urge to push forward by REs to get to a 5dt, but not if you're going to lose all your embryos!

krissyh21 · April 2012

I did a 5 day transfer with only 4 fertilized eggs. My (and my REs thought) was that if the embryo was going to make it, it would make it in the petri dish OR inside and knowing if it was progressing would help me. Transferring early does not increase the chances of success - the quality of embryo/blast increases the chance of success. If you trust your RE and the quality of their lab - they are not going to ruin a perfectly good embryo that has a chance of becoming a baby.

So we went ahead 3 of the 4 made it to day 5 and Dillon is here now.

Yes, waiting 5 days with 3 embryos was nerve wracking - I was waiting for the call that they all arrested right up until the drive into the RE on transfer day. BUT for me it was better than a 2ww and wondering why no embryos stuck (had that been the case).

Call me an idiot - but after 2 failed IVFs with not so many, not so perfect eggs I wanted to know one way or the other before the 2ww.

And one more thought about this - ever wonder why clinics that have a strict freeze criteria and freeze on day 5-6 have embryos they did not believe were good enough for transfer on day 3 or even 5 make it to freeze and then in future FET cycles become successful cycles? Observation for 6 days could prove to be benefitial in the long run.

I just think that since IVF is still fairly new in the grand scheme of things REs learn more and more each day about what to look for in success. I would not scoff at different, because with time more is learned.

Dragonfly1226 · April 2012

I think that there is no "one size fits all" rule for IVF patients. It wouldn't worry me that they prefer a 6dt, but it does worry me that they have decided that everyone must do a 6dt no matter what. You would think that they might say they lean towards doing a 6dt but look at every cycle individually (along with patient input) to decide when to transfer. I am so sorry they just sprung this on you. Are you thinking of talking to a different RE?

desabean · April 2012

Dragonfly1226:
I think that there is no "one size fits all" rule for IVF patients. It wouldn't worry me that they prefer a 6dt, but it does worry me that they have decided that everyone must do a 6dt no matter what. You would think that they might say they lean towards doing a 6dt but look at every cycle individually (along with patient input) to decide when to transfer. I am so sorry they just sprung this on you. Are you thinking of talking to a different RE?

This.

Obviously there is a ton I don't know about the science but always felt better with a 3dt (I would get so stressed out worrying about them all dying before they could be transferred) but have gotten pregnant on a 3dt, 5dt, and 6dt (though the 6dt ended in m/c) I just think to make blanket rules like that is not treating each case as an individual. Good luck!!

Radler · April 2012

Dragonfly1226:
I think that there is no "one size fits all" rule for IVF patients. It wouldn't worry me that they prefer a 6dt, but it does worry me that they have decided that everyone must do a 6dt no matter what. You would think that they might say they lean towards doing a 6dt but look at every cycle individually (along with patient input) to decide when to transfer. I am so sorry they just sprung this on you. Are you thinking of talking to a different RE?

I agree with this. And also with Krissy. I had only 6 embryos on day 3, and we pushed to a 5-day transfer (3 survived to day 5). So, you don't need to have 20 embryos in the dish to do a later transfer. But my RE and the embryologist made the decision at the 3-day mark, keeping in mind embryo quality, my age, diagnosis, history of failed cycles, all the particulars of my individual situation. I would have been uncomfortable had they told me at the start we would do a 5-day, no matter what.

JillRock96 · April 2012

Dragonfly1226:
I think that there is no "one size fits all" rule for IVF patients. It wouldn't worry me that they prefer a 6dt, but it does worry me that they have decided that everyone must do a 6dt no matter what. You would think that they might say they lean towards doing a 6dt but look at every cycle individually (along with patient input) to decide when to transfer. I am so sorry they just sprung this on you. Are you thinking of talking to a different RE?

This. Both of my successful transfers were 3-day transfers. Obviously, I will never know if they would have made it to day 6 in the lab. But, my gut tells me no. The only embryos we have frozen are from day 3. Our last transfer, our clinic changed their policy to only freezing embryos that make it to day 5, and we had none left to freeze. I do not feel that odds are in our favor that the two embryos we transferred would have been the only ones to make it out to day 6. I know there is the school of thought that if the embryo doesn't make it under controlled conditions in the lab, it would not make it in the uterus. But honestly, I don't know that I believe that. I don't think that one approach will work for all patients.

dmhrn13 · April 2012

I live in DC & my REI's do the most IVF in the US. They do day 3 or 5. They even freeze anything left over on day 5 & never go to 6 unless you have tons of embryos. It sounds weird to me. Maybe get a second opinion.

MAK06 · April 2012

I am ridiculously late but wanted to thank everyone for their replies. We have a small lifetime infertility coverage (this will pretty much use it up and we still pay a lot OOP) but we have NOTHING if we choose to go somewhere else

Thanks so much for all the thoughts!

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