Embryo Transfer
Printed From: OHbaby!
Category: Support
Forum Name: Coping with infertility
Forum Description: Have you been trying to conceive unsuccessfully? Dealing with primary or secondary infertility? Get support, advice, and help coping here.
URL: https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=32958
Printed Date: 29 April 2025 at 10:56am
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Topic: Embryo Transfer
Posted By: minxynzl
Subject: Embryo Transfer
Date Posted: 19 April 2010 at 7:42pm
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Hello everyone
Would love to know what advise others have had regarding Yes or No to multiple embryo transfer. What their feelings are or what sources they have had info from. We are not funded so we have an option for eithe single or multiple transfer and we have made our decision (signed consent etc) but it's a point we had debated long and hard over and I know it's one we may yet change our minds on. Anyway, would love to hear others experiences. 
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Replies:
Posted By: Jennsta
Date Posted: 19 April 2010 at 8:06pm
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Mixnxy - DH and I agreed on a single transfer if the embie was of good quality and multiple embies if they were of lower quality. As it turns out only one embie made it to 8 cell so we ended up only transferring one anyway.
The other thing we agreed on was if we had a couple of attempts with one that were not successful then we would move into 2 and so on. Good luck with your decision and heres hoping your BFP is right around the corner. |
Posted By: tischler
Date Posted: 19 April 2010 at 8:09pm
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Hiya, we also were privately paying so had the choice.
On our first cycle we had Day 5 embryo's and they only wanted to transfer 1 (I'm 34), which we did. Apparently you have a much better chance of pregnancy with Day 5 embryo's. We put the remaining 2 back in with the FET as we wanted to get onto a 2nd cycle ASAP if we didn't get PG as my FSH and AMH numbers were terrible (ovaries seem to be around 44). The specialists were against it, given they were Day 5, and managed to persuade us to only transfer 1 but then thawed them both!!! We've never wanted to put more than 2 back. Apparently whether they 'stick' is individual, i.e. if you get a BFP with multiples transferred you don't necessarily get twins (if you tx'd 2). Our thoughts are that we want to be blessed with a pregnancy, and that whilst we are only planning one child, twins would just be an added bonus and an instant play mate (but given our track record we doubted we'd be lucky enough to have both take)! We have 2 embryo's on ice at the moment (day 3's). So we have also been debating whether to transfer one or two. Given our track record I initially said 2 (as did the specialist) but I've taken another approach this time. We don't qualify for public funding until probably Aug 11 (by the time we get on and they get through the waitlist). So that's over 12 months away ........ We have decided to only transfer 1 at a time for 2 reasons: 1 - it spreads out our 'trying' so it doesn't seem like a 1-hit wonder and we have 2 chances in the next year; and 2 - just maybe every cycle your uterus has a different environment so you get more chance?! I don't really know, and it's a very personal decision - but I hope that some of these thoughts might be of interest to you. Good luck minxynzl!! ------------- 5 IVF/ICSI Cycles - 10 embryo's, 8 transfers, all BFN's. Our journey to parenthood is over, and we join the unfortunate many for whom IVF does not work. |
Posted By: minxynzl
Date Posted: 19 April 2010 at 8:24pm
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Hi Jennsta and Tischler! Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts, I really appreciate it.
Jennsta we have chosen say path as you at this point. And ditto re what we would do if we had 2 or more failed attempts. And Tischler, I can absolutely see your reasoning re spreading attenpts out. And yes, my thought process also has been very much about just one healthy, best chance for full term baby (PLEASE) and twins would simply be bonus. My main worries are: Risk of miscarriage (I have PCOS which they say increases that risk already). Medical problems associated with twin pregnancies, particularly prem birth. In my work I see the problems associated with prem babies on an almost daily basis so I know it's a real danger. Yet I also know that twin pregnanices can be smooth sailing. My mother us a twin, DH's father is a twin, My Nan was a twin!!! All problem free. Such a complex set of risks to consider huh and all so individual. My chance for live birth is already pretty average due to age so I want to ensure I limit risk of miscarriage as much as possible but I also know that I am running out of time as I age (feels like 20yrs for everyone elses one they way the Dr's make it sound - lol). So thank you both, it's reassuring to know that I am considering the same factors you did so clearly whatever fnal decision I make, the logic at least os sound :) you're both wonderful - thank you! 
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Posted By: Lulu
Date Posted: 20 April 2010 at 8:51am
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We went for single embryo transfer based solely on the statistics for relationship breakups with multiple births. My marriage is paramount and we were not willing to put additional strain on it if we could help it. ------------- Lou http://www.babysfirstsite.com"> 
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Posted By: minxynzl
Date Posted: 20 April 2010 at 1:22pm
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Good point Lou - and the financial and emotional impact of a single birth (from my own experience) can be imense, let alone twin birth.
smiles M |
Posted By: Crakleys
Date Posted: 20 April 2010 at 5:41pm
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Hey Minxy. We really wanted to have twins, so that our family would be complete and never have to go through the infertility nghtmare ever again! What bliss!
Our doctor said she would do it (private cycle) but unfortunately we only got one emby, which as you know was BFP only to miscarry. For our next cycle, we are gunning again for twins! If we don't have success with that one, we are onto our public ones, which means single transfer. The chance of twins is one of the things keeping me going!! Each to their own though, it's such a very personal thing. xoxoxoxo ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: minxynzl
Date Posted: 20 April 2010 at 6:44pm
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Elleroo - as we are not funded DH was quite hilarious when he told the Dr - "we want bang for buck doc, throw in as many as you can"! Sadly our Dr has a very limited sense of humour.
We have a very strong twin history (both sets of parents and some G parents etc) and I wouldn't be opposed, esp. as I am really getting on so we don't have too much time for lots of cycles of ivf and single pregnancies. It's really great getting everyone elses stories and their thought processes - thanks guys! 
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Posted By: gannet
Date Posted: 20 April 2010 at 7:23pm
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We only ever considered having one replaced, even if the quality wasn't so great (we were really lucky and had a day 5 blasty).
We don't have a lot of family support where we live, which I think I am going to miss even with only one, as most of our them live at least two hours away. I think that maybe if we did have some who lived closer we might have thought about it a bit harder. Also, only having one means I can stay at home for longer before I have to go back to work, as the financial pressure won't be so bad. But I think it is a very personal choice and I think you should do what your heart tells you. I really hope you get your twins Elleroo! ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: sarahd
Date Posted: 21 April 2010 at 2:31pm
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Hi
We had an FET last Saturday, so I am in the midst of all this thinking too. We only ever considered one. I am 40 so chance of miscarriage is high, and didn't want to increase any risks at all. All you need to do is read that sheet in the Fertility Associates pages as to all the increased risks of emotional, financial, physical, miscarriage, birth problems etc, and that stopped ANY thought of having a multiple FET! Sarah |
Posted By: minxynzl
Date Posted: 21 April 2010 at 5:28pm
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Thanks Sarah - yes, increasing miscarriage risk is MY major worry too as I'm nearing 40.
Seems like there are enough odds stacked against us that I am terrified of placing more there. But on the other hand you worry you are losing a chance at a possible BFP if the embryo you transfer is NOT the one and if you had trabnsferred 2 it might have been diferent. It's like trying to figure out which gamble is less risk. In the end we have erred on side of conservatism. But who knows what decisions we might re think if we don't have sucess. Thanks all :) Keep your comments coming, this is a realy helpful discussion. |
Posted By: Carnelian
Date Posted: 27 April 2010 at 3:33pm
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We also went private as we had been trying naturally for a while before we sort help.
We were on the waitlist for about 6 months and they said there was still another 12 months on that so we decided to go private. We thought about putting 2 back in also but wanted to see what the quality of the embies were before we made the decision. I was only 29 when we did our fresh IVF/ICSI cycle. We got 19 eggs of which 14 were mature. We had 100% fertilization rate and at day 3 we still had 14 so pushed through to 5 day blast. We had one brilliant looking blast at day 5 and 1 very good day 5 and 2 very good day 6 blasts. We then made the decision to transfer one due to quality of blast, my age and also my size. I'm only 5ft 2 and not alot of room for multiple babies. I got my bfp and carried a baby to 33 weeks where we gave birth to a beautiful little boy who is now almost 2. Went back for FET in Dec 09 and again we thawed a blast which looked good and we got another bfp and bub #2 is due in Aug/Sept. We still have 2 frozen blasts. Our decision was based as above and I am thankful we only transferred one as it seems I can't carry to term anyway so it would have been ultra scary with a multiple pregnancy. Also with our last transfer they believe it may have split and I was carrying twins but lost one early on with bleeding because thats what showed on an u/s although they weren't certain. I've heard of this happening a couple of times so it's also worth thinking about. Good luck ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: Lulu30
Date Posted: 27 April 2010 at 5:26pm
| I have read in the Fertility Associates handouts that the sucess rate for a BFP is no higher with multiple embryo transfer than single. So for me, that was the answer, and we went with single. Still no BFP after two tries though. But i figure if we had put both in, neither of them would have taken most likely. Such a tricky high stakes game! |
Posted By: minik8e
Date Posted: 27 April 2010 at 7:14pm
| I'm just lurking, but Carnelian your decision is so logical and true, especially re. your size. I am not quite 5'2, and I managed to carry the girls to 33w4d when my body decided it had had enough - I had nowhere for them to grow further, couldn't walk (not helped by SPD) and was measuring 45w pregnant the week before I had them. They were good sizes however, at 5lb1 and 4lb12, and were healthy as horses thankfully. |
Posted By: Carnelian
Date Posted: 28 April 2010 at 8:34am
thanks :-) Yes it was definitely the right decision for us. Liam was a 33 weeker and was 5lb 3oz which they said was massive for his gestational age. This one I'm carrying presently is in the 97% percentile and is measuring over 2 weeks ahead too!! I think we have BIG babies and I'm small so it's scary to think how early I would go with 2 in there. You did great to get your girls to where you did and they were fantastic weights for their gest age and for the fact they were twins. And they are absolutely beautiful. I so had my heart set on a wee girl but I don't think it's meant to be. 
I dearly love my boys though and wouldn't change them for the world. :-) ------------- http://lilypie.com">
http://lilypie.com">
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minik8e wrote:Posted By: minxynzl
Date Posted: 28 April 2010 at 7:59pm
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Thanks for your input Carnelian - really appreciate your thoughts, and yours too Lulu and Mikik8e
I am 5ft 2 inches and managed to carry my 10lb son to 42 weeks so no issues with me carrying large babies!!!! However that was 19 years ago and my husband now deceased many years...so my BH contributing differnt genes may mean a different story. I think the key theme here seems to be that flexibility with decisions once embryo quality is established is key. And I guess also that acceptance that no cycle promises a BFP...as you say Lulu, it's a hugh stakes gamble in many ways. Thanks again all for you input - really grateful
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