How many eggs????

[cowgirlclass]

I am so up in the air how many eggs to transfer. Hubby and mine's ideal would be a single baby, but at the same time since we have to pay the majority of the costs out of our pocket we may only have one cycle. I am 38 and DH is 42. I did not have any problems getting pregnant when I was in my early 20s. Due to being in a very ugly marriage I had my tubes tied. And now I am married to an awsome man who has no children and waited till almost 40 to get married. Of course I want to maximize my changes and twins would be great but then I would worry about the health of the babyes.

Those of you that have been down this road please tell me how you decide how many eggs to transfer and what was the outcome.

Ghost I would love to hear what you have to say on this subject.

Lots of health and happiness to everyone,
Cowgirlclass

[CarolynB]

Cowgirlclass

I am a bit older than you but given % success rates I was sure that I would do a 2 transfer for 1st cycle.

I would even consider 3 next time as I am now over 40.

Everyone needs to make their own decisions but I think that just to transfer 1 is an awful lot of money $ for not a fantastic chance of success. Especially if you are paying most of cost yourself. The other embryo normally just gets absorbed back into the system.

All are very tough decisions for each of us. I'd be thrilled beyond belief to end up with 1 or 2!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Very best of luck with you tmt.
Love
Carolyn xxx

[Welshgirl38]

Hi Cowgirl,

I am in exactly the same position as u - i too had no problem conceiving when i was in my 20's - and also in an ugly marriage, i too was steralized! Now, im 38 and married again to a wonderful man who doesnt have children of his own.

As Carolyn says, everyone has to make their own decision, as my DH an i did. We transferred 2 embies, if the two 'hang on' it will be great - i will look fwd to having twins - if just the one does, then that will be great too, one is better than none.

Most people say 'it only takes one' this is true, but i would rather give myself 2 chances. This is our decision that some people will not agree eon, i know of many women who only transfered 1 embie and had a BFP.

Good Luck in ur decision, im sure u will come to the right one for u and ur DH

Becky Xxx

[Ghost]

Cowgirlclass,

I must ask some questions. What does your clinic transfer? Day 2? Day 3? Day 5?

Also, how good are they with fresh embryos and with "frosties"? Got statistics?

Do you know the quality of your embryos yet?

These are important is deciding how many to transfer in the fresh cycle versus freeze for later.

Those are the standard questions. If I was really nosey, I'd also ask what was your serum P4 level on the day of hCG.

[cowgirlclass]

Ghost, I am having my IVF done at a military base but they actually contract out the overseeing of the emproligist. They have a 40% success rate in my age group and that sounds pretty good to me. They do a 3 day transfer and do not do frosties, however the place where they contract the embroligist they will but this is my first cycle and haven't crossed that bridge yet. I am supposed to start my stims on the 15. I am not sure what serum P4 level on the day of hCG. I had my FSH level done before they started me on the birthcontrol and it was 3.8 which I believe is good. At what point would they have my p4 level?

[Ghost]

Ghost, I am having my IVF done at a military base but they actually contract out the overseeing of the emproligist. They have a 40% success rate in my age group and that sounds pretty good to me. They do a 3 day transfer and do not do frosties, however the place where they contract the embroligist they will but this is my first cycle and haven't crossed that bridge yet. I am supposed to start my stims on the 15. I am not sure what serum P4 level on the day of hCG. I had my FSH level done before they started me on the birthcontrol and it was 3.8 which I believe is good. At what point would they have my p4 level?

I would not transfer more than 3 good embryos. If the embryos are not that great, maybe 4 max. That's the ASRM guideline, and in the absence of a freezing option, that's what I'd go with. If they have a good freezing program available to you, then I'd decrease both of those numbers by one embryo (two good embryos, 3 so-so). If they transferred blastocysts (day 5), I'd also go with fewer.

The P4 I referred to is the serum level of progesterone on the day you get triggered with hCG. Down the road it seems.

[cowgirlclass]

So on the day they tell me to take my trigger shot I should ask for my P4 level? What is a good level just in case you aren't on that day? I take it from what you have said it might refer to the quality of my uterus for implantation?

My original thoughts were the two best embies but strange at it may be 3 has always been my lucky number but I am worried.

Thanks again Ghost!!!!

Cowgirlclass

[31single]

1. The CDC has shown that woman under 35 who ELECT to have one transferred -- that is, there is more than one available, but they choose to transfer 1, have almost the same rate of pregnancy as those who transfer 2 ... and that transferring 2 does little more than increase the chance the twins. The low success rates with a single transfer (when it's not elective) are overwhelmingly due to such poor egg quality that only one is available -- so it's not like they are picking the best of the bunch, which is what happens when you choose one. You are not under 35, I know, but if your eggs are good, then the stat should hold for you as well.

2. Cost considerations: transferring a frozen embryo is not nearly as expensive as going through the whole retrieval. So if you have plenty to freeze, you can transfer one at a time ...

3. If you only end up with 2 or 3, or if they're low quality and won't survive freezing, then maybe it will be more reasonable to implant all, because that's more likely to be a "it's your only best chance" scenario

4. I was struggling with the same question ... deciding whether to transfer 1 or 2 assuming I make lots of good embryos. My brother was very smart about it ... he said that even if it takes another cycle or two, what's that compared to a lifetime with a child. If twins fit well into your life and you can carry them in health then that's great. If twins present problems for you, then compare the lifetime + costs of two babies, vs the chance of needed a couple of extra cycles and a little more money for frozen transfer.

My brother convinced me to seriously consider a single transfer. Of course, I'll have to talk to the doc once these theoretical embryos are real and biopsied, etc.

Good luck with your decision!

[Ghost]

So on the day they tell me to take my trigger shot I should ask for my P4 level? What is a good level just in case you aren't on that day? I take it from what you have said it might refer to the quality of my uterus for implantation?

My original thoughts were the two best embies but strange at it may be 3 has always been my lucky number but I am worried.

Thanks again Ghost!!!!

Cowgirlclass

On that day, most publications give a criterion of 0.9 to 1.2 ng/ml. Values above that level indicate a decreased chance of success. Basically, it means the endometrium may be off and running ahead of your embryos.
It does not make success impossible, but it does make it less likely.

Keep an eye on it.