Hi
some of you on here will know i've had 9 attempts over the past few years down to male factor (vasectomy - he's had surgical sperm retrieval). I am 34 and they are yet to find anything wrong with me. I always get lots of eggs which fertilise well and so implantation is our problem. I've had a NKC uterine biopsy, a laparoscopy and every blood test under the sun.
We went to see our consultant today and he's given us the following options:
give up
try another clinic (this is our 2nd and moving clinics means moving frozen sperm)
have another go
have a hysteroscopy then have another go
Has anyone had a hysteroscopy after a few failed attempts and then got a BFP on a subsequent attempt? Any advice much appreciated.
N
x
9 failed attempts. Could a hysteroscopy help?
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Natalie Anne
- Regular
- Posts: 195
- Joined: Wed May 05, 2004 9:29 am
- Location: Cheshire
Hi Natalie Anne,
I am so sorry to hear that you've had quite a struggle. I can relate. I am now starting my 9th attempt (if you count the two cancelled cycles). We switched clinics after our 5th attempt (that included the 2 cancelled cycles) and just recently switched doctor's at our current clinic.
We were diagnosed with male factor - vasectomy reversal that didn't work very well. My DH could still give a sample but the count, motility, etc was so low that they had to use ICSI. Each time we had good fertilization with great looking embryos. We've had a couple of chemical pregnancies but nothing that stuck for very long. So, like you here we are so many IVF rounds later with no answers.
After our last attempt my DH had a test done for dna fragmentation. We had found research that showed that men for whom a long period of time had passed (more than 10 years) since their vasectomy, had a higher level of dna fragmentation. Apparently any fragmentation greater than 30% can cause fertility challenges, above and beyond the typical challenges associated with low count, motility, morphology, etc. The dna fragmentation impacts the chromosomal make-up of the embryo and causes repeated failures or early miscarriages but doesn't necessarily impact what the embyros look like on day 3 or day 5.
Our new RE who we just started seeing before this recent attempt (I am having ER on Thursday) has suggested a variety of things to try this time around. We are using 50% donor sperm and 50% of my DH's sperm during fertilization (to try to combat the dna fragmentation if it causing the problem). Then we are trying a double frozen transfer which means that we are doing 2 transfers 2 days apart (to see whether I have a problem with my implantation window) and the transfers will be done into a natural cycle (to combat any endometrium irritation caused by the medications). So, we are trying to address a number of factors in one cycle.
I did have a HSG performed and everything was fine with me - along with all the other tests, so there are only a few reasons left to explain why this may not be working - the sperm is causing problems, the eggs are causing problems, my implantation window is delayed or my lining isn't reception because it is irritated. So, this round we are going to address 3 of those 4 issues. And if it still doesn't work then we'll have to consider donor eggs.
I apologize for this long post but I wanted to pass along this informaiton because I know how frustrating it can be to have repeated failures and be told that everything looks great so there is no reason why it hasn't work! In my opinion, there has to be a reason why it isn't working!!! It is just a matter of figuring out what it is.
Best of luck!
Kelly
I am so sorry to hear that you've had quite a struggle. I can relate. I am now starting my 9th attempt (if you count the two cancelled cycles). We switched clinics after our 5th attempt (that included the 2 cancelled cycles) and just recently switched doctor's at our current clinic.
We were diagnosed with male factor - vasectomy reversal that didn't work very well. My DH could still give a sample but the count, motility, etc was so low that they had to use ICSI. Each time we had good fertilization with great looking embryos. We've had a couple of chemical pregnancies but nothing that stuck for very long. So, like you here we are so many IVF rounds later with no answers.
After our last attempt my DH had a test done for dna fragmentation. We had found research that showed that men for whom a long period of time had passed (more than 10 years) since their vasectomy, had a higher level of dna fragmentation. Apparently any fragmentation greater than 30% can cause fertility challenges, above and beyond the typical challenges associated with low count, motility, morphology, etc. The dna fragmentation impacts the chromosomal make-up of the embryo and causes repeated failures or early miscarriages but doesn't necessarily impact what the embyros look like on day 3 or day 5.
Our new RE who we just started seeing before this recent attempt (I am having ER on Thursday) has suggested a variety of things to try this time around. We are using 50% donor sperm and 50% of my DH's sperm during fertilization (to try to combat the dna fragmentation if it causing the problem). Then we are trying a double frozen transfer which means that we are doing 2 transfers 2 days apart (to see whether I have a problem with my implantation window) and the transfers will be done into a natural cycle (to combat any endometrium irritation caused by the medications). So, we are trying to address a number of factors in one cycle.
I did have a HSG performed and everything was fine with me - along with all the other tests, so there are only a few reasons left to explain why this may not be working - the sperm is causing problems, the eggs are causing problems, my implantation window is delayed or my lining isn't reception because it is irritated. So, this round we are going to address 3 of those 4 issues. And if it still doesn't work then we'll have to consider donor eggs.
I apologize for this long post but I wanted to pass along this informaiton because I know how frustrating it can be to have repeated failures and be told that everything looks great so there is no reason why it hasn't work! In my opinion, there has to be a reason why it isn't working!!! It is just a matter of figuring out what it is.
Best of luck!
Kelly
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Natalie Anne
- Regular
- Posts: 195
- Joined: Wed May 05, 2004 9:29 am
- Location: Cheshire
thanks for your reply. I don't know what tests were done on my dh's sperm when they retrieved it in surgery but it's definitely worth looking into so many thanks for the suggestion. I'll contact the clinic and see what they've done in the past and what further tests they could do.
wishing you lots of luck!
N
x
wishing you lots of luck!
N
x