Just want to know if any of you are having IVF in Germany like me? Just to hear your experiences....
I am in Berlin at the moment - as a UK citizen - my partner is German.
Thanks, Bekki
Calling all those having IVF in Germany - if there are any!
At Uni Heidelberg Frauenklinik
I have already 3 failed IVF and I am preparing myself for another fresh cycle. How about you?
After I have read so many messages here, I have an impression that the doctors here are much more conservative, probably because of the different laws. I always have 2 days transfer until now, and I do not think they do 5 days transfer here in Germany.
ZhuBaoBao
After I have read so many messages here, I have an impression that the doctors here are much more conservative, probably because of the different laws. I always have 2 days transfer until now, and I do not think they do 5 days transfer here in Germany.
ZhuBaoBao
Me 35 DH 35
1st IVF 29th March 2006 BFN
2nd IVF 05 July 2006 BFN
3nd IVF 04th Oct 2006 BFN
1st IVF 29th March 2006 BFN
2nd IVF 05 July 2006 BFN
3nd IVF 04th Oct 2006 BFN
My dotor gave me the option to have a 5 day transfer. You can also have the gene test done on your egg cells - what they call Polkoerperdiagnostik in Germany. The clinic I am at in Berlin is the top clinic for that and has even won awards for it.
The trouble with laws in Germany is that they cannot select embryos. So it makes the 5 day transfer useless. As instead of allowing all of your ( for example ) 10 fertilized egg cells to try to progress to Blastocysts, in Germany you are only allowed to allow as many will be actually be transferred in the end. So if I had chosen the Blastocyst transfer, from my 9 fertilized egg cells, only 2 would have been allowed to go on to develop to Blastocysts. This would have been risky as they say few egg cells develop to Blastocysts in IVF culture, and it may have meant being left with none to transfer.
I would say the genetic test on your egg cells would be better? - I think that is maybe what we will do if my first IVF fails.
The laws are annoying and very strict in Germany - but at the same time I am happy to accept it, as I agree with the ethical issues concerning embryo selection and so on. The only thing I do not like is the cost! The health insurance only pays 50%.
Sorry to hear you have had 3 failed attempts, it is luck of the draw with us women. When I had my eggs collected, I spoke to two women. One young lady was repeating hers for the second time, and a slightly older woman told me her first IVF worked and she was now back to try a second IVF to get a second child.
I am impressed with the medical standards in Germany - there are also no huge waiting lists. It is a damn sight better thn medical care in the UK. My sister says she knows people in the UK having IVF who are on waiting lists of up to a year or more!!! She could not believe it when I said the doctor in Germany was able to do my IVF straight away. There are pros and cons - but I wish we both eventually have success.
I have just started week two of the two week wait today, so we will have to see what my outcome is... I am just keeping balanced - not thinking too positive but also not too negative.
Bekki xxxx
The trouble with laws in Germany is that they cannot select embryos. So it makes the 5 day transfer useless. As instead of allowing all of your ( for example ) 10 fertilized egg cells to try to progress to Blastocysts, in Germany you are only allowed to allow as many will be actually be transferred in the end. So if I had chosen the Blastocyst transfer, from my 9 fertilized egg cells, only 2 would have been allowed to go on to develop to Blastocysts. This would have been risky as they say few egg cells develop to Blastocysts in IVF culture, and it may have meant being left with none to transfer.
I would say the genetic test on your egg cells would be better? - I think that is maybe what we will do if my first IVF fails.
The laws are annoying and very strict in Germany - but at the same time I am happy to accept it, as I agree with the ethical issues concerning embryo selection and so on. The only thing I do not like is the cost! The health insurance only pays 50%.
Sorry to hear you have had 3 failed attempts, it is luck of the draw with us women. When I had my eggs collected, I spoke to two women. One young lady was repeating hers for the second time, and a slightly older woman told me her first IVF worked and she was now back to try a second IVF to get a second child.
I am impressed with the medical standards in Germany - there are also no huge waiting lists. It is a damn sight better thn medical care in the UK. My sister says she knows people in the UK having IVF who are on waiting lists of up to a year or more!!! She could not believe it when I said the doctor in Germany was able to do my IVF straight away. There are pros and cons - but I wish we both eventually have success.
I have just started week two of the two week wait today, so we will have to see what my outcome is... I am just keeping balanced - not thinking too positive but also not too negative.
Bekki xxxx
Good luck
First, I wish you good good luck for BFP. And I know that the second week of 2ww is worse than the first week, it takes just for ever until the best test.
I plan to discuss with the doctor again about the possible causes for 3 failed IVF and what they can do differently this time. They actually said my problem was that I was always a lower responder, I only got 3 eggs no matter how much I injected and what protocol they tried. But the quality of the embryos were always very good. That annoyes me very much. Sometimes, I get really scared when I think I might never be a mother.
Are you resting at home for 2ww? I rested one week when I did the 1st IVF, then decided to go to work for the last 2 trials because it was killing me thinking only about BFN and BFP.
I cross my fingers for you to get a BFP!
I am waiting for the good news!
ZhuBaoBao
I plan to discuss with the doctor again about the possible causes for 3 failed IVF and what they can do differently this time. They actually said my problem was that I was always a lower responder, I only got 3 eggs no matter how much I injected and what protocol they tried. But the quality of the embryos were always very good. That annoyes me very much. Sometimes, I get really scared when I think I might never be a mother.
Are you resting at home for 2ww? I rested one week when I did the 1st IVF, then decided to go to work for the last 2 trials because it was killing me thinking only about BFN and BFP.
I cross my fingers for you to get a BFP!
I am waiting for the good news!
ZhuBaoBao
Me 35 DH 35
1st IVF 29th March 2006 BFN
2nd IVF 05 July 2006 BFN
3nd IVF 04th Oct 2006 BFN
1st IVF 29th March 2006 BFN
2nd IVF 05 July 2006 BFN
3nd IVF 04th Oct 2006 BFN
Heya ZhuBaoBao,
One day we will be a mother - I am pretty sure. I have the same fears and keep my fingers crossed for you and all other ladies on this board with repeated IVF failures.
They said my embryos were also good ( That meant good AT THE TIME OF TRANSFER ) . Whether or not they continued to successfully grow inside me I do not know. Unless genetic or DNA checks are done on the egg cells BEFORE transfer they will always say that the quality of the embryos are good on the day of transfer, but past this transfer date they will never know if they will develop further. If a DNA test is done - they will be able to notice any chromosone problems which may hinder further development.
Yes I am resting at home ( I am actually now on vacation and sabbatical leave ). During the IVF treatment though, I was written off sick because I felt quite uncomfortable. After about 5 days of injections to stimulate the ovaries I could feel discomfort in the ovaries and bloating. After the egg collection I was very sore for a couple of days - and as it was my first IVF I could not have managed with the anxiety of IVF atogether with STRESS at work!! At the time my IVF treatment started it was manic at work with huge amounts of stress. I have several things to keep my mind off thinking whether this round of IVF has worked or not - computer, cooking, chatting to friends, shopping etc.. I am prepared for a negative result as that has always been how my life goes, but I am more concerned about my husbands reaction if it fails - he will think it is money down the drain (as we are not exactly rich ). He has not done so much reading on the topic of IVF as I have - I just think he thinks that when the embryos are transferred they just grow. I do not think he realizes how they develop i.e that they actually have to implant themselves - I think he thinks the doctors actually implant them!! He also does not seem to really believe that IVF fails even in young, perfectly healthy women. So I have to try to constantly explain to him that it can fail with anyone, regardless of health.
Good luck - and let me know how you get on! Bekki xxxx
One day we will be a mother - I am pretty sure. I have the same fears and keep my fingers crossed for you and all other ladies on this board with repeated IVF failures.
They said my embryos were also good ( That meant good AT THE TIME OF TRANSFER ) . Whether or not they continued to successfully grow inside me I do not know. Unless genetic or DNA checks are done on the egg cells BEFORE transfer they will always say that the quality of the embryos are good on the day of transfer, but past this transfer date they will never know if they will develop further. If a DNA test is done - they will be able to notice any chromosone problems which may hinder further development.
Yes I am resting at home ( I am actually now on vacation and sabbatical leave ). During the IVF treatment though, I was written off sick because I felt quite uncomfortable. After about 5 days of injections to stimulate the ovaries I could feel discomfort in the ovaries and bloating. After the egg collection I was very sore for a couple of days - and as it was my first IVF I could not have managed with the anxiety of IVF atogether with STRESS at work!! At the time my IVF treatment started it was manic at work with huge amounts of stress. I have several things to keep my mind off thinking whether this round of IVF has worked or not - computer, cooking, chatting to friends, shopping etc.. I am prepared for a negative result as that has always been how my life goes, but I am more concerned about my husbands reaction if it fails - he will think it is money down the drain (as we are not exactly rich ). He has not done so much reading on the topic of IVF as I have - I just think he thinks that when the embryos are transferred they just grow. I do not think he realizes how they develop i.e that they actually have to implant themselves - I think he thinks the doctors actually implant them!! He also does not seem to really believe that IVF fails even in young, perfectly healthy women. So I have to try to constantly explain to him that it can fail with anyone, regardless of health.
Good luck - and let me know how you get on! Bekki xxxx