Recently, we had another regroup appointment–this time with Dr. C. (Our first regroup appointment was with Dr. G. in our first cycle.)
In the past, we’ve done our appointments with Dr. C. virtually since it tends to be more convenient. This time, though, we wanted to meet in person.
The regroup went really well. I went in with a whole list of questions, and Dr. C. managed to answer most of them before I even had to ask.
Here are the questions that were on my list, with the abbreviated and paraphrased answers:
- What went wrong with our last retrieval, especially since the numbers were so much better initially?
Unfortunately, there’s really no way for us to know what went wrong in egg retrieval. Dr. C. talked about how it was essentially the same protocol (with the one difference of being on birth control prior vs. not being on it). She shared that it’s just one example of how much of a rollercoaster ride this process can be. - What are our chances of success with an embryo transfer?
The chances of success are around 60-70%, with an average of around 66-67%. It’s not a sure thing, but the chances are good. - Is it better to try both embryos at once?
No. Twins are much more difficult on the body, and if the transfer doesn’t work, then we don’t have another try. - If one or both of our transfers don’t work, what are chances of success for a future retrieval?
The chance of success for another egg retrieval is hard to say. Probably 50/50 or perhaps lower, given our issues. - Since our two embryos are similar in grade, would you be willing to randomly select one, or do we have to pick?
They will keep it a secret which one we’re using. It will be the best-graded one that the embryologist chooses. - Any concerns with the embryo thawing process? Is there a process of offering to thaw the second if the first doesn’t thaw well?
There’s less than a 1% chance an embryo doesn’t survive thawing. It’s possible it might not expand properly, but they could potentially let it grow more after thawing, thaw the other embryo, or go ahead and transfer it in hopes it will expand properly in the optimal environment (my uterus).
One thing Dr. C. pointed out and that I mentioned last week is having a plan if the FET doesn’t work. This means there would be potential for another egg retrieval. She thinks it’s a good idea for us to move forward now, but if we try a transfer and it doesn’t work, we should consider another egg retrieval.
We have the insurance coverage for it, so we know we could afford it, and it’s better to do it sooner rather than later since egg quality will only diminish as I get older.
And even though our success rates with previous egg retrievals have been terrible and we don’t really want to do another one, Dr. C. made a good point. “If you end this process with only one child or aren’t able to get pregnant with any embryo transfers, you will at least have the closure of knowing you did everything possible to try and start your family.”
So that’s what we’re planning to do. If our first embryo transfer isn’t successful, we’ll go ahead and do another egg retrieval and hope for the best. Finger’s crossed it won’t come to that, though.
Also, every time we talk with Dr. C., I’m reminded of how glad I am she’s our doctor. She is always so kind and willing to answer every question I have. This time, we parted ways with a hug. She really is the best!
IVF That 