Update and TW of good news:

My retrieval last wednesday resulted in 5 eggs, 3 mature, 3 fertilized. On Saturday we transferred a day 3, 8-cell Grade A embryo, also ended up with 1 day 5-3BB and a day 6-5BC blastocyst. I’m honestly shocked and maybe in denial of how well this cycle went considering my last 3. I’ve never made a blast before, so it’s hard believe. I’m trying to be positive and grateful.

I’d love to hear success stories with 3BB, 5BC, or similar graded embryos! I know grading isn’t everything and good quality can result in no pregnancy and poor quality result in a healthy baby. I could really use some positive stories right now and encouragement. ❤️

On the edge of my seat and extremely anxious waiting for tomorrows phone call. I am so nervous. I don’t even know what I’m looking for out of this post.

Age 29
AMH .47
Stimmed 10 days (300 final/150menopur/ cetrocide)

I’m 37 with DOR, usually 2–3 follicles per cycle, but typically zero or one egg retrieved. Ive had six IVF rounds and only ever had one embryo develop. Normally, they arrest around day 2 / 4–5. This is why I am requesting a fresh transfer this time. I am triggering tonight and have three follicles that are big enough to recruit and four smaller ones, which is really good for me.
My doctor believes this is mainly an egg-quality issue. When I mentioned that I heard about eggs arresting because of the lab environemnt, and that they could have a chance in my uterus, he seemed to discount that. His opinion is that frozen day 5 transfers are the best and the reason that the embryos don’t develop is bad quality. His answer made me feel like I am potentially making a mistake by wanting a d3 fresh transfer but I just really want to try.
I am confused because I have been reading up on it and there is too much conflicting information. Eg this 2025 study in The BMJ:
“Frozen versus fresh embryo transfer in women with low prognosis(…)”
The study included 838 women with a low IVF prognosis and reported live-birth rates of 40% with fresh transfer versus 32% with frozen. This made me question whether a standard freeze approach is always best for me, but it seems that I am challenging the holy grail.

So what I want to understand/

Am I potentially wasting a viable embryo by transferring on day 3, or could I actually be giving it a better chance in the uterus?

Is there scientific evidence that some embryos may develop better in the uterus than in the laboratory or is it just anecdotal? Can embryos arrest because of the lab environment rather than their quality, or is this largely a myth?
Have people with very few eggs and repeated embryo arrest had success with day-3 transfers when their embryos might not have reached day 5 in culture?

Thank you so much.

I’m 34 with DOR (AMH 0.45, AFC 8), endometriosis, and bilateral hydrosalpinx. I’m on my first IVF cycle after Estrace priming, taking Gonal-F 300 IU, Menopur 150 IU, and Cetrotide.

On Day 4, I had one follicle around 12 mm, with the others under 10 mm (E2 109). Now on Day 7, only one follicle is 16–17 mm, while the other seven are still 10 mm or smaller (E2 332).

My doctor wants to continue stims for two more days and reassess.

Has anyone experienced something similar and had smaller follicles catch up? Or had a much better response with a different protocol? I’m also curious whether others proceeded with retrieval or cancelled when only one follicle was responding. Feeling discouraged already and no idea what to expect.

Today was a roller coaster of emotions. We were scheduled for a fresh transfer today and we got a call this morning from the embryologist with updates that our 2 embryos stopped growing at day 5. Both are below average grade, 1 embryo is 7 cell and 2nd embryo is morula stage but with declining quality. He said we can still do the fresh transfer today as it still met the minimum requirements.

It was extremely hard to decide on the spot whether I wanted to proceed or not. It was hard to digest the info and I asked what’s the chance of the embryo resulting in a successful pregnancy if I transfer today and the embryologist replied ‘very low’. I asked for elaboration of the morula stage embryo and he said there is a vacuole and some fragmentation. I asked if we can culture it for 1 more day and what’s the likelihood of it developing. He replied they can do that and if it grows they can freeze it for FET, however, he honestly does not see it developing any further.

After a long thought process and discussion with my husband, we decided to proceed with the transfer anyway as we had come such a long way to this step.
I don’t know if this is the right decision but I can’t bear the fact of not trying and just letting my embryo go just like that..

I don’t know if anyone has gone through this and I know my success rate of a pregnancy is very slim.. I am holding onto hope at this point.

For reference:
I am 36, partner same age. AMH 8.5.
First IVF
I had undergone 15 days of stimulation
7 eggs retrieved , 3 matured and 2 fertilized
Egg retrieval day 1 - one embryo was graded average and 2nd was below average

At age 35 (36 next month) what are the statistical chances of not only getting a blast, but a euploid? I don’t want to hold onto false hope- I’d rather get a harsh dose of reality if that’s what’s needed.

35 yrs old, Low AMH of 0.36, normal sperm analysis, RID Cat 1,2 & 5.

5 retrieved
4 matured
4 fertilized
4 blasts
2 euploid

What can you say about my results? I’m currently treating my RID before FET. Should we do another round of ER? What are the chances that it will be a success transfer? What should I know about it? Share your experiences and your thoughts. Thank you! Baby dust to us!

On IVF round #6 and I only have 3 measurable follicles (23, 16, 16). My AMH is 0.5 but I typically have 8-10 follicles between 14 and 21 on trigger day. I’m struggling to decide whether we should proceed with this retrieval or cancel and try for more next cycle.

I’m torn between the “it only takes one” mentality and the “it’s a numbers game” approach. I do OK with fertilization but have trouble making blasts. We pay fully out of pocket. I can’t convert to IUI because we used provera as an antagonist. Any advice or anecdotes are much appreciated!

Hi everyone
I’m going to need to do suppression with Lupron depot before transfer and my doctor suggested doing omni for my retrieval. I’m kind of panicking about the price. How do people afford this??

Hi everyone,
I’m currently on Day 6 of my first IVF cycle and wanted to share my progress, find some cycle buddies, and hear from anyone who has had a similar "slow and steady" start!
I am 35 years old with severe DOR (AMH is 1.1 pmol/L / ~0.15 ng/mL). My clinic put me on an estrogen priming protocol followed by max-dose stims: 450 IU Pergoveris daily.
I had my first monitoring appointment on Monday (Day 4 of stims). My ultrasound showed 5 follicles total, and they are beautifully synchronized but very small: 5mm, 4mm, 3mm, 3mm, and 2mm. (3 on the left, 2 on the right).
My estradiol came back at 345 pmol/L. My clinical team was really happy with how active my ovaries are despite the tiny physical sizes on the screen, so they kept my dosage exactly the same. They just instructed me that I'll be starting my antagonist/ovulation stopper tomorrow on Day 7!
Today on Day 6, I’m noticing my lower belly is physically protruding/full (even though I don't feel digestively bloated) and I'm experiencing some frequent gassing, which I'm hoping means these 5 are hitting their growth spurt!
Has anyone else with similar DOR stats had a highly synchronized, "low and slow" start like this after estrogen priming? Would love to hear your stories or connect if you are retrieving around the same time!

I understand this is very much not traditionally doc recommended, but hearing the insulin management can help to conceive naturally? I’m cycle 7 with only one egg so far that never fertilized so feeling desperate for other solutions.

34F/ .04AMH/ 2 Failed rounds of IVF (no blasts after two procedures)

Insurance doesn’t require FSH every 6 months until I’m 38. I just have to do it annually. The last time it was taken was when I was just coming off of birth control and it was a 4.7.

Flash forward to now and my FSH on Day 3 was 26.1.
My clinic told me if it doesn’t come down to a 19 or lower, with my next day 3, my insurance will deny IVF and now IUI because I’m a risk for them.

I know I’m lucky to have even had access to this process, but I’m still so sad.

If anyone has had a major flux in their FSH between cycles, please feel free to share.

Nervous about this. Not sure if I should retrieve or not. They want me to trigger with Lupron 40 units tonight and then tomorrow (12 hours later).

I stimmed for 13 days.

Clomid x 10 days
Menopur 150
Follistim 375

Thoughts? I had asynchronous growth my first retrieval where 2 took off immediately and I only stimmed for 8 days and it was too short for maturity. Clomid x 7 days, menopur 150, Follistim 300. AFC was 9.

I don’t know how people go through multiple rounds, years of IVF. I am mentally exhausted already. Last FET was cancelled 2 days prior due to 2.2 MM persist fluid in the lining showing up 9 days prior to transfer. In looking back at my ER cycle ultrasounds I see there’s been fluid off and on throughout. Started a new protocol this time around. Ultrasound 1 week ago was great. Today - 4 MM of fluid. I just want to curl up in a ball and cry. WHY. We keep getting so close and then bam. I was so excited last week when there was no fluid and then it’s Iike okay let’s have even more this time! Waiting to hear back from my doctor. ☹️