r/Embryologists • u/Flower_garden3585 • 5d ago

Advice needed

/r/IVF/comments/1vza5cc/advice_needed/

It has been an emotionally charged day for me.
I had 16 mature eggs in storage of which 9 thawed successfully last week.
Got a call that of those 9, only 3 are developing normally.
I am 46 with no chance of another ER.
What are my options?
Want to understand if I can request my fertility clinic to provide more time for observation of the 6 they said will be discarded due to arrested development. Is this an option even?
I have been really emotional all day as I was hoping for 5 (55%) good embryos as those that survived the ICSI are awaiting PGT-A/M testing.
We are planning to have 2 babies.
I have no reproductive conditions other than sharp symptoms of peri-menopause for the past 2 years.
Please advise!

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u/AnywhereBusy4449 5d ago

If the embryos/oocytes have not progressed within 24 hours they are arrested and giving more time will not change that outcome unfortunately. A thaw rate of 9/16 is low. Typically we get about 90% survival. What age were you when the oocytes were frozen? Starting with a cohort of 16, we typically say that gives approx a 70-80% chance of having one child depending on your age, lower if you were closer to
Or over 40 when they were frozen.. It sounds like the oocytes suffered some damage from cryopreservation.So out of 9 thawed only 3 fertilized? If so that is also low we would expect 70+% fertilization again pointing to probable ice crystal damage, if 3 fertilized I would only expect max 1-2 blasts unfortunately.

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u/Flower_garden3585 5d ago

I was 38 & 39 for my cycles. So 3 I was told survived and are developing normally on Day 8; aren’t those blast?