Questions about Blastocysts « Hellobee Boards

Questions about Blastocysts

By mopeybuthopey Jul 18, 2014

IVF ladies,

I have a question for you regarding blastocysts and your experience, if you happened to get one or more. I recently went through my first IVF cycle. We had a high number of eggs retrieved, a little over half fertilized, and a little under half of those became blastocysts, which I feel very lucky about.

However, of those blastocysts, only ONE looked "good." The embryologist thought the others just sort of looked "ok." She didn't seem particularly enthused.

We've transferred back the one, and I'm now in my two week wait, but I was wondering if any of you knew:

how much does the quality of the blastocyst matter?

I am a little worried about this cycle not being successful, and it sounds like the frozen ones aren't that "great." So does that mean a frozen cycle will likely fail?

We're "unexplained" with our infertility, but after this, I am wondering if we have an egg quality issue.. Thanks in advance.

You might also enjoy...

Tags: IVF

24 comments

FliegepilzHut
pomegranate / 3533 posts

Jul 18, 2014

@mopeybuthopey: Can I ask how many eggs you had retrieved? And did you elect to transfer back the single best embryo?
swedishfish
GOLD / coconut / 8266 posts

Jul 18, 2014

@mopeybuthopey: did you do ICSI?
raintreebee
pear / 1531 posts

Jul 18, 2014

I wouldn't get too caught up in quality. I transferred two grade 3A blasts which my doc thought were excellent and ended up with a BFN. I then transferred two not so great early blastocysts, one of which became my beautiful son! You just never know. And the fact that you have some frozen is great!
swedishfish
GOLD / coconut / 8266 posts

Jul 18, 2014

@raintreebee: yes, true. You never know which blasts will implant and which ones won't.
FliegepilzHut
pomegranate / 3533 posts

Jul 18, 2014

I understand that sometimes OHSS and retrieving a large number of eggs can lead to egg quality issues. How many days post-transfer are you? I just got my a few days ago, on day 11p5dt. FX for you!!!
mopeybuthopey
grape / 94 posts

Jul 18, 2014

thanks so much guys. I am just one day post-transfer so it is super early. We had lots of eggs retrieved, but I actually triggered with Lupron, instead of HCG, to specifically avoid OHSS. If you don't use Lupron earlier in your IVF cycle, you can use it as a trigger (just as effective as HCG) and avoid OHSS entirely.

We did do ICSI because that is the standard procedure at my clinic, regardless of whether you have MFI. A number of my retrieved eggs weren't yet mature, so those got thrown into a petri dish overnight with hubby's sperms and a few more fertilized the more traditional way.

We did elect to transfer the good-looker that the embryologist liked. I guess I am just a little worried that if this one doesn't take for some reason, none of my ice babies will either But @raintreebee has demonstrated that it isn't just about looks
swedishfish
GOLD / coconut / 8266 posts

Jul 18, 2014

@mopeybuthopey: we transferred the "best looking" two during my IVF cycle. We were pregnant with twins but one vanished. We just went through a FET cycle and transferred the next best two. One took and the other didn't. It's a crapshoot. Keep your chin up and stay positive!
mopeybuthopey
grape / 94 posts

Jul 18, 2014

thanks @swedishfish! I am just so eager to be out infertility land!!!
FliegepilzHut
pomegranate / 3533 posts

Jul 18, 2014

@mopeybuthopey: Definitely stay positive-- implantation proceeds over the first 4 days, so you're still in the middle of that! Find some really funny stuff to laugh at, if you can! Sending you tons of and !!!
mopeybuthopey
grape / 94 posts

Jul 21, 2014

thanks @fliegepilzhut! I wish I wasn't guilty of this, but I have of course been symptom spotting. To be honest, I feel nothing -- I feel the same as I always do, every other cycle where things have been negative Trying to stay positive, though. I know I shouldn't read too much into symptoms, or lack thereof.
FliegepilzHut
pomegranate / 3533 posts

Jul 21, 2014

@mopeybuthopey: I felt absolutely nothing of consequence before my beta at 12dp5dt...and was starting to panic. In retrospect, maybe I was a little gassy? There's a big group of women here on HB that have been successful after their first IVF attempt. (I'm currently early, early in pregnancy from my first ET!!!) How many days are you? And when is your beta? Fingers crossed hard for you!!!
mopeybuthopey
grape / 94 posts

Jul 21, 2014

thanks so much @fliegepilzhut. I'm still so early!! Only four days past transfer, but I am under this delusion that I will just have a "mother's intuition" and know that it worked. My husband says that considering how the embryo was microscopic... he doubts that any pre-blood draw symptoms are actually true symptoms of pregnancy.

My beta is next Thursday -- the 31st. Seems SO far!! My clinic has you wait 14 days regardless of your day of transfer. I could cheat and test early and am debating doing so around 7-8dp5dt, but we'll see.

Congratulations on your successful IVF cycle!! That's wonderful news!! Hope you have a very smooth 9 months
swedishfish
GOLD / coconut / 8266 posts

Jul 21, 2014

@mopeybuthopey: progesterone can mimic pregnancy symptoms so be aware of that. If you're planning on testing before your beta (which I definitely did) I suggest testing out your trigger. This way you know a is a true !
GreenThumb
pear / 1986 posts

Jul 21, 2014

@mopeybuthopey: I'm 6 days past transfer (FET), so I'll suffer through the agony of waiting with you! My clinic does the first beta at 9dp5dt (so the 24th for me) but I am going to start testing tomorrow ! Wishing you all the best!! :good luck:

Oh and I totally agree with @swedishfish: progesterone is going to mimic any symptoms anyway, so I'm trying to stay away from symptom spotting!
swedishfish
GOLD / coconut / 8266 posts

Jul 21, 2014

@GreenThumb: girl, you need to test today!
GreenThumb
pear / 1986 posts

Jul 21, 2014

@swedishfish: Nooooooo! I can't do it!!
FliegepilzHut
pomegranate / 3533 posts

Jul 21, 2014

@mopeybuthopey: Thank you! I managed to distract myself for the first week. I am totally capable of making myself crazy...and am currently doing so because it's still a little early to feel much (5 weeks, 1 day today, waiting for a beta on Wednesday, which is one week from my first)! But in all likelihood, you will be successful...I really hope it's this time! Please feel free to join us over on the IVF thread! There are a lot of folks awaiting their egg retrieval in the next week or so, waiting for betas, and just starting injections in the next few weeks!
FliegepilzHut
pomegranate / 3533 posts

Jul 21, 2014

@GreenThumb: Thinking of you, lady!
mopeybuthopey
grape / 94 posts

Jul 21, 2014

haha thanks guys! I actually didn't trigger with HCG, so I don't have to worry about that part (triggered with Lupron).

I am symptomless. Even with the progesterone and all the estrogen I'm on! If it weren't for my compromised emotional state, I would be my 100% normal, usual happy-go-lucky self. Seriously, I feel NOTHING. The only reason my emotional state is compromised is because IVF is stressful and the tww is the WORST!!!! boooooooooooooo.

thanks for your input ladies
mopeybuthopey
grape / 94 posts

Jul 21, 2014

also @greenthumb -- keep us posted!!! hope you have happy news on the 24th!!!!
Jenn23
persimmon / 1085 posts

Jul 21, 2014

@mopeybuthopey: Good luck with waiting another few days!!! Wow, your RE does do the beta late! I think you definitely can test in the next few days. I tested at 5dp5t and got a faint positive. Definitely on the early side to test, but I just couldn't wait!! I am crossing my fingers for you!!! Oh and I transferred two blasts (both great) and one took. It is a crap shoot as Swedishfish mentioned above. I'm hopeful for you!!
mopeybuthopey
grape / 94 posts

Jul 21, 2014

did you feel any different @jenn23, like, did you just "know" you were pregnant, or were you somewhat uncertain? And did you just get your BFP or was this from the cycle before?

I think I could probably test starting this weekend, but if it's negative, I don't know if I want to go through a grieving process twice (negative pee test + negative blood draw)

I really should be more positive. My doc is totally positive and the blast we transferred looked good from what I can tell. My clinic also has very high success rates with women my age doing five days blasts. I guess I just feel like it's been such a long road to get here, that I just can't imagine getting pregnant and what it must be like to have a positive test.
Jenn23
persimmon / 1085 posts

Jul 21, 2014

@mopeybuthopey: I was going to wait until 6dp5dt to test, but I had one symptom that made me wonder, so I tested a day earlier. The only symptom I had was an extremely acute sense of smell. I was walking into the grocery store after work and smelled a cigarette that a guy was smoking in front of the store and I was so, so far away walking through the parking lot. It was such a strong smell/sensation, that I just felt like perhaps I was pregnant since I never smelled anything so strongly like that before. And sure enough, I was pregnant. But I don't think most women ever have symptoms that early!! Plus, as others mentioned the progesterone can give you pregnancy-like symptoms, too, just to confuse you!

So hopeful for you and try to stay optimistic during these next couple of days. I know how hard it is!!!

I'm starting round #2 tomorrow trying again.
mopeybuthopey
grape / 94 posts

Jul 21, 2014

thanks @jenn23. Best wishes for you on hopefully a successful IVF cycle!