# 8 eggs collected but only 3 mature - too early trigger?



## minttuw (Jan 22, 2007)

Yesterday I had my EC (our 2nd ICSI cycle). I took the Pregnyl injection on Tuesday (stimming day 9). On the scans on Tue and prev Sun I had 11 follicles but only 6 were good sized to be considered by the dr. However yesterday they collected 8 eggs and I felt very optimistic (my last cycle they only collected 5 eggs). Today the clinic called and told that only 3 of those 8 eggs were mature.  These 3 eggs were injected and all had fertilised. If they all develop ok the ET will be on Sunday.

I know it's not about quantity and I only need one good embryo to get pregnant!! But I can't stop wondering whether they timed the trigger too early? My clinic's information leaflet says the trigger injection will be taken "after 10-14 days of taking the stimulation drugs" but I took it on day 9. Maybe the eggs would matured further if I kept on taking the stimming drugs for another day or two....?? Has anyone had a trigger injection this early? Any thoughts and comments welcome.

Anyway, I am trying to think positive and keep my fingers and toes crossed for the 3 in the petri dish!!   

minttuw


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## daisyg (Jan 7, 2004)

Hi minttuw,

Try not to dwell on what didn't happen if you can as you must concentrate on where you are now and wait and see how your 3 embryos develop.  It could be that you were triggered before the lead follicles were fully mature, but this should be discussed after this cycle - and hopefully you won't need to do this!  It is hard to know exactly without knowing the size of the follies, hormone levels etc. etc.  The clinic presumably has experience here and knows the best time to trigger you.

One thing though - I notice that you bled before stopping progesterone in your last cycle.  Did you get your progesterone levels measured during this cycle to make sure you had enough p4?  I would recommend extra progesterone this cycle and also asking clinic if they can monitor your levels either the week after transfer or when you have your beta hcg.  Bleeding this early can be a sign that you do not have enough progesterone - this is essential for implantation to happen and to stop you womb lining shedding/bleeding.  You may want to increase your progesterone support for this cycle?

I hope this cycle works for you and have fingers crossed for you.

Daisy
x


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## Debz1965 (Nov 15, 2006)

Hi Minttuw

Firstly sorry to hear that some eggies were immature, but well done for getting this far. 

On my this cycle I did my trigger shot on day 10 as I had 6 lead follies and they were worried they would spoil if left any longer,  but I did not get eggs out of all the lead follies oddly enough and got 7 in total, I still think it's a lottery at the end of the day!

good luck hun

Debs xx


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## minttuw (Jan 22, 2007)

Thanks Daisy!

And congrats for your twins!!! 

I am trying to be positive, I know there is no point in dwelling on 'what if', I need to concentrate on the 3 fertilised eggs and hope that they will develop nicely and we'll have 3 great quality embies to put back in on Sun.   

I am not sure why you think that, in the last cycle, I bled before stopping progesterone. I stopped the progesterone injections immediately after the negative test result and my period started few days after that. I am with ARGC and have had my levels tested all the time, can't remember when exactly they do prgesterone test, but I am sure they do it at some point. However, during my last 2ww, they did not test any levels, and I understand that it is not their practice to test betw. ET and beta hcg test, don't know why, since, as you say, they could up the progesterone dose if needed. Is this a normal practice at other clinics? 

I started cyclogest pessaries last night after the EC and will be taking them twice daily until ET, then will probably move to gestone injections like last time.

minttuw


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## daisyg (Jan 7, 2004)

Hi minttuw,

I'm so sorry - I am guilty of not correctly reading your post - I didn't realise you has stopped the injections yourself - no problem at all then, all sounds normal!

UK clinics don't test p4 between ET and beta but nearly all US ivf clinics do.  I just feel it can be a good idea - but probably not necessary unless you have had previous progesterone problems.

Wishing lots of luck

Daisy
x


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## minttuw (Jan 22, 2007)

Hi Debs! 

Yes, you are right, it is a lottery! I am really not blaming my clinic, or anything, I know the doctors do their best to choose the right timing etc, and this is not an exact science. I just felt really disappointed this morning when I got the phone call. After having 8 eggs collected I was hoping that we get more embryos this time compared to last cycle. But 3 is good!!!   Go on embies, keep dividing!!! 

Well done Debs, 7 eggs from 10 follies is brilliant result!!! Have you had your ET yet? Good luck and lots of    !!! 

Are you doing something to improve your egg quality? BTW, does egg quality have something to do with how the eggs mature?

minttuw


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## druzy (Jan 25, 2006)

Hi Minttuw

Bit late in the day but just thought I'd put in my halfpenny worth!  I think that sometimes the doctors poke around when they are down there, as it were, and get as many eggs as they can.  This means that sometimes they take eggs out of follicles which are really too small to contain mature eggs but I think they think they may as well take them on the off chance which makes sense really.  I know this sounds a bit random but do think this is the case.  

My last IVF before collection I knew from the u/s that I really only had 4 decent sized follicles ie 17mm or more so wasn't expecting more than four.  The consultant really did poke around, I was in there quite a long time, and got 8.  So I was quite pleased but then when back down again when the embryologiest rang and said only 4 had fertilised and one was abnormal so I had 3 to go back.  She confirmed the above and said that when she first looked at my scan report she thought there were really only 4 but that the doctor does poke about for more.  Previously I had always had a high fertilisation rate so the eggs not really being mature makes sense.  Like you I didn't get get eggs out of all of the bigger follicles either.

I don't think it is the case that the doctors triggered you too soon, they have to trigger when the lead follicles get to the right size other wise they risk losing those ones so you can't go on stimming for ever.  I think this is one of the difficulties with IVF, trying to keep the follies much the same size and not getting a dominant follicle - which is want we get on a normal cycle.  So sorry for the burbling, but hope this makes sense, I reckon they did the right thing and couldn't have waited any longer.  I know 9 days doesn't seem long but I think the minimum is 8 days on the whole, it just depends on how your body responds.

Good luck for test day!  You've got 3 there anyway.
druzy x


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## minttuw (Jan 22, 2007)

Hi Druzy!

Thanks for your message. All what you say does make sense. 

I am very happy with our 3 embies that fertilised perfectely and deverloped to 1st grade embies (one was 2nd grade as it had slight fragmentation). I am now concentrating on these three on board (hopefully they still are!!) and waiting impatiently for Friday, the test day. 

Wishing you good luck with donor eggs!
Minttu
xx


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## drownedgirl (Nov 12, 2006)

In my DE cycle, my friend stimmed for  just 9 days. 

They collected 36 eggs, 30 fertilised.


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