# Advised to do blastocyst transfer, but no blastocysts developed



## Camellia

I was just wondering if anyone has been in the same position as me.  My clinic provisionally booked me for a day 3 ET, but phoned me that morning to say that the embryos were doing so well, they would do a blastocyst transfer on day 5 instead.  On day 5 they called to say that none had developed into blastocysts, but not to panic, and was scheduled in for ET the next day instead.  The following day they called again to say that all the embryos had stopped dividing, and so there would be no transfer.

Has this happened to anyone else?  I feel cheated and angry that I didn't have the transfer.  I have read that 50% of embryos don't make it to blastocyst, so perhaps we were just unlucky.  Also I have read that embryos that don't make it to blastocyst, don't make it whether they are in the lab or have already been transferred - but it is hard not to wonder.

This is my second ICSI and the second time I have not made it to transfer.  The first was because out of the 7 eggs retrieved only 1 was mature, and that degenerated following injection.  It feels so unfair that I have never made it officially into the 2ww.

Anyway, if anyone can advise me on what they know about blastocyst transfer, it would be much appreciated!

Thanks, Cam x


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## trueginger

Cam,
I really feel for you!  This is very unfair and you must feel very cheated.  It is true that embies that don't develop into blastocysts would not do so in you either.  I had the same situation on my last cycle where I had 12 eggs which all fertilised and then they just stopped growing.  On day 3, I had the call that they might not make it to blast so better to come in and have a transfer then.  I did that but ended in BFN.  I had the choice: to have a transfer with little hope of getting a positive or to keep them going in culture.  Tough.  
I think, in a way, false hope is worse. 
You must remain positive though, however difficult it is.  Nature has a funny way of surprising us when we least expect it!  
Trueginger


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## ☼♥ Minxy ♥☼ ©

Hi Cam

I'm so sorry you've had to experience this. With taking embies to blastocyst there is always the risk that none will make it so nothing to transfer....and I can imagine you feel low and cheated with not having made it to ET. 

It's definitely something you should raise with your consultant and embryologist as I know our clinic will only risk taking embies to blasto if you have at least 6 top grade embies on day 3....so I'd certainly be asking lots of questions as to what happened between day 3 and day 5.

We tried taking to blasto 3 times now....the first time, we had top grade embies on day 2...even on day 3 they were still really good (5 grade 1's and 3 grade 1-2's) but embryologist still advised us to go for day 3 transfer which we did....and froze all the remaining. Second time....lots of grade 1's on day 3.....but again advised not to risk it as we also had some grade 2's and not all grade 1's were 8 cell on day 3.....so we had 2 put back day 3 with assisted hatching and left the remaining 6 to go to blasto...2 didn't get past day 3, 2 made it to morula at day 4 and 2 made to blasto on day 5 but not good enough to freeze. Last cycle we had 14 embies from 30 eggs....took to blastocyst but by day 5 we had 2 we had transferred and another 2 which were bit slower but by day 6 they weren't good enough to freeze either.....so it just shows how fine science it is.......



trueginger said:


> Cam,
> I really feel for you! This is very unfair and you must feel very cheated. *It is true that embies that don't develop into blastocysts would not do so in you either.* I had the same situation on my last cycle where I had 12 eggs which all fertilised and then they just stopped growing. On day 3, I had the call that they might not make it to blast so better to come in and have a transfer then. I did that but ended in BFN. I had the choice: to have a transfer with little hope of getting a positive or to keep them going in culture. Tough.
> I think, in a way, false hope is worse.
> You must remain positive though, however difficult it is. Nature has a funny way of surprising us when we least expect it!
> Trueginger


Hi truetiger

Sorry to contradict you but this isn't actually true. Some embies may be better off in the natural environment of the womb rather than left in the false environment of the culture medium, in petri dish in the lab !! Whilst taking embies to blastocyst can be seen as "survival of the fitest", it doesn't mean necessarily that if an embie doesn't make it to blastocyst in lab situation that it wouldn't have done in the womb....sometimes this may be the case but I certainly wouldn't say it always is !

For instance, with our first IVF we had 6 grade 1's on day 2.....we had the 2 best ones put back which resulted in BFN.....but then we had 2 natural FETs using the remaining 4 and both these resulted in chemical pregnancies....slightly different scenario I appreciate but just goes to show there's absolutely no way of knowing what can happen....all these embies were from same batch yet those that had been through freezing and thawing were more successful.

Good luck
Natasha


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## TracyM

Hi Cam,
My 1st cycle didnt make it to ET either and like you I felt cheated.
2nd time round, I only managed to fertilise 2 eggs. Was advised to take them to blast, in fact, I felt that the embriologist insisted that much, I felt obliged to go to day 5. I worried so much they wouldnt make it, especially as there was only two.
Luckily, they did make it, and I did mentally get down on my knees thanking!! the advice given. However, I got a BFN.

I an due to start stimming again for 3rd cycle, and no matter what they say, I am determined I am not going to blast. I just want them back asap. Statistically, blasts might be better, but they didnt work for me. I think I,d rather take my chances, go through the proccess of being PUPO, feel like I played some part if the result was +ive or -ive, rather than letting them perish in a dish.
To go through weeks of injections and worry, etc, only then not to get to ET is not going to be an option this time.
Neither is the stress and worry of waiting to see if they make it to blast.

So sorry you had to go through this, I can totally empathise with how you are feeling.
I would just say, decide what you want to happen with your embies and dont let them sway your decision. Put the ball in your court, so to speak, then at least you,ll feel reasurred that you did what you felt was best. Whatever the final result is, at
least you did your bit. 

TracyM


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