# Freeze on Day 1 or Day 5?



## Lilyrose01 (Feb 4, 2013)

Hi,

Really need some advice! This is going to be a long post but hopefully someone can help.

So I am just doing my 2nd round of fresh IVF and feel like history is repeating itself. I'm absolutely gutted I cannot go ahead with a fresh transfer again!! 3 attempts at IVF and only one frozen transfer so far.

My clinic has informed me I have high progesterone levels, currently 16, and they have been as high as this throughout my whole cycle from my first monitoring bloods on day 6 of stimming. The progesterone levels mean that my lining is most likely to advanced for an embryo Apparently it was noticed on my first cycle too but it wasn't mentioned to me because they froze all anyway due to fluid on egg collection day. I don't quite understand that as before fluid was found they were planning to do fresh transfer but I am putting this in writing to them. Anyway, they have suggested I have tests done after this cycle to see what is going on with my progesterone as it shouldn't be as high as it is all the way through cycling. Could be something to do with my adrenal gland. If this is the case we can try hormone therapy to manage it. Why this wasn't looked into before this cycle I do not know! 

So I'm a high responder and at yesterday's scan there were lots of eggs all ready to go and E2 levels of 15,500 so I triggered with buserelin instead of ovitrelle last night to avoid OHSS. Egg collection is tomorrow morning. Now the decision I have to make is to I freeze whatever embryos made at day 1 or day 5??

My dialema is that last time i froze on day 1, 10 embryos. All survived the thaw, 8 looked amazing still on day 3 but only 1 made it to full blast and was bad quality and 2 made it to early blast. They were too early to grade and we put both back in, resulted in chemicle pregnancy. What they didn't do on my FET is test my progesterone so they are saying now this could have effected implantation if it was high throughout.
Do I freeze all on day 1 again like last time, what I don't want is to just be left with early blasts again? Or do i take the risk and see if they culture to blasts now? At least I will know I am going Into a FET with good quality embryos! From what research I have done over the last few days it is sometimes the case that high progesterone in the stimming stages can damage egg quality. Would I rather know that now then waiting 3 months for FET to find out they are no so good quality embryos again?!

I just don't know anymore. I've been trying to stay strong throughout all of this trying to conceive lark but seriously it is really getting me down now. I just want a bit of luck and to catch a break. Surely I deserve it now from what we have been through over the last 6 years. 

Clinic says they advise freeze on day 1 as I could be left with nothing to freeze if I take to day 5. I just don't know. I'm so upset and tired. I know I won't but feel like just throwing in the towel.

Xx


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## Cloudy (Jan 26, 2012)

Sorry you are in this position honey  

I'm always inclined to go with clinics advice, but always would want to question them as to the reason behind their decision.

One thing I will say though is that the thought is increasingly becoming that if an emby doesn't make it through the freeze/thaw process then sadly it probably wouldn't make it as a fresh transfer either because the freezing process is so good these days, something like 98% when using vitrification, and some clinics are even having better results from frozen transfers than fresh cycles.

I know what you mean about wanting more than one blast, but try and remember that the aim of every cycle is one good blast (or two good 3 day embies), but obviously hope for an extra few. 

Maybe speak to them and ask them for reassurance that there is no detriment to freezing earlier or later.

Sorry,I don't know if I have helped at all and probably just haven't made much sense, sorry!

Good luck tomorrow xxxx


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## Lilyrose01 (Feb 4, 2013)

Hi Cloudy,

Thank you for your reply. I'm going to see how many eggs I get tomorrow and make a decision then. I suppose how many fertilise also makes a massive difference as if there are few I don't think they would even risk culturing them now. I think I want to culture them now so that I can see if the progesterone has damaged the quality and pray I get 1 or 2 to blast, good enough to freeze. 

My clinic does slow freeze although they say their techniques are very good. I had a 100% thaw rate on my last FET but then they were frozen on day 1 so I think they survive thaw better at that stage. 

X


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## Altai (Aug 18, 2013)

Lily - am sorry you are such situation. 

I am doing embryo banking cycles and my clinics always suggested to take embryos to day 5 as those have  higher chance of survival. They said if the embryos don't make to day 5, the they wouldn't have made it in a womb. Plus you don't waste money on freezing non viable embryos. 

I had nothing  to freeze from first 2 cycles and it was extremely disappointing. But have frosties from banking cycle n 3. 
I don't know thawing rate from slow freezing, perhaps your clinic have rationale behind their advice. 

Good luck with you cycle


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## Lilyrose01 (Feb 4, 2013)

Hi Altai,

Thank you, I really appreciate your advice. Had egg collection this morning and we got 14 eggs so 2 more than last time. Just need them to have a party with hubby's men in a dish and hope we have lots of fertilised embies tomorrow. 

I spoke to embryologist and she said let's see how many fertilise tomorrow and go from there. She totally understands my reasons for wanting to culture them now rather than freezing on day 1 and she said there isn't much difference in quality when freezing in day 1 or 5. She said just to be prepared that we could have nothing left to freeze if we do decide to culture. 

Just don't want to have any regrets but sometime just need to take a gamble. I always play it too safe! X


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## Lilyrose01 (Feb 4, 2013)

I just wanted to update this for anyone that has the same questions as i did in the future.

I decided to culture the embryos to day 5 and i am so glad i did. On day 3, 12 of the 13 embryos were still going strong. Today i had the call to say we have 6 x top quality blasts to freeze and they are taking the other 8 to tomorrow, 5 of which are early blasts, to see if they become full blasts. 

I am so happy that we have had a good outcome as i thought this cycle was a total disaster! Cant wait to put two  back in 3 months time!! xx


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## Lilyrose01 (Feb 4, 2013)

Update - Got another 3 top qulaity balsts today so we have lots in the freezer yay!!! x


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