# 5 Failed IVF Cycles...what to do next??



## Southwest (Feb 5, 2014)

Hi,

We have just had our 5th failed IVF cycle. All with the same clinic. I have two questions that I hope to get some help with.

1) What tests should we have done? My AMH was 16.30 in 2013 and all our infection screening came back fine. I had several tests done after my second mmc (I made a really big fuss at the doctors so she referred me to the hospital). Would these have been for immunes?

2) should we change clinic? They are a great clinic and I have had no issues whatsoever with them (apart from not having a baby!) we looked at ARGC but having already spent 25k we just can't afford it. Why do people go abroad? Is the success rate higher? I'm 40 in a few months and can't seem to find much about success rate abroad based on age. Also the clinic we are at, The Wessex, looks to be the best one in my area.

I would really appreciate any help with this, my follow up isn't until 27th July but we are hoping to try again in August. 

One last thing.....does anyone have any happy endings after so many failed attempts? I really to start being positive but it's just so hard.

Xx


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## Bluebell82 (Jan 24, 2015)

Hi Southwest,
Very sorry to hear about so many failed attempts, so gutted for you. I don't have a success story myself, but the recipient of my egg-sharing cycle was successful on her 6th cycle (with her eggs).

She is now trying for a sibling using egg donation, unfortunately I couldn't help her make it happen, but a lot of egg-sharers do help their recipients achieve pregnancies. Don't know if you would like to consider donation, it's obviously a big step and more expensive than own egg cycle.

Changing clinic sounds like a good idea.  I can't recommend one abroad, unfortunately, maybe someone else? Pinning my own hopes on ARGC, so preparing to chuck up to £20k their way, which is insane ...

Checking out immunes and treating them might also be helpful. They can be responsible for unexplained infertility, repeated BFNs and miscarriages. I don't know if they do the same tests after a misscarriage as they would before an IVF cycle.


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## optimistic 13 (Nov 1, 2014)

Hey I didn't wana read and run...
It's such a tough journey isn't it.
It's the worst being dealt with infertility.
I can't offer no help Im afraid just wanted to wish you luck )
I think I would maybe consider refresh of new clinic ...
Maybe fresh ideas ... New consultant.
There is so many around tough choice.
Xxx


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## 2Buttons (Jul 11, 2012)

Hi Southwest,   for you, it's such a tough road.

Given that you have a 9 yo son it's unlikely u have serious immune issues (nk cells is the main test). The mmcs also support this (u didn't reject them)...so likely chromosome problem. This could just be statistics working against your age - I'm assuming you've done basic karyotyping and translocation/dq alpha tests to rule out hereditary genetic problems.

After that is it the egg or the sperm? The basic sperm analysis and perhaps Dna fragmentation test (£). That leaves you with the egg, all I can say is getting eggs from a proven 25yo will up ur chances by 10% which is massive in IVF terms.... Or u can try to improve your own, see a nutritionist like Melanie brown for a supplement schedule or search the forum. Dhea could help but could make things worse.

If you like ur clinic I see no reason to change unless they aren't providing fresh ideas/wiling to support your treatment ideas. You may want to do PGD/CGH-Array but with only a few embryos this can be risky.

People go abroad for a shorter donor wait, for donor embryos or to spend the same amount but get a holiday at the same time, or they believe a certain doctor will help them eg penny at serum.

Hope thT helps, you'll feel better once you have made the decision. Good luck


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## Southwest (Feb 5, 2014)

Thanks guys for your replies.  I have started making enquiries today about Karyotype testing as that is probably the only one we have had done. My son is from a previous relationship and my OH's previous wife had an early miscarriage. I'm starting to wonder if this could be the problem.

I thought this would be it for us but he wants to keep trying regardless of money, which I am more than happy to do but the negative results make me think it just may not happen. I talked about using donor eggs but it's such a huge step. How will we both feel, will I forever be sad that my child was not mine.

It's so hard :-(

Bluebell you have given me a tiny glimmer of hope for number 6 
2buttons thank you for all the info, I like the Wessex and they always try different things with me
Thank you optimistic...sending you luck too
X


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## Bluebell82 (Jan 24, 2015)

Hi southwest,
Glad I could give some reassurance. It often is a numbers game and I think my recipient had similar number of eggs and embryos as you, she was a little younger at the time, but then everyone is different.

Regarding donor it takes time to get head round using donor and you may decide it's not for you. Many ladies who have children from egg donation seem to love their kids very much. I'm half adopted since I was 3 years old and my dad-by-adoption loves me to bits, he's has always gone out of his way to support me, couldn't expect more from a genetic parent. I would use donor if I have to and would prefer the semi anonymous donation practiced in the UK where child can find donor when they are adults.

Regarding cost. Some clinics like ARGC seem more expensive, but they aren't necessarily when you look at cumulative success rates. For example for my age group, I would need to have 3.1 IVF cycles at an average UK clinic (32.5% live birth rate) to get the same chance of having a baby as with ARGC in one go (70.9%). three cycle at a normal price clinic would also cost us £15-20k, which is the upper end of costs for one ARGC cycle. For your age group, the cumulative success rates seem similar (32-43% live birth rate for 40-42/38-39 age bracket at ARGC versus 14-21% at average clinic), so ay ARGC, you are getting the success rate of 2-3 cycles at normal clinics.

Our thought process for choosing ARGC was the following: we got a traditional clinic for our NHS cycle to see whether we are an easy case, that didn't work. We tried another clinic with similar success rates (slightly higher), didn't work either. Now we know that we aren't an easy case, so we believe that ARGC will provide us with the best service for our money in the shortest possible time. If we fail there again, we can move on with lives.


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## Mrs Courage (Jun 6, 2015)

Hi Southwest,

I feel for you. I travelled to Norway in June and had my first IVF cycle there although it failed, the cost is lower than the UK and they are not discriminatory against age or weight, I will be 40 in October and am slighty overweight. I highly recommend the clinic, PM me if you want more details. I knew someone who failed 4 times but was successful on her 5th attempt, she did the endo scratching and had a procedure where they break part of the eggs outer shell to help implantation (sorry I don't know the correct terminology). She is the perfect example of how IVF can work after many cycles. I wish you all the best xxx


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## SP19 (Aug 19, 2014)

Hi Southwest,

I really feel for you. We have just had our second failed icsi and have decided to change clinic.We have decided to go for a clinic in Denmark, it is cheaper we are hopefully doing a 3*icsi contract which is around £5000 + medication,flights etc,. The success rate is not higher but I think they may be more honest when they report their data. I am going for a consultation (which is free) in August and will see what they say etc.We have also looked at ARGC but decided that we will try Denmark first and if that doesn't work we will do one cycle at ARGC. Our DR has told me that you can't improve egg quality and I am sick a tried of them not being able to answer any of our questions and them telling us that we can't do anything, so I did a bit of research and came across a book called It starts with the egg by Rebecca Fett. I like this book as it is evidence based and it does make a lot of sense, I wish I knew about this book before my second icsi. 

I wish you all the best!


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