# what stops implantation?



## crocodile

Hi,

Just had my first cycle of IVF at 42, was suppose to test 14th Oct but had AF start yesterday I am devastated as I feel time is running out...

I haven't waited to get this far through choice, but due to ectopic and three laporotomies for cyst, fibriod and adenomyosis since 2000, I only got the all clear to try IVF in August.

I only managed to produce 5 eggs but 4 fertilised 3 were grade 1 embies - (1 6 cell and 2 4 cell) and 1 was a grade 3 4 cell.

Three were put back but it didn't work.

I know sometimes there are no explanations and this was my first cycle so no-one knew how I would respond.

what I want to know is, has anyone out there got advice regarding what I could do to improve my chances of implantation.  I know my age effected the number of eggs retrieved but it did not effect their quality.

And I too want to know what questions I ask to ensure that I am getting the best treatment to enhance my chances.  I have read people on all sorts of meds i.e extra HSG injections and taking progestrone morning and night (I only had crinone gel every evening), why was that, would more meds have helped? 
Any help would be so much appreciated..

Love

Croc


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## Mrs CW

Hi Croc, it's Claire here.

Really sorry to hear about your AF arriving, big hugs hun.    

When I was at the Bridge yesterday a doc I'd not seen before asked me about my previous tx and when I said AF had come after 1 week she seemed a bit surprised that it hadn't been at the end of 2ww and suggested that I could have taken more progesterone.  then she found out that I had taken 2Xcyclogest a day anyway and said that it was probably just 'not meant to be'.  So the docs do sometimes admit they can't make it all happen perfectly.  

She did mention progesterone injections were possible but said they're quite nasty - ?

The only other things I can suggest are complementary therapies, acupuncture, etc and some people believe in diet - but I think these are all enhancements, not critical factors. 

Hang on in there and take your time to get over it and try not to panic about how long you've got.  Ask lots of questions if there is going to be a next time.  Sometimes though, it does just not work, and your first tx has to be put down to experience. So don't beat yourself or the clinic up.  

Thinking of you so much,  take care, 
Clairexxx


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## cesca

Hi croc , so sorry to hear it didn't work this time. I too am an older woman at 43 .  I had heard about chromosone testing so  went to a london clinic which do the testing on the embryos ,as this could be the reason for failed implantation on our previous attempts. They say it can quadruple ivf success rates for women with a history of miscarrige or failed treatment.The technique is known as aneuploidy screening it involves removing cells from 3 day old embryos and examining them for chromosonal abnormalities that can cause birth defects such as downs syndrome. woman who have this done over the age of 41 have a success rate of 16.6 per cent which is 3 times higher than would normally be expected. We were shocked at how many of our embryos were affected but I was told by my consultant that this was normal in someone of my age  and all we needed was one heathy one. out of 11 embryos  on day 3 (they all looked good quality under the microscope)but after the testing only one was healthy and free from genetic problems!.I hope I haven't worried you but I think it is something to think about if you have another attempt.Good luck.  cesca xx


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## Anthea

I have read somewhere that acupuncture can assist in producing a good lining ?  So sorry to hear your news though. Hopefully the site can give you some good useful thoughts and others experiences. Good luck, A.


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## crocodile

Thanks for your replies, I also posted this on the IVF thread and have just entered a large update there. I have stopped crying and may be down but I'm fighting my way back up.

As regards the screening I did ask our embriologist and she said that they have to freeze the embies and then do something to them and then defrost them and many don't make it, so you could lose good ones in the process.  As we only had four in total we went ahead, but I do take your point.

Good luck with your future plans 

Love 

Croc

Wish you licook


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## kbuk

Hi Croc,

Very sorry about your neg cycle. It's so devastating, especially the first week or so. Glad to hear you are back in fighting mode. I too have heard (and am trying) acupuncture and chinese herbs can improve the environment for implantation. I also heard that lack of implantation can also be due to poor sperm quality, so while we can try to blame it on ourselves, there is some male factor no matter what. 

Best of luck, 

kirbeck


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## shazzer

Croc

So sorry to hear your news I am also an older lady and can feel time passing me by and the quality of my eggs decreasing daily. But we have to have hope. don;t give up yet. Mu consultant said we would worry when I am 45, until then we had every chance. I personally think you can have to much information, i know I worry about so much more as I have read everything about ivf. What we must not forget is that the success rate is only 25% which is no more successful that a natural pregnancy rate but as you have more attempts your success rate increases. I have also read about the screening for chromosomal problems which sounds good, but the cost is about 2000.00 extra. Good luck with your next treatment. Just believe that you will have your turn. Why should it not be you next time.


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## westies

Hiya Croc,

I'm sorry hun, it's soo hard when it doesn't work, unfortunately a lot of us have been there ans I can only say I'm sorry for you love.

Implantation .. wow .. if only I had the answers for you ... who knows, I do blastocyst transfers so that the embryos are that bit older (5-6 days) it's also the natural stage at which an embyro would implant.... I also think that diet and chemicals used play a part and have tried to reduce them in my lifestyle .. says she who had KFC for tea on Monday...

I wish you all the very best for your next tx or whatever you decide to do.  Thanks for being one of my cycle buddies on the september/october thread.

Love Westies xx


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## catsnewb

hi croc
i,m so sorry it failed Hun. I too wish we had the answers of why they don't implant, i ask this question every time and the clinic don't know. As for it being your age all i can say is i had my first IVF at 24 it was text book good response lots of eggs all fertilized 3 put back and no implantation even the clinic was shocked, since then I've had 3 more goes again all text book no problems and still no implantation.
so although you're an older Lady please don't put to much emphasis on it being your age. I'm afraid this whole treatment is one big lottery and you never know when or if you're ever gonna win.

don't be too hard on youself Hun  

Lisa x


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## melpearl

hi croc
yet another older lady! i am 41 and had 2 icsi cycles. one last year with 2 blasts put back in as all there was, 1 implanted but later MC. this cycle 4 eggs fertilized, 2 reached 8 cell and didn't go past that stage so i had no embies to put back. i have had 2 consultants with conflicting thoughts. i don't know if i want to or can afford to try again. lots of people here say 3rd attempt you have more of a chance but who knows. My recent DR had advised me to go for donor eggs because of my age but i know a few girls half my age (scary) that have got pregnant naturally then miscarried so how do you decide. I don't know. i think chromosomal analysis is the way to go but its out of my price range.
also did you have embies put back in on day 3 because from what I've learned, waiting for day 5 is better so selecting only embryos that have the ability to initiate implantation, i.e. blastocyst. also, as i have found out this time, there are different protocols and these can affect egg quality.
take care
Mel x


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## Jake

hi Croc
So sorry to hear about your negative cycle.  It sounds like you've had a pretty tough time just to get where you are 
You've asked the million dollar question! I too have asked this every time as we've always been blessed with good quality embryos each cycle (6, 4 and 9). I found out before 3rd cycle that I have immune issues - raised antipospholipid antibodies, slightly raised rheumatoid factor (chance finding by GP) and raised natural killer cells that like killing.  Despite steroids and heparin to treat, still no implantation   I always have acupuncture and herbs in preparation for cycle - personal choice as I think they help calm me down! The views so far given to us by docs are as follows:
1.Bad luck, try again, see it as a course of treatments, rather than a one off.
2.Go fo blastocyst transfer - we now have 4 frozen blasts and praying (one at least) will thaw ok
3.Perhaps there is severe DNA damage to sperm - although latest research according to doc last week is now apparently saying that icsi produces same results regardless of how damaged sperm DNA is (DP takes a good multivit/mineral with extra C, E and Selenium plus Pycnogenol)
4.Aneuploidy screening on next fresh cycle if FET fails
5.Further tests on my immune system 

As Lisa said, it is a lottery, but if each time you can move forward then at least you still feel in control and that you are doing everything that you possibly can do. Allow your mind and body to recover - they will it just takes a wee bit of time 
Take care of both of you and good luck with future decisions
Love Jakex


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