# It starts with the egg



## Efi78

Started reading the "it all starts with the egg" book by Rebecca Fett. Impressed
Has anyone else read it? Used the tips and worked? Opinions?


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## teammonkey

Hi,
Yes read it and found it very interesting. 
I'm mid cycle currently, I did the supplements, diet, avoided everything recommended. And don't feel it helped me. I had 22 eggs at EC yet only 13 mature and 6 fertilised. My last cycle I had 6 out of 9 mature & 100% fertilisation rate. I'll update in a few weeks after transfer to see if these 6 are any good!
Sorry I couldn't offer better, I honestly felt this would make my eggs brilliant. X


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## Efi78

22 eggs though it's a lot
May I ask what the doctor told you about the fertilization rate? I had 100% this time and only one made to blasto and very bad quality


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## teammonkey

Just that it was lower than average, but that could be due to eggs or sperm.. dh has sperm issues. 
Last cycle we got 6 fertilise out of 6 mature, all went to day 5, 1 froze 1 transferred, the rest didn't make it. 1 transferred is my now crazy 2 year old the frozen miscarried earlier this year. X


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## Efi78

Read the book. Interesting. Most of the thing are already know. However I am going to start avoiding phalates as well. Didn't know about that. I also started ubiquinol. Doesn't hurt I guess. Fingers crossed for all of us


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## teammonkey

Just a little update from me, had my transfer. Embryos were lower quality this time. Factors out of our control 1. Sperm, that's where our issues lie, sperm affects fertilisation & day 3 onwards & day 3 ours slowed but my eggs did help! Day 4 we had a 10 cell grade 2, and a few 6-8 cell grade 2-3. I assumed this cycle was a fail, wouldn't even get to transfer, but by day 5 I had 2 blasts 1 grade b and 1 c, the embryologist was very happy at how they were developing and clarity of my b grade. 2. The drug dose can impact number of eggs & quality. I got 9 eggs 6 mature, 100% fertilised first cycle 2 were top grade hatching blasts, had my son first try, this cycle 22, only 13 mature & 6 fertilised. Sperm was factor on fertilisation but I do feel quality was impacted on getting lots of eggs. 
Good luck! X


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## K jade

Im due to start stimming next week and have been following the advice in this book for a couple of months. Particularly in relation to sugar as that's where my downfall lies 
I'm currently on holiday now smothered in phalate free suncream. Figured there was nothing to lose by giving it a go. 
Good luck ladies xx


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## Franny80

Hi Efi,

I thought the book was great and actually confirmed for me kind of what I already suspected. I have PCOS and was always told by the consultants that it didn't matter as the drugs over rode it. But it made sense to me that my own natural, skew-whiff hormones where mucking things up and compromising egg quality, especially when they were maturing in the ovaries. After some unsuccessful IVF, I took a step back and looked at the overall picture a bit more. I really think some of the changes I made after reading the book contributed to getting me pregnant. It felt like I was treating the cause, rather than just the symptom. 

If anything it really helped me mentally to feel like I had a bit of control back when it came to my fertility. 



x


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## Efi78

Hi Franny80
Same issue with IVF. The problem is not in conceiving for us but rather in keeping the pregnancy. The doctors keep making trying us to conceive but the thing is IVF is not solving the real problem that is miscarriage.
May I ask when you say that your natural hormones affected you getting pregnant wjat do you mean?


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## Ditzygirl

I found the book helpful and follwed it for my 2nd cycle. I didn't take any of the supplements but I avoided everything with fragrance and changed all my cleaning products to natural-based products. I also cut out caffeine a lot earlier. It might have just been my luck, but my egg quality was much better 2nd time round and we had a successful cycle. xx


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## Franny80

Hi Efi,

Don't get me wrong, there are other factors involved. I also had an issue with my tubes, which seemed to sort itself out after an HSS in August. But things have gone a lot better for us since then and think it's due to a culmination of things, one of them being the fact my body has been better balanced hormonally. It's more of a hunch then actual fact, but I always thought - if my body isn't in the right place to ovulate, why would it be in the right place to get pregnant. 

When it comes to IVF I can show a more obvious cause and effect -  my E2 level got really high and they were really worried about being over stimulated, so they triggered me too early, which compromised my egg quality. Since changing my diet and adding Metformin my ovaries are less polycystic. I think less polycystic ovaries would have made IVF stimming easier as with fewer follicles, there would have been less of a chance of over stimulation. So sometimes it's small things that help you along a bit, and maybe stack the odds a bit more in your favor. 

x


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## Efi78

I guess this last cycle has affected me too negatively.

Girls, can I have your opinion? I have multiple miscarriages as you can see from my profile. The doctor has suggested IVF with PGS. 
I now have two good quality blastos from first IVF and I am between transfering those without PGS or doing 3 cycle embryo batching with PGS. 

What would you do? Any opinions?


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## teammonkey

If I'd had multiple miscarriages I would definitely do the pgs. My embryo from when I was 32 looked perfect top grade hatched blastocyst, but still miscarried. With you having a few miscarriages & want that reassurance if it was me xx


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