# Back-to-back IVF cycles



## Rosalind73 (Apr 25, 2012)

Hi, just wondering if anyone has done an IVF cycle, then gone straight on to doing another one with no break at all, i.e. when they got their next period?

If my body allows (i.e. I have no ovarian cyst) I'm thinking about doing that in a week or so's time, but wondering if it's a good idea in terms of whether the next cycle will be fruitful or not.

My AFC has always seemed to be a bit lower following a cycle with drugs (when I've tried to do IUIs back to back - so with lower doses of stims), so I worry I wouldn't be maximising my chances in terms of number of follicles. But I'm wondering if there's any scientific evidence to back this up (that our ovaries respond better after a bit of a break from stims) or whether it's just been coincidence in my case.

For info, the cycle I've just done was a freeze-all so I didn't have an embryo transfer (but I did have EC). I wanted to bank the few embryos that I produced (I have low AMH) to amass enough to do genetic testing on the batch of embryos from that and my next cycle. 

My consultant seems to think it's okay, but other doctors have said it's the trauma of egg collection that you need to worry about if anything. However not sure how having your ovaries perforated impacts on their ability to produce follicles the following month.

Would be grateful for anyone's thoughts.


----------



## Altai (Aug 18, 2013)

Hi Rosalind

I've done 3 back to back ivf cycles  so far and now planning  my 4th once get af anytime this  week. 
But I am doing mini ivf (or so called japanese mini ivf)  not full stim. 
And I had fresh transfers from previous 3 cycles , which were all supposed to be embryo banking. Most  likely same will happen this cycle. 
The clinics (I've done in various clinics) said its fine to do back to back as long as your ovaries bounced back well at the end of the cycle. 
My baseline afc was better for cycle n 3 with more eggs retrieved as a result. For my first "embryo banking" cycle  I had lowest  n of follicles after almost 4 months break. 

but I think it's all individual or varies from month to month irrespective of ivf. 

Good luck with your next cycle.


----------



## Rosalind73 (Apr 25, 2012)

Hi Altai,

Good to hear from you and thanks for your thoughts.

Very interesting that you did better on your third of three back-to-back cycles. I've read about the hangover effect of taking DHEA and doing stims here:

https://www.centerforhumanreprod.com/services/discountprograms/multiplecycle/

But not sure what doses of stims the above clinic uses.

I know with Japanese IVF it's perfectly acceptable to do back-to-back cycling (as you are not driving your ovaries that hard in the first place) but I was more wondering about IVF cycles with full dose stims as I'm planning to do another conventional IVF again.

Just out of interest, when you say clinics say it's fine as long as your ovaries bounce back at the end - how do they know they have? Are they going by having a good AFC at the beginning of your next cycle? And does that necessarily mean that your ovaries will respond well to the stims even if there are an acceptable number of follicles there? That's amazing that it worked for you in cycle number 3 but I wonder if the same would apply with normal IVF.

Also, have the clinics who've mentioned no break is okay been talking about mini IVF only? I.e. not full IVF?

Very best of luck with your next one. You're well overdue some good luck now.

xxx

/links


----------



## mross (Jul 10, 2012)

Hi rosalind,

I've always been encouraged to do back to back cycles but have allowed a couple of periods in between.  I did long protocol fresh then long protocol frozen twice.  I was ready to go again but some nurses advised not on medical grounds but perhaps have a good break, for me this was the best thing I could have done.  I had a break of 12 months and then did a fresh cycle August last year, and currently 28 weeks pregnant.  I think it depends how you feel, I think it's good to take time out in between cycles and give your body a good chance to settle down.  We went straight into the frozen cycles after the fresh because we miscarried and I was convinced that this would mean I was going to be most fertile, I was so scared to take a break in case it had a negative effect but it seemed to be just what I needed.  Good luck xx


----------



## Altai (Aug 18, 2013)

Rosalind,

I think the clinics meant mini ivf as they said the total amount of fsh meds I was on was low. I did 2 mini combos and one femara only.
They looked at my baseline scan report. 

Are you at Lister? They seem to be ok with back to back full stim ivf.

Good luck to you too.


----------



## Rosalind73 (Apr 25, 2012)

Hi Altai,

Yes I'm at the Lister and my doc was the one who suggested it. 

I just wondered if there was anyone who has actually done back-to-back full IVF and if so how it turned out?

x


----------

