# Do I have egg quality issues?



## Bumbo83 (Dec 11, 2017)

Hello all

Hope I'm posting in the right place. 
I am worried I have egg quality issues but consultant is dismissing this.

A little background:

We're both mid-30s
Ttc over 5 years
I have immune issues
Amh 24
Husband's tests all normal including dna fragmentation

2016 - 7 months of immune treatment (steroids) whilst naturally ttc with ovarian stimulation drugs. No positives

2016 - iui with steroids and intralipids. Bfn

2017 - ivf #1 long protocol. Steroids and intralipids. 6 eggs collected, 3 fertilised, day 3 transfer of average quality embryos and 2 replaced. Bfn

2017 - ivf #2 short protocol. Sterioids and ivig. 19 eggs collected, 11 fertilised, by day 3 only had 3 embryos left. Went to day 5, 1 average blastocyst and 2 morullas. 2 replaced. Bfn

2018 - ivf#3 short protocol. Taking DHEA, Ubiquinol and human growth hormone for egg quality. 11 eggs collected, only 4 mature and 0 fertilised!

How can I find out if I have egg quality issues? And what else can I do? Clinic are saying I probably don't have egg quality issues but I am convinced I do!

Thanks


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## Miss Sunshine22 (Mar 12, 2013)

Hi Bumbo, 

Sorry to hear about your failed cycles. Have you had your FSH measured? This can also provide an indicator of egg quality. An AMH of 24 is quite good, which may be why your clinic say you don't have egg quality issues. 

However, I agree with what you say, that only three day 3 embryos left out of 11 on your IVF2 does show a large drop off and could indicate an egg quality problem. What is interesting,  is that you have had massively different egg numbers on each of your egg collections, which suggests to me that your clinic may not have found the best protocol for you. On your IVF3, the fact that only 4 of your eggs were mature out of 11 also suggests that they either did EC too soon or the protocol wasn't the best one for you. 

Has your clinic offered any alternative explanations as to why you had only 4 mature and no fertilisation on your last collection? 

I agree with you that something seems "off" with how your cycles have gone, but you have had such widely differing results each time that my feeling is that it could also be due to the protocol not being great for you as well. 

I hope you find some answers.


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## Bumbo83 (Dec 11, 2017)

Thank you Miss Sunshine22  

I am just so frustrated that we've had 3 cycles and they're still experimenting with the drugs and protocol, especially as I think this will be the last one we'll be able to afford!

Consultants recommended IVF#4 is long protocol, as #2 and #3 both had dominant follicles. 

Consultant explained that 5 were germinal vesicles, 2 immature and 4 mature. He said it's just "one of those things" and that every cycle is different and they have no way of knowing until after EC re maturity.

I think they have measured FSH so I will have to ask for my results. Do you know when the results indicate poor egg quality?

Thank you for your help xxx


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## miamiamo (Aug 9, 2015)

Do you know the reason why your IVF-s failed? Because of immune issues?


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## Miss Sunshine22 (Mar 12, 2013)

Hi Bumbo

Sorry for taking so long to reply. From memory, an FSH below 10 is considered acceptable for IVF, the lower the number, the better, i.e. an FSH of 4 is better than FSH of 8.

It does sound really frustrating that they are still trying to find the best protocol for you. I hope the next cycle if the one for you xx


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## Bumbo83 (Dec 11, 2017)

miamiamo said:


> Do you know the reason why your IVF-s failed? Because of immune issues?


Hi Miamiamo, every single time I have been told it's bad luck!


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## Bumbo83 (Dec 11, 2017)

Miss Sunshine22 said:


> Hi Bumbo
> 
> Sorry for taking so long to reply. From memory, an FSH below 10 is considered acceptable for IVF, the lower the number, the better, i.e. an FSH of 4 is better than FSH of 8.
> 
> It does sound really frustrating that they are still trying to find the best protocol for you. I hope the next cycle if the one for you xx


Thank you! I forgot to find out about my FSH, I will email them right now before I forget again!

Thank you so much, I hope so too..... I just can't believe just how long and how much (energy, strength, money, time, etc) it's taking to start a family! xxx


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## miamiamo (Aug 9, 2015)

> Hi Miamiamo, every single time I have been told it's bad luck!


If a doc told me that it's bad luck, I would personally consider changing a doc or a clinic.


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## HopingAndPraying (Mar 28, 2013)

Bumbo , I Was always told that if the embryo struggles between day 1-3 it's an egg quality issue, if you have good embryos say on day 3 but they deteriorate between day 3-5 it's the sperm that is the issue as that's when the sperm DNA kicks in .

Like you i had a good AMH and always produced good numbers but they were always fragmented on day 2 it wa gutting so was told egg quality was an issue. 

I hope you get the right protocol that gets the best from your eggs 

Wishing you all the very best xxxxx


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## Efi78 (Jun 26, 2017)

Hi Bumbo83

It actually feels that you may have a clinic issue. Maybe worth changing?


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