# Can we choose how many frosties in each frozen batch?



## Rachel2 (Oct 3, 2004)

I am about to start our one and only ivf cycle and hope we will be lucky enough to get some frosties. Our fertility nurse said they freeze them in batches of around 4. I was hoping that if we had 4 we could have 2 lots of 2 so we'd have the option of 2 FETs if thawing was successful. Can you request this? Although we are at Chester, et and freezing will be done at Liverpool. Any advice please? x


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## ☼♥ Minxy ♥☼ © (Jan 13, 2005)

Hi

I've no idea whether you can request how your frosties are frozen. They use straws to freeze them in and then place in containers of liquid nitrogen

http://www.ivf-infertility.com/ivf/frozen2.php

Some clinics will only freeze a minimum number and then only in certain batch numbers....but there's no harm in asking.

Our clinic will only freeze top grade embies (because of the risks involved in thawing process and lower grades may not make it) and I think they'll only freeze if you have 3 or more (although I could be wrong here).

With our first IVF we got 4 grade 1's (day 2) embies frozen...if I remember correctly we had 2 in one straw and then 1 each in separate straws. When we had first FET, we requested they only thaw 2 at a time....2 survived thaw and we had them both transferred. 2nd FET, only 1 survived thaw so we had single embie transfer.

We've got 6 more frosties from our 2nd IVF (3x grade 1's and 3x grade 1-2's on day 3) and initially we thought we'd use over couple of FETs but have now been advised to thaw all 6 and try and take to blastocyst stage on day 5. I've no idea how many are in each straw.

Good luck for your IVF and fingers crossed any frosties will be for siblings !
Natasha

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## Rachel2 (Oct 3, 2004)

Thanks as always Natasha. I will definitely be asking more questions! It is too important to be just swept along with what 'usually' happens. I really hope that your 6 frosties contain your lucky one - or more. x


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## ☼♥ Minxy ♥☼ © (Jan 13, 2005)

Rachel2 said:


> Thanks as always Natasha. I will definitely be asking more questions! It is too important to be just swept along with what 'usually' happens. I really hope that your 6 frosties contain your lucky one - or more. x


I know what you mean. We've been lucky to get frosties on 2 of our 4 cycles (3rd IVF we had 2 transferred on day 3 and took remaining 6 to blastocysts but none were good enough to freeze......and then with our 4th IVF, we had 2 blastocysts transferred on day 5 but of the other 12 embies, most stopped at day 4 morula and the other 2 blastocysts weren't good enough to freeze either - if they had have been, this is when they'd freeze lower number at our clinic)......I've often wondered what would happen if we only had 2 "spare" embies and they would only freeze minimum 3, so would mean leaving those 2 potential beans to perish...we've never had to cross tha bridge and hope don't have to as think I'd be terribly upset after all we've been through.

I hope you get some frosties hun & are able to freeze how you want 

Take care
Natasha


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## acuna (Sep 10, 2008)

Hiya,

On my ICSI cysle we had 4 blastocysts to freeze. My clininc froze them all individually. On our frozen cycle we wanted two put back so we had two taken out. One didn't survive the thaw so the morning of transfer another one was taken out and that survived. We still have one left for another time.

At least if they freeze them separately you have all the choices that you want without any potentially when wasted.

Good luck


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## mountainlion (Aug 13, 2006)

They are your embryos, so most clinics will usually respect your wishes and freeze them in pairs or perhaps singularily if you ask.
We had our spare embryos frozen in pairs, and when the first pair was defrosted, they both survived. This resulted in a BFP. Interestingly all our frozen embryos were low grade and only 2 cell, but our first FET still worked. Several doctors I have spoken too, say too much emphasis is place on cell number and grade of embryos, and that if an embryo is placed correctly and wants to take, it will take what ever its grade etc.
Wishing ou all the best,
The Mountainlion family.


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## Rachel2 (Oct 3, 2004)

Thanks for replies. Seeing cons tomorrow and am going to specify how we want embryos frozen. Hope we don't have to argue our case too much as I hate things like that! x


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