# Does Egg Share reduce your own chances at IVF?



## maybenow (Oct 12, 2011)

Trying to decide whether or not we would go to egg share. Money is a major issue for us but although I have a low amh of 4.7, I am currently on medicated cycles with TSI producing up to 12 follicles per cycle/
Im wondering, does egg shre basically half your chances of successful ivf? Should I only consider it if I produce a good amount of eggs?? like how many?
Any help is greatly appreciated ladies. xx


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## Vega (Jun 12, 2011)

Hi!

*Chance per cycle*

I would say egg share can reduce your chances of success *per cycle * if you are not procuding that many eggs, which is why clinics normally ask for at least 8 eggs in a cycle to share (4 for you 4 for recipient).

The reason IVF overstimulates to produce a large number of eggs is that many eggs produced will not be able to develop into a viable pregnancy. Depending on your age, around 75% of eggs will be chromosomally abnormal and unable to develop (fewer abnormal eggs the younger you are and more the older you are, which is why younger women often conceive faster and have a lower risk of miscarriage).

The reason clinics usually have a criteria that you produce at least 8 eggs to share is so there is a good chance of you each getting one viable embryo from your half of the eggs ie 25% of 4 = 1 healthy embryo.

The eggs will be distibuted on a random basis so there is obviously also a chance that one person gets 2 viable embryos and one gets none if you had 75% viable. The number of viable embies produced may also be less than the average number ie you may get 8 eggs and only 1 viable embie as some may be immature or have a higher abnormality rate than normal.

For example when I shared we obtained 14 eggs (I'm 28, AMH 16.0, follicle count 23, FSH 2.0 & 7.0). Of my 7, 4 fertilised. By day 3 we had a 1 cell grade 4, a 3 cell grade 3, a 5 cell grade 2/3 and 7 cell grade 1/2. I had the 5 cell and 7 cell returned and am now pregnant with a singleton. The other 2 were unsuitable for freezing so no frosties. This was obviously a fantastic result given I am pregnant  but it was quite a low ferilisation rate, although we didn't use ICSI. My recipient unfortunately got a BFN  but I am unaware what their embies were like, and she may have had other conditions ie immune issues/male factor issues.

What I am trying to say is the more eggs you produce the more chance of getting one that implants! So giving half away if you don't have many will clearly reduce the chances of success on that cycle. As explained above the clinic have determined the cut off for a decent chance of success for both parties at 8 eggs.

*Overall chance of succss*

However having said for all that egg sharing may give you a greater OVERALL chance of success even if you have a reduced number of eggs. For example you basically get 3 or 4 ES rounds for the price of one non egg share round. Your chance of a successful pregancy may be for example halfed if you share and have only 8 eggs, but you get 3/4 goes for the same price which would actually increase your overall chance of success if you could then afford/be prepared to go through that number of rounds.

*Your personal results*

The clinic would assess the likelihood of you producing the required 8 eggs if you applied to egg share. Your AMH is on the low side at 4.7 as I think your AMH often needs to be higher than aroung 8 or 9 to share. However the clinic would also look at you follicle count which usually needs to be around 12 (as not every follicle will have an egg in it) so on this score you look ok. Your FSH also looks fine at 8.0 as I think they generally ask for < 10. You are also relatively young so you should be producing a decent number of chromosomally normal eggs (around 25%). I also think one low result wouldn't necessarily preclude you from donating, the clinic should make a rounded assessment based on all factors.

Sorry if I have overloaded you with info but hope its helped!

xxx


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## maybenow (Oct 12, 2011)

Vega thanks so much! xx


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