Testing Testing - 1, 2 .... maybe 3!

Cycling has already begun - for K (IM) that is. This wasn't new territory for her, she'd been through it three times before, each time with "ok" results. IM doesn't respond the best to the meds taken to stimulate her ovaries so each of the prior retrievals resulted in only a couple embryos of transfer quality. Due to this the previous three IVF attempts - in which embryos were transferred to her - they transferred on Day 3. In an ideal situation embryos are allowed to "grow" to the Day 5 blastocysts stage and usually the two of the best quality are transferred. However, when dealing with a limited number of embryos the RE isn't able to pick & choose so the general rule is to put them back in their natural environment as soon as possible (Day 3) versus waiting to see what survives and which are strongest.

K&S and the RE decided to try a "test cycle". The game plan was to change up her med protocol a bit hoping for a better response - a greater number of oocytes - and to allow the resulting embies a chance to become blasts. This is to test the quality of the resulting embryos and see if we have a good chance in May at doing a fresh Day 5 transfer when IM and I cycle together. Any survivors from this "test cycle" were to be frozen and used for backup in the future if needed ... lil totsicles if you will.

So K underwent the egg retrieval procedure on Monday with the best results of any of her cycles to date - 10 oocytes retrieved. Out of the 10, 5 were mature and 4 fertilized. On Day 3, all four were growing stronger; there was one 4-cell, a 7-cell & two 8-cell - all with normal fragmentation. On Day 5 (today) they have two nice blasts - a 4AB and 3AB which will be vitrified. Another is at the morula stage and although they aren't expecting it to become anything, they aren't discounting it yet either. The fourth is only at 7-cells and is being discarded.

IM is sooooo excited!! She was keeping expectations low but was praying for one - at least one - that could be frozen and is super stoked that they have two and possibly even a third. So with this news the plan has changed a bit. Originally we were to cycle together in May but now we'll transfer the frozen embryos instead. K has been through 3 IVF cycles and now an additional ER all since April '10 so she's looking forward to taking a break from cycling for a bit. If the FET doesn't work we'll start over with fresh - but for now it's time for her body to rest.

So from here I'm not sure what our time line will be. Originally meds were to start late April and transfer end of May all because IM didn't want to jump into another ER so quickly. Now that cycling together is no longer the plan things may be changed - and even moved up - depending on when contracts are finished.

I'm excited that this could all get underway soon!!

Tiffany