IVF Success States- Transfer 1 or 2

[Anonymous]

Shady Grove says that success rates (being pregnant, period) for transferring one or two embryos is the same-- in other words, the only thing that changes if you transfer 1 embryo v. 2 is the chance of multiples. Is this really true? It seems like women who are advised to transfer only one embryo have a greater chance of pregnancy, overall, than women who are advised to transfer 2+ -- does this explain the comparable success rates?

Does it matter how old you are? I am almost 35.

[Anonymous]

We transferred two- have twins. If your doc thinks you'd be as successful with one as two, I'd go with him/her rather than risk multiples. (and yes of course I love my twins)

[Anonymous]

I'm pretty sure the equal success rates are only for blastocyst transfers (not for 3 day transfers) and are for situations when the blastocysts are of excellent quality. I know how hard it is, but I would trust your RE's judgment. Going into IVF #1, our RE really pushed an elective single blastocyst transfer. In the end, at Day 5, none of the embryos had made it to blastocyst stage and we were pushed to a Day 6 transfer. This was a weekend day and our RE was not the RE working that day. The RE working recommended we transfer 2, since the quality was not great, but we stuck to the transfer of one and had a BFN.

With cycle #2, we discussed different scenarios with our RE. If we did a 3 day transfer, we would transfer 2, if we did a 5 day and the embryos had become blastocysts and were of good quality, we would transfer one. If we dd a 6 day transfer because of embryos that were slow to grow to blasts, we would transfer 2. We ended up that cycle with a 3 day transfer of 2 embryos and now have one 4-month old child.

[Anonymous]

I think it must depend on history, diagnosis, and age (since the guidelines vary by age). And blasts vs. 3day as already mentioned.

We transferred three 3-day embryos (after 3 prior failures - 13 embryos total transferred) and had a singleton

Then we transferred 2 blasts for a FET and I'm pregnant with a singleton

These are both from my 34yo eggs & diagnosis was endometriosis...

[Anonymous]

If it's a three- or six- day transfer, the chances of a positive test are increased by transferring more than one embryo? We don't want the risks associated with twins but at the same time of course we want a positive test... and then again of course the only way to have only one is to transfer only one (and yes I know even then it can split). What I am hearing is that the 1 v. 2 question may only be the case when the embryos are of great, blastocyst quality?

[Anonymous]

On our first IVF, we transferred one top grade day five blast and got a negative. On the second cycle we transferred two top grade blasts on day six and got a positive with a singleton. I am 33 and our issue is male factor. The doctors at SGF gave us the same stats that you've been given. We didn't want twins but also didn't want another negative, so that's why we decided to go with two on the second IVF (and our doctor recommended that we transfer two that time).

[Anonymous]

The stats showing the same percentage positive pregnancy is for a blast transfer. If you transfer on day 3, SG recommends transferring two even if you are under 35. That said, with my first cycle, we decided to transfer one anyway (on day 3) because the SART recommendations are for considering a eSET for all women under 35 going through their first cycle. if you look at the stats for a day 3 transfer, transferring two embryos increases your chance of pregnancy - but your chances of getting pregnant with a singleton actually go down. it's something like: transfer 1: 30% chance of pregnancy and 1% chance of twins, transfer 2: 50% chance of pregnancy but a 30% chance of twins (so only a 20% chance of a singleton).

Good luck with whatever you decide!!!

[Anonymous]

Transferred one natural cycle IVF day 5 blast, pregnant with singleton.

[Anonymous]

Thanks! Where 10:03, where are you finding the stats you mentioned? Are similar stats available for Day IV?

[Anonymous]

Hi, this is an intersting thread. Is it the same all-or-nothing situation if you are in the 35-38 category? Does it matter if you put back one or two in this age range if you prefer singleton or is putting back two just mean you have a higher chance of twins?

[Anonymous]

10:02 here -- I got those stats from SG (from my RE, Dr Widra) but Dr Frankfurter at GW gave me similar stats. The number to transfer is a tough call. For my first cyce, DH and I decided we'd rather not get pregnant than get pregnant with twins so we transfered one embryo on day 3 (I did not have enough to go to Day 5). By my 4th cycle, we had switched to Cornell and it would have been tough for us to go back again so we decided to be more aggressive. we transferred two, 8-celled embryos on day 3 and I am now pregnant with twins. Even though I'm now excited about twins, I am glad that I wasn't aggressive from the beginning. Twin pregnancies are risky and hard -- I would have had trouble forgiving myself if I'd be aggressive from the start and I had gotten pregnant with twins and something had gone wrong. That said, it's always such a tough call since each cycle is so brutal and each BFN is so devastating. plus it was easier for us to be conservative with the transfers because we were in shared risk at SG so we didn't have $$$$ on the line.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The stats showing the same percentage positive pregnancy is for a blast transfer. If you transfer on day 3, SG recommends transferring two even if you are under 35. That said, with my first cycle, we decided to transfer one anyway (on day 3) because the SART recommendations are for considering a eSET for all women under 35 going through their first cycle. if you look at the stats for a day 3 transfer, transferring two embryos increases your chance of pregnancy - but your chances of getting pregnant with a singleton actually go down. it's something like: transfer 1: 30% chance of pregnancy and 1% chance of twins, transfer 2: 50% chance of pregnancy but a 30% chance of twins (so only a 20% chance of a singleton).

Good luck with whatever you decide!!!

My RE at SG gave me similar stats for the 3 day transfer, but you're right - they're not available on the Web like the one versus two blast transfer stats are.