IUI with 5 good follicles... chance of twins?

[Anonymous]

I was at SG and had an IUI with 8 good follicles. They let me proceed because the chances of success depend on so many factors -- your age, male factor, estradiol level. The estradiol level gives them some idea of how many mature eggs you will have (regardless of the size). We went ahead with our IUI, and got a BFN.

I consulted this article when making the decision and found it to be very helpful: http://humrep.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/reprint/16/10/2124

[Anonymous]

What is BFN?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is BFN?

Big fat negative. (Another word could be substituted for "fat," depending on your state of mind ) 8)

[Anonymous]

My first cycle was cancelled at SG...On CD9, with Clomid 100 and one shot of gonal-f, I had 11 mature follicles! I was immediately put on BC AND told to abstain.... they were quite surprised.. Now I'm being monitored much closer

[Anonymous]

My first cycle was cancelled at SG...On CD9, with Clomid 100 and one shot of gonal-f, I had 11 mature follicles! I was immediately put on BC AND told to abstain.... they were quite surprised.. Now I'm being monitored much closer

I'm 18:53. My dr was also extremely surprised at my response to that same protocol. I guess I'm wondering, if it happens repeatedly, why are they so surprised? Shouldn't they start off at a lower dose? I'm still bitter about taking all those meds for nothing and wasting a cycle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

My first cycle was cancelled at SG...On CD9, with Clomid 100 and one shot of gonal-f, I had 11 mature follicles! I was immediately put on BC AND told to abstain.... they were quite surprised.. Now I'm being monitored much closer

I'm 18:53. My dr was also extremely surprised at my response to that same protocol. I guess I'm wondering, if it happens repeatedly, why are they so surprised? Shouldn't they start off at a lower dose? I'm still bitter about taking all those meds for nothing and wasting a cycle.

14:54 here, Yes..one would think that they would be a tad more conservative..especially on the first cycle..but that is apparently the protocol they start most at there..doesnt make sense to me, but I guess they have their reasons.. Yes, I was very upset also, that I took all those meds and couldnt even benefit from it!

[Anonymous]

OP here. I thought I'd circle back to share my good news. We went ahead with the IUI and ended up getting a BFP! This morning, we went for our first U/S and saw a beautiful single sac. No multiples for us, but we were definitely preparing ourselves for twins should that have been the case. Boy, I wasn't expecting this experience to be so stressful, but I'm feeling oh so good about things at the moment. I wish everyone on this board much luck with your experiences, your decisions, and hopefully successes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I thought I'd circle back to share my good news. We went ahead with the IUI and ended up getting a BFP! This morning, we went for our first U/S and saw a beautiful single sac. No multiples for us, but we were definitely preparing ourselves for twins should that have been the case. Boy, I wasn't expecting this experience to be so stressful, but I'm feeling oh so good about things at the moment. I wish everyone on this board much luck with your experiences, your decisions, and hopefully successes.

Congratulations! What a great gift!

[Anonymous]

I just did IUI, and am alittle nervous!! After the dr did the insemination, I told him what he thought about the 5 big follicles I had, and he went to check my file. He was surprised I reacted so well with the Femara I took....but I felt that he realized alittle too late that there was so many follicles. He put me on pregesterone suppositories and advised me that if I am pregnant to do an early ultrasound. Should I be worried about triplets or more???? I realize what is done is done, and I am ready to handle it, but has anyone had a similar situation?

thanks

[Anonymous]

PP, it depends a lot on your age. If you are late 30s or older, it's unlikely that all 5 of those follicles contained healthy eggs that are capable of fertilizing and developing normally. If you're in your 20s or early 30s, going ahead with 5 is more risky for multiples.

[Anonymous]

I had two good follicles and am now pregnant with twins. Personally, I would not do a IUI with 5 follicles. But obviously I don't know your personal circumstance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just did IUI, and am alittle nervous!! After the dr did the insemination, I told him what he thought about the 5 big follicles I had, and he went to check my file. He was surprised I reacted so well with the Femara I took....but I felt that he realized alittle too late that there was so many follicles. He put me on pregesterone suppositories and advised me that if I am pregnant to do an early ultrasound. Should I be worried about triplets or more???? I realize what is done is done, and I am ready to handle it, but has anyone had a similar situation?

thanks

I'm shocked he did the procedure without knowing your status first! For now, just wait and see what happens. Nothing else you can do.

[Anonymous]

I'm shocked he did the procedure without knowing your status first! For now, just wait and see what happens. Nothing else you can do.

I find it surprising too. Don't all RE's check follicles first and then determine whether to proceed? Otherwise what is the point of monitoring? (I know it's to time the trigger & IUI, but it's also to make sure it's ok to go ahead with an IUI.)

However, to counter the PP w/ 2 follicles and twins, it's entirely possible to have 5 big follicles and not get pregnant at all. I also respond really well to the drugs and had my first cycle cancelled for overstimulation (too many follicles). The 2nd cycle I had 4 follicles and they let me go ahead, after giving me the selective reduction talk, and I ended up with a BFN. This cycle I had 5 and they let me go ahead. I'm only a few days past the IUI but I have a feeling this one didn't work either. BUT, I believe going ahead with 5 this time made sense for me in light of my history: I have gotten pregnant really quickly/easily in the past (3 times, & never had to TTC longer than 2 cycles), we've currently been trying for one year with no success, my IUI with 4 follicles was a BFN, and I'm 39, so I probably do not have nearly as many good quality eggs as I had 5 years ago - if I did, I almost certainly would have gotten pregnant by now. The RE didn't feel the risk of multiples was that high for me with 5 follicles this time given all of that - there's really no chance that all 5 of them have good eggs. We will be lucky if even one was good, and of course one good egg + IUI doesn't guarantee a pregnancy.

So maybe there's something else in your history that led your doctor not to be concerned with checking your follicle count before proceeding with IUI?

[Anonymous]

Thank you so much for your responses. At the clinic I am going to, there is different doctors doing different things. There is one dr who did the ultrasound, then another who did the insemination, and the OBGYN. I have had 2 natural pregancies over 5 yrs ago, but since my second child I wasn't able to conceive. I did have endometriosis which they removed some. This was my 3rd insemination, so who knows it might not take. The other 2 times, I was on clomid and there was 2-3 follicles, which didn;t take. Well, time will tell. thanks for your support!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I'm shocked he did the procedure without knowing your status first! For now, just wait and see what happens. Nothing else you can do.

I find it surprising too. Don't all RE's check follicles first and then determine whether to proceed? Otherwise what is the point of monitoring? (I know it's to time the trigger & IUI, but it's also to make sure it's ok to go ahead with an IUI.)

However, to counter the PP w/ 2 follicles and twins, it's entirely possible to have 5 big follicles and not get pregnant at all. I also respond really well to the drugs and had my first cycle cancelled for overstimulation (too many follicles). The 2nd cycle I had 4 follicles and they let me go ahead, after giving me the selective reduction talk, and I ended up with a BFN. This cycle I had 5 and they let me go ahead. I'm only a few days past the IUI but I have a feeling this one didn't work either. BUT, I believe going ahead with 5 this time made sense for me in light of my history: I have gotten pregnant really quickly/easily in the past (3 times, & never had to TTC longer than 2 cycles), we've currently been trying for one year with no success, my IUI with 4 follicles was a BFN, and I'm 39, so I probably do not have nearly as many good quality eggs as I had 5 years ago - if I did, I almost certainly would have gotten pregnant by now. The RE didn't feel the risk of multiples was that high for me with 5 follicles this time given all of that - there's really no chance that all 5 of them have good eggs. We will be lucky if even one was good, and of course one good egg + IUI doesn't guarantee a pregnancy.

So maybe there's something else in your history that led your doctor not to be concerned with checking your follicle count before proceeding with IUI?

I'm the PP with two follicles and twins on the way. You're right. You could have several follicles and still get a BFN. But, for me, I wouldn't risk it, b/c I know I couldn't/wouldn't reduce. Anyway, good luck to you!