help! the lab messed up our PGD results!

[Anonymous]

We were planning to do a FET after PGD, but the lab completely screwed up. Apparently there was something wrong with one of the chemicals, and they weren't able to get any results at all. I'm 41, husband is 43, no problems other than advanced maternal age. Our first IVF ended with a trisomy. This was IVF #2. We are very scared of multiples, so we wanted to do a single embryo transfer, and for that reason we really needed this PGD. After the first IVF failed I spent three months pounding down the COQ10 and going to acupuncture faithfully. I was so relieved when we got 4 embryos. I thought, now I've done everything I could do, and in a few weeks we'll know for sure. Well, so much for trying to be in control.

So now our options are either to do a RE-BIOPSY, which would mean thawing the embryos for 24 hours, taking another biopsy and rushing the test in time for us to do a transfer the next day, and refreezing any extra normal embryos. But in addition to the stress of the extra thaw and refreeze, there's a possibility that the embryos could "overdevelop" to the point where they already start hatching and can no longer implant. I don't see how this can be a good idea. I feel that right now the embryos are safe, and although we have lost information, there has been no material damage. We are basically in the situation of anyone who didn't do a PGD. But doing a re-biopsy could actually damage the embryos.

But the other option is to transfer without biopsy, which could mean miscarriage after miscarriage. If none of them are normal, we might be looking at a year spent having miscarriages, after which it would probably be too late to try another IVF, as I doubt I would have any good eggs left at that point.

This experience has really rattled me. Up until now, I was handling all of this with equanimity. Any advice or thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

[Anonymous]

I'm so sorry OP.

I think given your situation I would go straight to another fresh cycle and ask your clinic to eat the difference between a fresh and a FET cycle (i.e., you pay as if you're doing the FET).

Also, have you considered doing CCS 5-day embryo testing? It's significantly more accurate than PGD.

[Anonymous]

Not to sound harsh, but at 41 the chances of those embryos resulting in a healthy pregnancy of multiples is slim. I agree with you that re-biopsying them could cause more damage than good. Did the clinic goof? If yes, I would ask them to do the FET gratis. If they don't stick, put the next 2 in the next month. There is no way I would drag out doing eSET with those embryos.

Good luck and I'm so sorry this happened to you.

[Anonymous]

You overestimate the value of PGD.

[Anonymous]

12:48, I think what we are doing is CCS. Our clinic doesn't call it that, but it's 24-array testing of the 5-day blastocyst.

13:34, you're probably right. It's just a hard pill to swallow, as PGD seemed to be such a rational response to our situation.

15:03, what do you mean? Could you please elaborate on why you think so?

Thanks for the responses, everyone.
OP

[Anonymous]

Hi OP, I would be extremely upset (livid really) if I were you so I hope you find a zen solution. If it helps, to tag on to another poster, I just did a FET with 2 non-pgd day 5embryos and was very afraid of multiples also due to pre-term labor in my first pregnancy with a singleton. My RE said that he had never had a patient my age, also 41, transfer 2 and have twins, so I went for it. Both embryos did actually take but one was a blighted ovum and the other is progressing smoothly so far.

I would either go for 2 or do as another poster suggested if you can stomach it, and ask for a complimentary new IVF cycle. Freezing and refreezing would scare me.

Good luck with everything.

[Anonymous]

Not 15:03, but PGD and CCS are two different ways to test an embryo and your clinic shouldn't use the terms interchangeably. PGD is testing 3-day embryos and has not been shown to improve pregnancy rates in couples who do not have a specific, identified genetic issue. CCS (sometimes called CGH) tests 5-day embryos (and the sample is actually taken from the cells that become the placenta...pretty cool) and the pregnancy rates are significantly higher and miscarriage rates are significantly lower.

[Anonymous]

Hi there- I am 42 and just did a freeze all cycle with PGD testing with Natera. (All 23 pairs of chromosomes). Out of the sixteen eggs retrieved, ten fertilized and six grew to blast stage. My initial report was no normal, two without enough DNA to test. I was devastated as you can imagine.

after conversations with my RE and the genetics at Natera, a rebiopsy was done at no charge. Those remaining two? Perfectly normal embryos that will go back as part of a FET cycle.

Best of luck. after multiple failed Iui and two IF, I needed to see if I had any good eggs left.

(ments- i do have a 3 yr old conceived via IUI at 39)

[Anonymous]

This is similar to my question on thawing and refreezing (it's another thread)--except that my embryos are from a younger donor, but still led to on m/c for me and for another couple.

The responses here have been helpful. Especially about the rebiopsy by Natera--mine would not be a rebiopsy, but a thaw, refreeze, then subsequent thaw for transfer of any normals--out of 5, from a 30 year old donor, I do expect more than one normal for eSET. And expect that the embryos will tolerate the stress better. I still haven't decided, and I don't have the donor's testing back but reading other's experiences really helps.

OP, if I were your age, I would just put them in, maybe 2 at a time if they're blasts, or do another retrieval, bank more embryos, and then retest. I am thinking of testing because the rate of implantation for donor eggs is so much higher, but if my risks were that of a 41 year old, despite a miscarriage risk (which I also had with OE), at this point I may go for it rather than stress out 41-year old eggs further. If they weren't blasts, I'd even say put in all 4 at once but with blasts that may be too many even at 41.

Regardless, the lab/your clinic owes you financial compensation/restitution for the screw up. These are life and death matters. Do you mind telling us whose lab screwed up? It may influence my decision on whether to test if it's Shady Grove's.

[Anonymous]

21:43, I also would like to test my embryos at Natera, when they did the re-biopsy, what did they say about the risk of thawing and refreezing?

And kudos on getting two normal embryos at 42! You produce eggs like a champ.

[Anonymous]

21:43 here again-

The geneticist at Natera led me to believe that the rethawing/testing would not be significant. (FYI- I used DS with my old eggs...) After two failed IVF cycles and one failed FET, I would rather have a setback in the form of no "normals" then have a miscarriage. At my age, that would seem like both additional heartache AND delay.

With my low FSH and age considerations, statistics from Natera indicated that with 4 embryos to test, there is a 26% chance for each one to be viable. With a total of four to be analysed, there is a 70% chance that one will be viable and an 28% likelihood of two being normal.

My decision at this point if this does NOT work is whether or not to proceed with donor egg- or decide that my family is complete with one super beloved child.

[Anonymous]

OP here--thanks for the comments, everyone. We're still going back and forth. Yesterday we were leaning toward transferring multiples, today we are leaning toward re-biopsy. Believe it or not, the clinic actually wants to CHARGE us for the testing and biopsy. They're saying they will do the re-testing and re-biopsy for free, but that's not the same thing at all! I think this is outrageous, but they seem to believe that if you sign up for testing, this is one of the possible outcomes.

16:00, thanks for the kind words, and all my best wishes for your pregnancy.

21:43, thanks so much for sharing your story--it really helps to know that others have gone through what feels like an absurd situation. Congratulations on those two normal embryos, and good luck with the FET!

Good luck, everyone.

[Anonymous]

Best of luck to OP. After everything you've been through, you do your best, and then --- ugh. And charging - to add insult to injury!

Would you mind sharing the name of the lab? I'm looking to do PGD, but it's a lot, and I want to make sure my expectations are realistic.

[Anonymous]

I'd also be interested in the name of the lab, as I'd like to avoid going there, if I get a choice of labs.

[Anonymous]

16:29 and 12:41, I'm hesitant to identify the clinic or the lab publicly, as I do need to maintain a good relationship with these people. It would be easy for them to identify me from what I've written given the uniqueness of the situation, and these are the people who have our embryos, after all. I will just note that we are not working with Shady Grove, or with Natera.

Despite what happened with us, I still think PGD/CCS is a good option if you are afraid of multiples. And what are the chances of this kind of thing happening--one in a million?