Calling all MFI sufferers - should we try IVF again?

[Anonymous]

Help me DCUM. I'm facing that impossible question of whether to move forward with IVF to try for #2.

MFI/PCOS diagnosis, several IUIs and one IVF which resulted in DC1.
2 years later got pregnant naturally for the first time ever. Miscarried at 17w, testing inconclusive.

The pregnancy threw me for a loop. Now there is a part of me that thinks, if it happened once it can happen again! But my more logical side thinks that statistically it may take a very long time, or possibly never happen. All told we have been "trying" for 5 years and this is the only pregnancy I've had occur naturally.

I am 33 so technically have some time I guess. The question is should we continue to try on our own or just move forward with the IVF?? I know this is an impossible question but perspectives are welcome.

[Anonymous]

Are you on anything for PSOS?

How bad is the MFI? Do you have a copy of a recent sperm analysis?

[Anonymous]

Re: PCOS - no. It is a mild case. I am ovulating regularly now.

Re: MFI, here are the latest stats:

Vol 2.8ML
Concentration 27million
Motility 48% (up from 15% 3 yrs ago)
Total motile 36 mill (up from 10M right before we did IVF#1)
Morphology 1%

[Anonymous]

I would do everything I could with supplements at least. Vitamin D for pcos, perhaps even Metformin. Try acupuncture with someone who specializes in fertility.

Put dh on Fertilaid for Men. Make sure he's not riding a bike, no hot tubs, no devices on his lap or front pockets. Any other meds he's on? Strange things can impact his side, acne meds, anything.

These are things that could help, whether you do IVF or keep trying on your own.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Re: PCOS - no. It is a mild case. I am ovulating regularly now.

Re: MFI, here are the latest stats:

Vol 2.8ML
Concentration 27million
Motility 48% (up from 15% 3 yrs ago)
Total motile 36 mill (up from 10M right before we did IVF#1)
Morphology 1%

12:05 PP. You would likely benefit from being on a low to moderate dose metformin, insist on it. I have subclinical PSOS with marginal insulin resistance and it did great things for me.

Your husband's numbers seem very decent - try on your own maybe a few months? I would not jump straight to IVF again.

[Anonymous]

OP here, Thank you for the tips on metformin! I think you're probably right. I had GD while pregnant even though I am not overweight and gained very little; so clearly I have an underlying insulin resistance.

DH's counts improved significantly after getting a varicocele repair which we really did not expect. Prior to that he was in the "severe" category but now I think we have a decent chance (and clearly, it worked once!!).

[Anonymous]

We are MFI, but we have embryos banked (had a successful FET). So going back is super easy for us. I would totally go through IVF again if I wanted another one and had to start from scratch.

[Anonymous]

regardless of what you do, i would have your husband on vitamin, ubiquinol, and l-carnitine if he's not already. the research on l-carnitine for MF is pretty impressive.

[Anonymous]

OP again. We have a couple of frozen embryos from the first cycle so it wouldn't be a full blown IVF. I know FETs are supposed to be "easy" but still involve lots of injections, not to mention lots of $$. I get the sense our RE is pushing us to do the FET just because it's the simplest course of action for them.

Sounds like I need to stock DH up on vitamins.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP again. We have a couple of frozen embryos from the first cycle so it wouldn't be a full blown IVF. I know FETs are supposed to be "easy" but still involve lots of injections, not to mention lots of $$. I get the sense our RE is pushing us to do the FET just because it's the simplest course of action for them.

Sounds like I need to stock DH up on vitamins.

Statistically, FET has a greater chance at success than IUIs. However, if your MFI improved it's worth while trying least expensive/complicated options first.