RE specializing in getting embryo to implant?
![[Post New]](/jforum/templates/default/images/icon_minipost_new.gif){kind=icon}
Anonymous
| Have tried NCIVF and IVF and have gotten 2 embryos but the do not implant. Has anyone worked with an RE who changes the protocol to best address the implantation issue? |
Anonymous
| If you're in DC region, try Tortoriello at SIRM in NYC. |
Anonymous
| Have you done an ERA? Over a number of cycles we put back 7 blasts (untested) supported with PIO shots but I never got pregnant. This summer I had an ERA that showed the embryos put back on day 5 were going in one day too early. We have 2 more frozen blasts and this month I am starting one last fresh retrieval to give this new information its best chance to succeed. When they gave me the results to the ERA they said they felt it was a good answer bc "it allows them to try something new." |
Anonymous
I have not done an ERA, I will look into it. What practice are you going to? I have been going to Dominion, but honestly am not thrilled with their communication (or lack thereof). Thanks! |
Anonymous
| Are these PGS tested embryos? If so, definitely try ERA. If not it’s not surprising that genetically abnormal embryos do not implant. |
Anonymous
I think it's unfair to assume that the embryo is genetically abnormal just because it didn't implant. There could be a host of issues at play. |
Anonymous
| if these are fresh embryos, then you may want to try to freeze them and wait until your next cycle to do a FET. The IVF meds you took for the regular IVF cycle may be causing implantation issues. FETs are also statistically more successful. |
Anonymous
It's not unfair. It's the most likely reason. |
Anonymous
I am pp and am actually getting treated at Penn medicine in Philadelphia bc their prices are significantly cheaper than DC. I have family who live near by so I just go up the night before monitoring appts or arrange to work remotely in the few days leading up to a retrieval. I am luck to have the flexibility. Before I went to Penn I did IVF with Columbia (nice, but expensive) and had a terrible experience with SGF. |
Anonymous
Do you mind sharing more about your experience at Columbia and SGF? |
Anonymous
| How is your thyroid? Is your tsh under 2.0? |
Anonymous
I saw Dr. Sach's at Columbia whom I liked a lot. He does the monitoring himself and makes adjustments. He is very kind. He listens to your concerns and talks through options. I would say they were very focused on PGS testing and single embryo transfer. I had at least one known PGS normal embryo put back on day 5 that didnt take; it makes me sort-of sad about the knowledge gleaned from the ERA. That said, I know its an emerging test that wasnt really available when it happened. My experience at SFG (before Columbia) was not great; their practice is just too cookie cutter. They had me start with IUIs but they were administered w/o monitoring; I was instructed to buy my own OPKs and tell them when I thought I was ovulating. I did 3, none worked. Then I was rejected me for IVF bc of my BMI. I know I am overweight but also muscular and my BMI is affected by that combo; they were never clear about the medical science supporting their policy. I worked with a nutritionist for a few months but that only wasted time. I have since learned there is in fact no reason to think my weight would affect IVF success given my situation; SGF just didnt want to deal with someone outside their norms. |
Anonymous
| Was your BMI over 40? I had a very high BMI and no one every said anything to me about it at SG. When I brought it up, they said it would help to lose weight. |
Anonymous
It was not. I cant remember now, but yes over 30 ie into obesity range. I am tall and have a muscular frame from playing sports and being active. I am not thin but BMI is a notoriously poor measurement for capturing the health of people like me. This happened a few years ago (2015); maybe policies at SGF have changed or my doctor made this decision herself. Either way I wasted time working with a nutritionist and I wish I had not been so naive to think that of course the doctor knew better and had no other reasons for the decision. Now I know you have to ask questions, advocate for yourself and always seek second opinion immediately. I have asked every RE I have spoken with since about this issue (including a family friend who does research on fertility issues at NIH). The only close answer I got is that overweight people can have elevated estrogen levels that in turn means they wont respond to the meds as readily or need higher doses (ie since e level is higher to begin with there less room for it to go up before approaching OHSS). Second, broadly overweight people are more likely to experience surgery complications. However if you read about that, complications mostly stem from doctors not being willing to spend the time/effort to figure out how to treat overweight patients. |
Anonymous
| I would suggest an endometrial scratch. Shady grove used to do them. I'd ask your clinic about trying one. Shady grove did it twice during my successful Ivf cycle. |