PP here. Natural cycle is at least an alternative for poor stim responders, e.g. older having diminished ovarian reserve. Such patients often can only get under five eggs retrieved even under maximum stim injection. So why bother with expensive stim drug and twice daily injection (and only get probably one or two embryo) if you can ovulate once a month?

I don’t know how to respond to your question about miscarriage. Sorry for your loss.

NP. What are the benefits of a natural cycle vs just trying for a spontaneous? Are the odds that much better? We had a spontaneous pregnancy and miscarried, so I know my body can get pregnant. Just curious about whether a natural cycle would boost our odds or not.

PP @ 10:16

Dominion. Mine was before COVID 2019 so the process might be different, for example they stopped doing fresh transfer now.

My memory isn't exact, The cost was around $6500 per cycle. In our case, we paid for cycle 1 and 3 as full cycle because there was embryo for transfer. cycle 2 was cancelled due to arrested embryo and I think $1500 credit was applied to the third cycle. Total cost is around 17K.

It's like playing the lottery. $7000 to play a hand.

NP.
PP - Where did you do this cycle? and how much did it cost?
TIA.

I went thru 3 round of N-IVF, first 3 day transfer did not take, second 5 day blast arrested so no transfer, third 5 day blast took and right now is one year old.

The process starts when your period starts, took estrace and baby asprin, monitoring every other day then every day until your follicle is big enough, then tell you to do trigger shot that night, aiming retrieval 36 hours later in the morning.

This part is the same as stim IVF. For example, 11 PM + 36 = 11 AM two nights later, and their appointment for retrieval is usually 9-10 AM just a little before 36 hours deadline.

You goes under anesthesia, because there is only one egg, the procedure is quick. In the mean time your husband is in the other room donating sperm. From that day on you are on progestrone.

The egg fertilizes, and 3 or 5 days later, if there is an embryo, you do the transfer. They give you a picture of the embryo with a well wish card, and the cycle concludes.

2 weeks later you go in for blood draw testing for pregnancy.

What does this involve? Do you need anesthesia for the retrieval? If you tried, were you successful and how many ties did it take?
We are about to start a first IUI and not sure if we will go the IVF route or not but certain aspects of this seem appealing (less medications, no leftover embryos and lower cost). However, if it has really low success rates, maybe it’s best to do traditional IVF?