IVF Treatments

[bacchasbaby]

Dear Dr.

My husband and I have just completed our first IVF procedure on 24 April 2008 and had 3 embryos implanted into me which one had 8 cells and two had 6 cells.  I am a mother of 4 kids and I am 36 yrs old and had tubaligation on 11 June 2004 with my last daughter.

We completed all of the test and everything was the way it should be. However, I start spotting on 2 May and proceeded to lose the babies on 3 May.  This is my first time doing IVF and I am devastated about my first failure having this procedure done.

I called the Fertility Management Unit and they told me that it seems as though the lining did not take and that is why I am losing the embryos.  They had me on Estradiol and Ccycolst Pessaries.  I did everything that they told me to do and still lost them.

Could you please let me know how long must I wait before I can start a 2nd IVF procedure and do I have to all of the blood test and everything we had to do the first time?

Thank you.

[John H. Kim, M.D.]

I suggest that you wait at least 1 month to let your body get back to baseline before proceeding. You do not have to do all the blood test and everything you did before the next cycle. Please check with your IVF doctor if there is anything they want you to do before the next cycle. Do you have any frozen embryo?

[bacchasbaby]

Thank you Dr. John!

To answer your question, no I didn't do any frozen embryos.  

However, since I last wrote you, I was instructed by my IVF to continue with the medication even though I was still bleeding to do my HPT  today 8/5/08 as my transfer was 24/4/08, this morning which would be 14 days since my Embryo Transfer and my test results were POSITIVE.  I also did my Beta HCG blood work today and will receive my results tomorrow morning at 11AM, as I am still having slight bleeding and slight but was told to stay in bed and get lots of rest.

Is it possible to have a viable pregnancy (with confirmation of my pregnancy test being positive) even though there was bleeding on the 9th day of my Embryo Transfer and slight bleeding still happening?

Also, I did have 3 embryos transferred on 24/4/08 (1 with 8 cells and 2 with 6 cells).

I know that I need to find out what my Beta HCG are in order to determine the level or numbers to see if it is high or low or if it is going backwards and I could be a miscarriage (which I am praying with all of my heart it is not).

I am so happy that at the end of the day my HPT results are POSITIVE and I hope that my pregnancy is healthy and successful.   However, I am so scared to accept that it is positive but my husband is telling me to think positive and leave everything in God's hands.

Could you please let me have your response.

Many thanks for your time and I look forward to hearing from you.

[John H. Kim, M.D.]

Yes, it is possible to have a viable pregnancy. I wish you the best.

[davej2008]

My wife's first IVF treatment ended in a miscarriage after about 12 weeks. Her OB-GYN recommended waiting 3 months before trying again. IVF attempt #2 didn't take. :( In this case, do you also advise waiting 1 month before the 3rd attempt?

[John H. Kim, M.D.]

Especially after a miscarriage I usually advise waiting as your doctors have suggested.