What is the main reason IVF does not work for people?

[mommyof3andhopefully4]

I will be doing our first IVF treatment starting this month.  Of couse, as you know, it will be a couple month process with my protocol.  We have been TTC since July of 2007.  It is secondary infertility on my part, however, my husband has never had children.  I have three children from a previous marriage.  All were normal, easy pregnancies.  I also didn't even have to try to get pregnant with them, as they were all "surprises."  My husband and I were married in June of 2007 and have been trying ever since.  We have done two IUI's with Clomid and we have done one round of injectables with IUI.  I have had an HSG and a Lap, both normal.  I have had my prolactin, thyroid ( I think that was the same test?) FSH and progesterone checked.  All normal.  My husband has had two seman analysis which were "normal".  On one occasion, when I was getting our second IUI, my husband was asked by my RE's nurse if he had had a SA done, and we had to remind her that he had in fact had one.  She said they looked sluggish that day, so that has always haunted me.  We have not miscarried, I have completly normal perfect 28 day cycles, I temped for a very long time which revealed nothing.....

We are at the point where we think the reason we are not getting pregnant, and our RE agrees, is his sperm is not penetrating my egg.  No conception is taking place, no fertilization is taking place.  So, I guess what I need to know is, what is the main reason why IVF does NOT work for some patients?  I have been reading and the main reason I see is egg quality.  We are not going to know my egg quality until I go in for my retrieval.  I responded well to Follistim, and for the IVF I will be doing Follistim and Menopur, so if egg quality is my issue, I am hoping that will help.  My youngest child turned 7 this past July....so it hasn't been that long that I conceived her.  I am 33 years old.  (turning 34 in March)  I am 5'2, 115 pounds, in great health, I work out.....

I guess I am just asking, what reasons are most common for IVF not working?

Thanks so much for your help and insight....I'm just nervous....

[hopeful123456789]

Hi I don't think Meegi meant to hurt your feelings. You will never know what it is like not having a child.  I always say if you had a child you will never know the feeling of woman that doesn't have one. My heart goes out to you Meegi cos I had my first IVF done and today my test came out negative.

Im trusting Jesus for healing my heart and maybe someday He will give me comfort in not having a child.

Lovies
Negative Test

[hanwinkie]

most people on here havent got any kids at least you can have conversations with your friends about being a mum and child birth you dont get the " you wont know untill your a mum " quote. you have 3 kids you know what its like . So dont have a go at people who have none and sound like your hard done by because you want your fourth !!!! Unbelievable.  

[palmish]

Hi
honestly can u read?
meegi said that u r lucky that u have children...SHE is still trying to have one...she wished u good luck and look how u replied to her....read before u rant....

[Parentsoon]

Hello ladies,
I am just like you, and it's tough. My husband is 48 and I'm 40. We had 3 failed IUI's and 1 failed FET. The progesterone shots were really tough. That was in October and my butt is still tender!

As a result of the estrogen I have grown a massive fibroid. So I've been in pain, like menstral cramps since 11/22. My dr had to give me birth control pills to stop the bleeding...now my hemoglobin is low and I'm dehydrated.

I'm moving slowly and can barely make It to work.

I have doubled up on my iron supplements and I take my pre-natal vitamins daily. As a result, I'm feeling better each day. My dr doesn't want to do a blood transfusion & simply told me to take my iron/vitamins and take it easy.

How do you get out of this funk... I'm eating everything and can't exercise, so I feel miserable.

I'm praying for beautiful healthy babies for all of you.

[amorel]

Hello, Im new to this side , hope you have a baby by now.  
im in your shoes now i have 3 kids and re marry but my habby dont have kids and wants one i had 3 ivf no good luck!!!!

[OLIVIA_MERCY]

First time on the forum. Just had a negative urine pregnancy test on day 12 after transfer. The feeling is not funny at all,especially as I did not get ample information as to its success rates. From the begining,I thought the money involve was all it needed to work. Please i'm really down. It's not yet a common practice in Africa, so no one around to share my pain with. My spouse is overseas. We did ICSI. I need your encouragements. OLIVIA MERCY.

[OLIVIA_MERCY]

First time on the forum. Just had a negative urine pregnancy test on day 12 after transfer. The feeling is not funny at all,especially as I did not get ample information as to its success rates. From the begining,I thought the money involve was all it needed to work. Please i'm really down. It's not yet a common practice in Africa, so no one around to share my pain with. My spouse is overseas. We did ICSI. I need your encouragements. OLIVIA MERCY.

[Mumofone71]

Sorry to hear that IVF didn't work for you this time and the others.  It's hard being positive, I know.  My period just started after the long 2ww. Had 2 5day embryo's transferred but wasn't successful. I've tried IVF twice with great looking embryo's - fell pregnant the first cycle but miscarried at 6 weeks. Fell pregnant naturally twice prior to IVF but miscarried during first trimester. We've been trying to fall pregnant for 7 years. I'm 39 with a 10 year old son (conceived naturally) - we are blessed to have him in our life. Unfortunately our fertility dr can't explain why we can't fall pregnant as all looks normal - I feel now that my age probably has alot to do with it.  We have two more 5 day embryo's remaining which we'll transfer in a few months time if all goes well - they'll be our last try.  Good luck to us all and may those of you trying for your first, have your baby soon!

[aliciamartza]

i had ivf and it did not work for me because my eggs are old and my husband sperm is low so we failed the first time. my body is so bad and im so tired of doing the shots i just need to rest for now. i really want a baby. i cry for one day when i got the news that i did not get pregant. i have to go to work which is so hard to go there. i had taken days off just for my appt and no luck omg doe s this get easy. i will try a secound cycle n three months again we will see.i m so tired my body too.and does shots are horrible i hate them.  

[Still_Trying_in_GA]

Most of the people posting are trying to have their first and are failing. I don’t care what you say, yes you may be infertile but you at least have 3 and that is 3 more than the rest of us have. We should be so lucky to have just one that we can call our own. I have gone through so much heartache and pain like most of you with BS answers or lack thereof and still NO baby. But you go ahead and tell us your bleeding heart stories with three children running around your house…I am sure there is more of us here in this blog that feel this way but no one wants to step up to you but me. So step off sister!!!!!

[Omneia]

Hello Strong Ladies,
I know how much pain u have been all experiencing since I am one of u.
I have been trying to concieve since JAN 2009.I did all the check ups and everything was fine even my husband's semien analysis was ok ( not the best ever but it was ok )
I have been on clomid for a while and it didnt work so i was upgraded to the second stage ( IUI ) it was my first and i got a BFN :(((((((
the doctor said that we have an UNEXPLAINED FERTILITY PROBLEM ....
i am proceeding with my second IUI ,I had my first injection today..and I still have 6 more to go !!!
the doctor actually said that if I would like to try IVF this month instead of IUI then no problem .but I cant handle the feeling that the IVF might not work since that is the end of the road..and i have no more methods to try.
good luck to everyone.keep going .never give up

[mommyof3andhopefully4]

I'm so sorry for the hand you have been dealt with infertility.  That is just not fair.  The one good thing is, since there is no reason, it will happen for you one day.  I just know it.  Have you tried acupuncture?  I wonder if it is just something like chi or whatever they call it.  Warm up that uterus....calm it down, maybe that will work.  I would give it a shot.  I'm so sorry though....

I'm waiting on a fertilization report that will be given to me tomorrow.  I'm on edge, but I know it is in God's hands, so I am trying not to worry and let go of it.

PIO shots...yeah.  I do them myself except for tonight.  I had to give my right butt cheek a rest and go to my left, which meant I needed my husbands help.  He did great, but I wanted to take it out, and I think I bumped it and it hit my sciatic nerve.  I'm dying right now.  It just tapped it.  I hope it quits hurting....it is hurting down my leg too!

Thank you for your insight.  I appreciate it and good luck to you. :)

[chasers2005]

Hi there.  I just had my third failed IVF cycle.  I had an ectopic pregnancy in May 2007 and it turns out both tubes had to be removed.  I am 29 years old and the doctors say everything (other than having no tubes) is textbook perfect, great eggs, embryos, uterus, ovaries, sperm is good.  They have done icsi all three times.  This last time they transfered three embryos with assisted hatching.  You will love this.  THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHY I AM NOT GETTING PREGNANT.  They don't even have an idea.  Sorry I don't have a better answer for you but that is what I was told.  I hope everything works out for you and you are so brave for giving yourself those progesterone shots!!!!

[mommyof3andhopefully4]

Hollandlop- I did hear that endo goes away when pregnant....I know that it is caused by your period...I feel for anyone that has Endo. I do not,  but I have several friends that do.  One of my friends went straight to IVF because she had stage IV endo, and she got pregnant using frozen embies on her second IVF.  Her first one she lost twins, and the second one, when putting two in, one took.  He is a happy healthy 5 month old!

Mariana, you crack me up!  Yeah, your doctor didn't really tell you anything you didnt already know, did he?!!  Let's just get you preggers with IVF and you can age gracefully...no one can see your eggs.  I'm starting to think, at my age, (34 in march) that my eggs COULD be doing the same thing.  My fert. report was 7 retrieved/3 fert./1 disgarded/waiting on 3 to HOPEFULLY fertilize!  So, maybe my eggs aren't as great as they thought.  FSH came back fine and I stimulated ok.  So I think they are just "ok".  Nothing to write home to mom about!

Helen- I am getting use to those shots.  I give them to myself, but my husband has to help me push it in.  After everything we have been through, the PIO just becomes one more thing.  I got everything out the other night and twisted around to do it and my DH was like "OH!!  YOU'RE DOING IT NOW?"  He was all concerned.  I said, "Yep, I want this day over..."  (day of retrieval)  It was funny.  Only thing, I can't do myself on my left hip.  So, needless to say, he is going to have to stick me with that one....I have a weird way of doing it, I put the needle in slow.  It doesnt hurt, and the whole jabbing it in is scary for me.  So, this is how I do it, and I am barely ever sore.



Good luck to everyone!

[Mariana101]

I had 3 failed IVF and what the doctor is saying now is that maybe my eggs are OLD... I KNOW THAT!!!! I'm 41 and therefore they may have chromosomal problems or something. I may try with an egg donor but I feel HORRIBLE!!!!!
I swear to God.. I was aging with pride because i look young but now I feel SO OLD and worthless... Thank you Doctor. I remarried and my hubby wants a baby ASAP and I only pray for that to happen because the situation is very sad and frustrating and horrible for my self esteem as we all know.

Praying for all of you my ladies:)
BTW, The third IVF was a miscarriage.... it just happened over Thanksgiving... by wednesday I was pregnent and my Sunday night I lost the baby :( ..... at least I got pregnant this time even though it did not implant... my first two IVF were negative when it came to my beta.

[hollandlop]

Sorry, I misread. I had 3 IUI's, not IVF's.

My brain isn't working today.

[hollandlop]

I already did 3 IVF's with no success. I am 34 and have no kids yet.

I also have endometriosis. But the doctor said my fallopian tubes are normal and my uterus lining is normal. This is very frustrating.

The doctor also told me that my endometriosis might go away if I get pregnant. So I really, really NEED to have a baby!!!!!

[Kricket212]

I just had my first progesterone shots today & yesterday & I didn't think they felt any different then the smaller ones.  I had my retrieval yesterday this will be my first IVF, first child if it takes.  Good Luck to you.

[Helen72]

You will get used to those progesterone shots.  They are not too bad  :)

After your fertilization report you will learn a lot about your egg quality and dh's sperm.  I hope you will get some answers.

[mommyof3andhopefully4]

yes!  they are doing ICSI, thinking perhaps DH's sperm isn't penetrating my egg....I asked him if he would do both just to rule it out, he said no....he just wants to get me pregnant. lol

I went for my IVF consultation yesterday.  OMG!  That Progesterone in oil needle is HUGE!  How the heck am I going to do that?????

[feather2e]

Are they going to do ICSI? They thought I had an issue and did half ICSI and half regular. There was an equal fertilization amount for me. I have a 1year old boy now. So good luck

[mommyof3andhopefully4]

Thank you for your comment...

However, I don't appreciate the "I have three kids, and I am still trying to have one..."

There are people on this forum that are dealing with secondary infertility, and if I could give you one peice of advice....NEVER say that to ANYONE dealing with infertility.  Infertility is just that...INFERTILITY.  No matter if you have kids or not.  As my original post said, I was married in June of 2007 and DH has no children of his own, so, your comment is not appreciated.

HELEN72-

I hope you are doing well, I haven't been on the forum for about a year, but remember you from before.  Thanks for your response.  I know IVF doesn't have a 100% success rate, or else it would work for everyone...I was just curious as to reason's people may have had been told as to why their's did not work.

Thanks for your help!

[meegi]

hi my  1st ivf failed because i had prementstrual cramps and irregular spotting, i had 5 fertilized embies planted and not 1 of them came thru...doc questioned my period, which up till now, i didnt get as yet, i had 16 days of bed rest and still had a negative test...

ur are lucky that u have 3 kids, i m still trying to have one... take care and good luk

[Helen72]

Even if you have no issues at all, ivf does not have a 100% success rate.  Researchers know a lot about fertilization but it is not well understood why implantation does not always take place even with perfect looking embryos.  I guess bad luck is the major reason for ivf failure.
Good luck to you!  I hope ivf works for you.