Starting IVF #4 - Assisted Hatching
1 Replies
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dear Dr. Smith,
Should I insist on Assisted Hatching?
I am 34 and have been diagnosed with a Unicornuate Uterus. I had a natural pregnancy at age 25. Hearbeat stopped at 14 weeks.
Another natural pregnancy in March '05 was ectopic and treated with Metheltrexate. Diagnosed with UU in Oct. '06. First IVF cycle 12 Eggs were retrieved with poor fertilzation and we transferred a 5 cell grade 2 and a 4 cell grade 3. Resulted in and ectopic pregnancy that ruptured. As a result, they removed the previously functional tube and the rudimentary horn on the other side. Was told that I have 70% of a normal uterus and should be able to sustain a pregnancy.
I have since completed two rounds of IVF with standard protocols that were negative.
IVF #2 - ICSI performed - 10 eggs retrieved, 5 fertilized, transferred two - 8 cell grade 3 and 6 cell grade 4. The remaining three didn't make it to freeze.
IVF#3 (new clinic - no ICSI) - 10 eggs retrieved, 4 fertilized, transferred all four - 8 cell grade 4, 6 cell grade 4, 6 cell grade 4, 4 cell grade 3.
My FSH level is 6.3 and all other levels are normal.
My Dr. says that I have great embrios, great lining--all the necessary ingredients for a resulting pregnancy and the negatives are a simple matter of statistics. He does not feel that assisted hatching is necessary.
I hope that this is enough information to answer whether I should insist on assisted hatching?
Thank you for your help!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
What's up with the poor fertilization? Anybody ever suggest a reason for this? Kinda weird...
Anyway, the jury is still out on the efficacy of AH on Day 3 embryos. The consensus is that it MAY benefit certain groups of patients; those with particularly thick zona pellucidae (rare), those wth repeated IVF failures (i.e. you) and those of advanced maternal age (we won't go there). I wouldn't suggest that you should get into some big argument with your doctor about it, but it could help and it couldn't hurt.
|
