About an hour later, the embryologist called us back (quick response time!). Her first words were: "Oh, Runningmama, those embryos didn't have a chance." She then proceeded to walk me through each embryo and explain why they were/weren't good. The pictures below go in chronologically reverse order. The embryos on the far left are the ones that we transferred in on Wednesday, our hatching blasts. The middle picture is from November and the picture on the far right is from the cycle in August. For the November cycle, she said we transferred in one not so healthy looking morula (not two morulas like they told me), which she gave a 20% chance of making a baby, and two arrested blastocysts, which means they had a 0% chance of turning into a baby. In August, we transferred a morula (the one with the cell coming off the top) and a blastocyst (not two blastocysts like they told us). The morula had already excluded a cell, which was a sign that it wasn't a healthy embryo. The blastocyst was misshapen, but barely starting to form an inner cavity so she thinks it might have had a slight chance of turning into a baby. She said that she would have been devastated if this was all that she had to work with on Day 5 and wouldn't have transferred these embryos or, if she did, she would have told us that they had a very little chance of survival.
I can't believe the old clinic never told us this. The embryologist said that perhaps the lab wasn't as experienced and couldn't tell the difference, and/or that they possibly didn't have as much experience with Day 5 transfers. I believe her...she has a lot of experience and did train at the best clinic in the United States. But, my local clinic also has pretty good statistics, so I can't believe that they would s*ck this much.
I am glad to know that the embryos weren't good and it wasn't some uterine/hormone/other issue. Of course, one can never rule those things out. At least with this cycle, we know that we are capable of making excellent blastocysts and, if it doesn't work, we will have to re-evaluate whether any other factors may be impacting our success.
Also, she said our third blast looked good (4BB) and was glad that she decided to wait a day!
The embryologist is just one more reason why this clinic is WONDERFUL.
WOW. That is some serious shit. I am a bit speechless, to be honest, can only imagine how you feel. But it gives me EVEN MORE hope than I already had for this cycle!!
ReplyDeleteI am sooooo happy you are working with this amazing clinic and this amazing team of doctors and scientists who are hell-bent on bringing you Nugget's little brother or sister!!! Come onnnnnn Lexie and Max, burrow in sweet little embabes!!! xoxo
Did she tell you how she knew they were arrested blastocysts? Looking at the picture - two of our blasts (one FET, the other this cycle) looked like one in the middle picture - sort of like it was scrambled in the middle. Both BFNs. Our embryo from November looked much better, but not by much. And that ended in an early loss, so yeah.
ReplyDeleteI keep coming back to your comment about day 5 transfers and think that maybe a day three is better for us. You've got me thinking, anyway, since we had a live birth from a day three transfer, not a blast transfer.
And also. Because my clinic needs to have EIGHT high quality 8 celled embryos in order to even qualify for blast transfer? It suggests to me that maybe they don't specialize in blast transfers, and it might be worth it to do something different.
Wish I kept our photos like you did, but no matter. Something I'm thinking about as we head back to our clinic next week to discuss another cycle. Maybe it's worth it to do what worked with O - a day three transfer with assisted hatching. That's what stuck for us. Might be worthwhile if we're doing our hail mary cycle...
Anyway. I have TONS of hope for you, hon. Tons.
xoxo
isn't it amazing what a different eye will tell you about your embryos? i wish i had that type of information. i'm so glad you decided to go with that clinic. it sure does give you some peace of mind, huh?
ReplyDeleteYou can tell the difference between the new and the old. I have kept my old photos so will also compare! Thanks for your comments they were extremely comforting.
ReplyDeleteSo much interesting information. I'm sorry your old clinic wasn't as experienced or was possibly misleading....sometimes I think they really just want to tell us good things about the embryos we are transferring so we'll feel good going into it, but I always think honesty is the most appropriate. Of course the best news is the ones you've got in you right now! Hoping for a great outcome!
ReplyDeleteWow! Very informative. I've got to tell you, everyone I've seen transfer hatching blasts did get pregnant. My last 2 looked like the our hatching blasts, and were about to hatch. But still no success. Sigh. It makes me think about the good lab thing. I wish you success!
ReplyDeleteI gotta add a WOW. So very encouraging for this cycle, but so totally disturbing that different doctors have such a different take on your past embies. Just one more thing to add to the clusterf*** and confusion and stress of this whole process, more worry about what your doctors are telling you. So glad you are with your current awesome clinic!
ReplyDeleteThat is so awesome that you finally got some answers. How nice of your embryologist to do that! I'm sure its frustrating but I'm sure it's also helped instill confidence in the embryos that are inside of you right now.
ReplyDeleteThey're beautiful, btw. They look an awful lot like the ones inside of me right now. :)
WOW that is some serious and fascinating information. That is really awful that your previous clinic didn't tell you the right thing about your embies. I am so glad you know have such an excellent team. I am crossing everything for you.
ReplyDeleteOk, I am putting some serious bets on these embabies! Your blastocysts this cycle are GORGEOUS! Models! I am so thrilled you got such fabulous information (of course not so thrilled with the info you were given in the past), but what the embryologist said all makes perfect sense to me. I am so glad you are in better hands. Wishing you so much luck!!!
ReplyDeleteHow fantastic to have an embryologist who is willing to look - and to hear that your new little is much better!
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