Ask Our Doctors – Archive
Our Medical Directors are outstanding physicians that you will find to be very personable and compassionate, who take care to ensure that you have the most cutting-edge fertility treatments at your disposal. This is your outlet to ask your questions to the doctors.
Hi Dr Sher,
I’m 3 days post FET, 3 embryos, a 6 day blastocyst & 2 7 day blastocyst, I cheated and took a home pregnancy test and it was negative, is it really over for me?
A home pregnancy test is not sufficient to count out a pregnancy. Please don’t stop your meds and do blood pregnancy tests at the appropriate time.
Geoff sher
Hi Dr. Sher
I just had my FET last Wednesday May 25, 3 embryos 1 was a 6day blastocyst & 2 embryo which are 7day blastocyst, not PGS TESTED. My blood test is not til June 3. I was told to refrain from taking a home pregnancy cuz it’s not as reliable as a blood test but I’m very anxious, I already had two failed FET. If I were to cheat and do a home pregnancy test when is the earliest I can do it? Hope to hear from you soon
About 12 days after the ET.
Good luck!
Geoff Sher
Hi doc,I just undergo IVF treatment but unfortunately the day for my egg retriever only the doctor can find out there was no eggs,after the ultra sounds say everything was good . The situation stand still because he doesn’t know how to move forward because he has never experienced anything like this . I am so deverstated please help
This, more than likely is an “empty follicle syndrome ” (see below). It is usually the result of suboptimal stimulation protocol and/or its implementation (see below).
Certain ovarian stimulation regimes can promote excessive LH production (e.g. short agonist/Lupron- “flare” protocols, clomiphene and Letrozole), augment LH/hCG delivered through additional administration (e.g. high dosage menotropins such as Menopur), or fail to protect against body’s own/self-produced LH (e.g. late antagonist protocols where drugs such as Ganirelix/Cetrotide/Orgalutron that are first administered 6-7 days after ovarian stimulation has commenced).
I try to avoid using such protocols/regimes (especially) in older women and those with DOR, favoring instead the use of a modified, long pituitary down-regulation protocol (the agonist/antagonist conversion protocol-A/ACP) augmented by adding supplementary human growth hormone (HGH). I further recommend Staggered IVF with embryo banking of PGS (next generation gene sequencing/NGS)-normal blastocysts in such cases. This type of approach will in my opinion, optimize the chance of a viable pregnancy per embryo transfer procedure and provide an opportunity to capitalize on whatever residual ovarian reserve and egg quality still exists, allowing the chance to “make hay while the sun still shines”.
Please visit my new Blog on this very site, http://www.DrGeoffreySherIVF.com, find the “search bar” and type in the titles of any/all of the articles listed below, one by one. “Click” and you will immediately be taken to those you select. Please also take the time to post any questions or comments with the full expectation that I will (as always) respond promptly
•Controlled Ovarian Stimulation (COS) for IVF: Selecting the ideal protocol
•IVF: Factors Affecting Egg/Embryo “competency” during Controlled Ovarian Stimulation(COS)
•The Fundamental Requirements For Achieving Optimal IVF Success
•Ovarian Stimulation for IVF using GnRH Antagonists: Comparing the Agonist/Antagonist Conversion Protocol.(A/ACP) With the“Conventional” Antagonist Aproach
•Anti Mullerian Hormone (AMH) Measurement to Assess Ovarian Reserve and Design the Optimal Protocol for Controlled Ovarian Stimulation (COS) in IVF.
•The “Biological Clock” and how it should Influence the Selection and Design of Ovarian Stimulation Protocols for IVF.
•Diagnosing and Treating Infertility due to Diminished Ovarian Reserve (DOR)
•Human Growth Hormone Administration in IVF: Does it Enhances Egg/Embryo Quality and Outcome?
•The BCP: Does Launching a Cycle of Controlled Ovarian Stimulation (COS). Coming off the BCP Compromise Response?
•Blastocyst Embryo Transfers Should be the Standard of Care in
•Why did my IVF Fail
•Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET): A Rational Approach to Hormonal Preparation and How new Methodology is Impacting IVF.
•Staggered IVF: An Excellent Option When. Advancing Age and Diminished Ovarian Reserve (DOR) Reduces IVF Success Rate
•Embryo Banking/Stockpiling: Slows the “Biological Clock” and offers a Selective Alternative to IVF-Egg Donation.
•Preimplantation Genetic Sampling (PGS) Using: Next Generation Gene Sequencing (NGS): Method of Choice.
•PGS in IVF: Are Some Chromosomally abnormal Embryos Capable of Resulting in Normal Babies and Being Wrongly Discarded?
•Traveling for IVF from Out of State/Country–
•A personalized, stepwise approach to IVF
•How Many Embryos should be transferred: A Critical Decision in IVF.
•The Role of Nutritional Supplements in Preparing for IVF
•IVF Egg Donation: A Comprehensive Overview
I invite you to arrange to have a Skype or an in-person consultation with me to discuss your case in detail. If you are interested, please contact Julie Dahan, at:
Email: Julied@sherivf.com
OR
Phone: 702-533-2691
800-780-7437
I also suggest that you access the 4th edition of my book ,”In Vitro Fertilization, the ART of Making Babies”. It is available as a down-load through http://www.Amazon.com or from most bookstores and public libraries.
Geoff Sher
My wife’s TSH level is 2.85. I’ve read that it is recommended to be lower that 2.5 early during pregnancy. Will this level affect egg retrieval or does it just affect egg transfer?
I doubt that this alone will be a factor.
Geoff Shr
Hi Dr, I am 40 and my partner is 42. We started IVF due to male fertility issues. He he zero mobility while there is no problems with the morphology. We were advised to undergo ICSI.
My first cycle wasn’t very successful. We got 5 eggs but only three were able to be injected. Two fertilised and only one made it to a day three transfer. This was a poor quality and didn’t result in a pregnancy.
Cycle 2 my medications were changed. Synarel two doses twice a day from day 15 of the previous cycle. Then 250 gonal-f daily, 2mg melatonin twice daily and one click ovidrel every second day until my trigger injection of 250 ovidrel. The result this time was 8 mature eggs collected all were injected and 4 fertilised. I was told they looked good and were hopeful that there would be one to transfer and some to freeze. However I was disappointed when none made it to the 3 day transfer.
I am now being advised to take CoQ10 for two months before starting the next cycle. They plan on using the same drugs but introducing growth hormone SciTropin A 8iu daily from day 7 to trigger. So around a week.
Failing this they are suggesting I try donor eggs which my partner is no keen on. So I feel like this might be my last shot. I guess I’m just looking for a second opinion as to whether this treatment plan looks like a good approach.
Appreciate any advice
Thanks
Kylie
Hi Kylie,
Respectfully, I personally do not agree with the protocol for stimulation and in my opinion this can cause an egg/embryo issue. Please do not get me wrong. It is quite possible that the male factor is playing a role, but there is probably not much you can do to reverse this and even in the absence of sperm issues, it is my opinion that based upon your response to stimulation, you probably also have a degree of diminished ovarian reserve, and if so, the protocol used for stimulation is very critical.
I would instead favour the use of a modified, long pituitary down-regulation protocol (the agonist/antagonist conversion protocol-A/ACP) augmented by adding supplementary human growth hormone (HGH). I further recommend Staggered IVF with embryo banking of PGS (next generation gene sequencing/NGS)-normal blastocysts in such cases. This type of approach will in my opinion, optimize the chance of a viable pregnancy per embryo transfer procedure and provide an opportunity to capitalize on whatever residual ovarian reserve and egg quality still exists, allowing the chance to “make hay while the sun still shines”.
Please visit my new Blog on this very site, http://www.DrGeoffreySherIVF.com, find the “search bar” and type in the titles of any/all of the articles listed below, one by one. “Click” and you will immediately be taken to those you select. Please also take the time to post any questions or comments with the full expectation that I will (as always) respond promptly
•Controlled Ovarian Stimulation (COS) for IVF: Selecting the ideal protocol
•IVF: Factors Affecting Egg/Embryo “competency” during Controlled Ovarian Stimulation(COS)
•The Fundamental Requirements For Achieving Optimal IVF Success
•Ovarian Stimulation for IVF using GnRH Antagonists: Comparing the Agonist/Antagonist Conversion Protocol.(A/ACP) With the“Conventional” Antagonist Aproach
•Anti Mullerian Hormone (AMH) Measurement to Assess Ovarian Reserve and Design the Optimal Protocol for Controlled Ovarian Stimulation (COS) in IVF.
•The “Biological Clock” and how it should Influence the Selection and Design of Ovarian Stimulation Protocols for IVF.
•Diagnosing and Treating Infertility due to Diminished Ovarian Reserve (DOR)
•Human Growth Hormone Administration in IVF: Does it Enhances Egg/Embryo Quality and Outcome?
•The BCP: Does Launching a Cycle of Controlled Ovarian Stimulation (COS). Coming off the BCP Compromise Response?
•Blastocyst Embryo Transfers Should be the Standard of Care in
•Why did my IVF Fail
•Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET): A Rational Approach to Hormonal Preparation and How new Methodology is Impacting IVF.
•Staggered IVF: An Excellent Option When. Advancing Age and Diminished Ovarian Reserve (DOR) Reduces IVF Success Rate
•Embryo Banking/Stockpiling: Slows the “Biological Clock” and offers a Selective Alternative to IVF-Egg Donation.
•Preimplantation Genetic Sampling (PGS) Using: Next Generation Gene Sequencing (NGS): Method of Choice.
•PGS in IVF: Are Some Chromosomally abnormal Embryos Capable of Resulting in Normal Babies and Being Wrongly Discarded?
•Traveling for IVF from Out of State/Country–
•A personalized, stepwise approach to IVF
•How Many Embryos should be transferred: A Critical Decision in IVF.
•The Role of Nutritional Supplements in Preparing for IVF
•IVF Egg Donation: A Comprehensive Overview
I invite you to arrange to have a Skype or an in-person consultation with me to discuss your case in detail. If you are interested, please contact Julie Dahan, at:
Email: Julied@sherivf.com
OR
Phone: 702-533-2691
800-780-7437
I also suggest that you access the 4th edition of my book ,”In Vitro Fertilization, the ART of Making Babies”. It is available as a down-load through http://www.Amazon.com or from most bookstores and public libraries.
Geoff Sher