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, of 12 embryos 8 have made it to Blastocyst but the other 4 remain in culture. I am 44y.
What are the chances that the remaining 4 will get to Blastocyst?
Also, if the blastocysts are top or good quality is there a correlation between this and them more likely to be Chromosomally normal?
Since embryos that do not make it to blastocyst are almost always abnormal, those that make it to blastocyst have a much better chance. Of course this does not mean that those that reach blastocyst are all norma…just more likely to be so. This having been said, advancing age dramatically affects egg chromosomal activity and at 44, probably only about 10% of blastocysts will be normal while at age 30 years about 50% are likely to be normal.
Good luck!
Geoff Sher
The day-5 embryo I had implanted two weeks ago was diagnosed by PGS as being monosomy 18. I just received the results today. I have done HPTs every day since the transfer, to see if/when they turned positive and whether they remained positive/got darker. To date, I’ve had a week straight of positive HPTs that seem to be getting darker. My limited research this afternoon about monosomy 18 is that it is not compatible with life at day 5 of development, let alone day 14. Was this a false test result? Am I incorrectly interpreting my limited research? Why would the PGS provider even relay a result of monosomy 18 from a day 5 blastocyst biopsy if it weren’t a possible diagnosis? If my embryo is adjusting and thriving due to mosaicism and the aneuploid cells ‘losing,’ does this indicate a more likely positive outcome for my pregnancy, the longer it goes on? Thank you for your article about PGS and your willingness to answer questions!
There is a condition called embryo mosaicism where the chromosomal abnormality is not due to an egg abnormality (meiosis) but occurs later after fertilization because of cell “mutations” that occur during mitosis. Mosaicism can autocorrect. If this pregnancy occurred with a mosaic aneuploidy it could be fine. You are correct, monosomy 18 due to a meiotic egg defect will not survive but if it is a mosaic, it could well survive and be normal. Only time will tell.
Good luck!
Geoff Sher
I forgot to say I am 47yrs old.
Dear Dr Sher,
Hi My name is Jennifer and my boyfriend and I have been trying for the last 7 years.
1992- Diagnosed with Epstein Barr virus, M.E.
2008- met my boyfriend
2010– Saw EFT therapist for boyfriends performance anxiety about maintaining an erection ,which helped a lot.
He had a daughter about 13 years ago who died from stem cell cancer at 21 months old and he was fearful that if he had more children that they would die.
2010/11 – Had tests done at local Gum clinic(sexually transmitted diseases) .All test results clear.
2011- Feb. My sister was diagnosed with breast cancer
2013- May, Conceived naturally, much to my surprise.
2013, Oct, My sister died
At 20 week scan, (day before my sister died) told my baby small for dates. Further tests showed Trisomy 18 and that our baby was incompatible with life, and our baby was still born at 25 and ½ weeks in Nov 2013.
I was very ill when induced and had to have oral antibiotics and very high dose antibiotics when sent home, which made me feel very ill. We were completely devastated.
We have been taking supplements from Zita west
I have been taking -Vitafem. And Vital DHA, from Zita west.
Vitamin d spray.
My boyfriend has been taking Countboost, Fertilaid for men.
We have been eating a really clean healthy organic diet for the last 5 1/2 years especially. My boyfriend lost weight and both feel better for it. We are healthy weight now.
We do not drink or smoke. We go for a walk every evening after tea. For about 15 /20 mins.
We have been to see our consultant who I was under when I had my daughter and he spoke to us about having tests sooner if we were pregnant again
The consultant mentioned that we might like to try donor eggs.
Sept 2014
Saw a TCM Fertility Expert and have been following his programme and taking Chinese Herbs since Sept 2014. Have felt that they have helped my energy, esp the last year.
Also had emotional help using EFT. To help with stress of everything. Feel very anxious a lot of the time.
Went for session of fertility massage, November 2014.
December 2014 – positive pregnancy test
December 2014 cycle day 29 took test said 1 to 2 weeks pregnant
Cycle day 30 light spotting then started fresh red blood flow.
Cycle day 31. Fresh red blood flow. Big clots. Miscarriage
Really struggled emotionally with everything especially this time of year.
Sept 2015- Breasts really really tender from approx day19 .Felt very pregnant nearly took a test. . Started spotting day cd 26
November 2015 -Breasts very very tender was going to take a test but started spotting cycle day 26.
January 2016.-Cd 26 positive pregnancy test. Spotting day 26.
Had to re take rest to confirm not pregnant forTCM specialist before taking more herbs in new cycle. Because fertilityfriend calendar that i fill in showed signs that I was still pregnant. Test showed not pregnant
March 2016. Breasts so so tender for a week before Started spotting day 24. Felt very pregnant but didn’t take test because I started spotting.
Feel healthiest I have ever been.
Energy better as-well. My boyfriend gets very anxious and struggles to perform sometimes. So i feel we could have more regular sex and around the fertile window.
TCM specialist suggested different clinics for IVF with donor eggs
My most recent hormone profile done last month showed
FSH 5.7U/L
Estradiol 213 pmol/L
LH 3.3 U/L
Prolactin 284 mU/L
Progesterone 102 nmol/L
TSH 1.93 mU/L
Free T4 15.7pmol/L
I have a regular 27/28 day cycle. My period is 2days , heavy for 1 day then light to spotting day 2. Have dark spotting before and after.
Is there anything that you would suggest test wise that might show why I can not stay pregnant myself?
I would like to do everything I can before doing IVF to make sure I have the best chance of success.
I know that I will only have one chance at this financially .
I was wondering if it was possible to do IVF with my own eggs.? At my age? If any of your clients had tried this and what their success rate was?
Is it possible to check for chromosomal abnormalities so that the same thing would not happen with our next child?
Is there anything else that you would suggest , supplements, etc anything as well if we are trying naturally in the meantime?
.Thank you so much for all that you do.
Look forward to hearing from you.
Jennifer
Unfortunately, given your age, regardless of your ovarian reserve and regardless of what you do, the chance of your eggs upon being fertilized propagating a geneticall/chromosomally normal embryo is negligible. Your only recourse is in my opinion, IVF with egg donation.
I strongly recommend that you visit http://www.DrGeoffreySherIVF.com. Then go to my Blog and access the “search bar”. 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.
•A personalized, stepwise approach to IVF
•IVF and egg donation
•Advancing Age of the Woman and IVF: How Old is too old?
Please call or email Julie Dahan, my patient concierge. She will guide you on how to set up an in-person or Skype consultation with me. You can reach Julie at on her cell phone or via email at any time:
Julie Dahan
•Email: Julied@sherivf.com
•Phone: 702-533-2691
?800-780-7437
Geoff Sher
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.
Hi. You mention that you used immunotherapy on a woman with recurrent IVF failures and that it worked. We have been trying for 7 years to get pregnant. I’ve done two IUIs and two IVFs – all failed. No known issues. I’m 39 now and my numbers and eggs are all good. But I have two autoimmune conditions – Hashimoto’s and Perncious Aneamia. So I’m wondering if I could have IDD. And therefore very curious to find out if I can do anything to combat that. Thanks in advance for responding.
Hi Nadia,
Since 50% of cases with Hashimoto’s have IID, you certainly could be one and to conceive might need selective Immunotherapy with IVF.
I strongly recommend that you visit http://www.DrGeoffreySherIVF.com. Then go to my Blog and access the “search bar”. 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.
•IVF Failure and Implantation Dysfunction:
•The Role of Immunologic Implantation Dysfunction (IID) & Infertility (IID):PART 1-Background
•Immunologic Implantation Dysfunction (IID) & Infertility (IID):PART 2- Making a Diagnosis
•Immunologic Dysfunction (IID) & Infertility (IID):PART 3-Treatment
•Thyroid autoantibodies and Immunologic Implantation Dysfunction (IID)
•Immunologic Implantation Dysfunction: Importance of Meticulous Evaluation and Strategic Management:(Case Report
•Intralipid and IVIG therapy: Understanding the Basis for its use in the Treatment of Immunologic Implantation Dysfunction (IID)
•Natural Killer Cell Activation (NKa) and Immunologic Implantation Dysfunction in IVF: The Controversy!
•Endometrial Thickness, Uterine Pathology and Immunologic Factors
•Vaginally Administered Viagra is Often a Highly Effective Treatment to Help Thicken a Thin Uterine Lining
•Traveling for IVF from Out of State/Country–
•A personalized, stepwise approach to IVF
Please call or email Julie Dahan, my patient concierge. She will guide you on how to set up an in-person or Skype consultation with me. You can reach Julie at on her cell phone or via email at any time:
Julie Dahan
•Email: Julied@sherivf.com
•Phone: 702-533-2691
?800-780-7437
Geoff Sher
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.