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.
I’m trying to make sense of my Ivf cycle. I’m 34 years old and attempted Ivf due to 5 failed IUI cycles with donor sperm. I had 13
Follicles and 6 eggs were retrieved. 2 out of the 6 were successfully fertilized with ICSI. It’s day 1 and not sure if my embryos will make it to day 3 or 5 let alone to freezing. I was told my progesterone is elevated so I can’t even do a fresh transfer. Does this happen more so with poor egg quality and ovarian reserve or more to do with a poorly monitored cycle and trigger shot given late? Thanks. Any advice appreciated will be discussing this with RE.
I cannot say based on the paucity of available information. However, I suggest you wait until day 5-6 post-ICSI to see if the embryos make it to blastocyst before freezing them. Embryos that do not reach the expanded blastocyst stage by then are almost invariably incompetent (usually chromosomally abnormal) and would not have propagated a viable pregnancy had they been transferred earlier, anyway. Respectfully, I do not agree that an early high progesterone is a contraindication to doing a fresh transfer.
Geoff Sher
I’m six days late, cycle day 36. I requested a progesterone and hcg test on day 34 due to my missed period and my hcg was negative but my progesterone was pretty high ( I didn’t ask the exact numbers). My RE said I maybe ovulated late or I may have a cyst. If it is a cyst, when should I expect my menses? Does a cyst usually effect your cycle length or only sometimes? Is there a certain amount of time to wait before being seen?
Yes! A corpus luteum cyst (which based on yourv progesterone level you seem to have) can delay the period for some time (usually a week or two). Also, when the bleed comes, it might be associated with the cyst rupturing, causing significant pain that can last a week or longer (Halban syndrome).
Good luck!
Geoff Sher
I’m 7 weeks pregnant with twins after ivf treatment with donor eggs. Although I haven’t had any test done for nk cells I have been prescribed 4 tablets a day of Predonisolone. I suppose to be taking it at least till 12 week . I don’t feel well while taking this steroid and also more I read about ot more I worry that it might affect my babies. I know that you are probably the best ivf expert but unfortunately we live in Europe and used one of the Greek clinics that proved to be quite useless if it comes to after transfer care .
I would advise my patient to take the steroid to the 8th week and tail off completely by the 10th week. The risk to your pregnancy is miniscule….in my opinion.
Good luck!
Geoff Sher
Hi Dr. Sher,
My infertility doctor is moving practices.
Is it safe to move my embryos?
It’s about 20 minutes away from the old practice. I would be provided a tank and move them myself. Thoughts on this?
Are there risks when you move embryos?
I’m nervous about a different embryologist thawing them when I do an FET. Do you think it makes a difference? (They were vitrified)
As always thank you for your reply.
If correctly done there should be absolutely no problem in my opinion.
Geoff Sher
Hi, I tried to post this last night- are you aware of any reason drinking bone broth – a commonly revered health food that is basically stock soup made from either beef or chicken bones- would be bad for someone taking prednisone and or IVIG/intralipids? one of the supposed benefits of bone broth is anti inflammation. it contains glycine and collagen and amino acids and protein. supposed to lower inflammation. can that be good or bad? i found one website that said it could raise TNF alpha, but then I read that glycine actually lowers TNF alpha, so I am confused?
Frankly, it will not make any difference at all…in my opinion. No harm done!
Geoff Sher