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11-05-2012 at 7:27 PM
bluek210
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bluek210 is not online. Last active: 05-22-2013, 6:31 PMNewbie

Stats or articles on 2 embryos vs. 1? (long post!)

We are scheduled for our frozen transfer on Saturday, after a chemical with our first IVF last month (single embryo transfer first time around).  We are really struggling with the decision about whether to transfer one or two embryos.  We have 6 frozen - 4 are BB and 2 are BC, although apparently they are not labeled as such and we don't know which ones are which (which is crazy to me, but the nurse said it's standard because BB and BC are almost equally as good).  At our clinic, BB is pretty much as high as they rate - my nurse said she's never seen an A rating.

Our doctor recommended a single transfer the first time around. This time, he says he'd still lean toward just one since I am 33 and my embryos are very good quality.  The doc says that transferring 1 embryo is successful about 68% of the time in women under 35, and transferring 2 results in about 71% success rate, but the rate of twins in the 2-embryo-transfer group is 50%.

I would be okay with twins, and if my choice was twins or no baby, I would obviously choose twins.  It scares me, especially financially, but I feel like we could do it and I'd be happy to be done with this whole process (we only want two kids). My husband is scared to death of twins and the responsibilities and financial issues (cost of day care, health care, etc). He is having a realllly hard time with this and is worried that he might resent them (I know he won't, but this is his concern).  I'm worried that if we only transfer one and it doesn't work, I'll be so upset and wish we'd done two, but I'm also worried that if we do two and end up pregnant with twins, his worry/concern will ruin the excitement of the pregnancy for me (if that makes sense).

So, I welcome any opinions, thoughts, and statistics or articles - I can't find much data for the under 35 set, but I haven't searched that much.  

This process seems to become more challenging every day!



Me: 33, DH: 32, Started TTC #1 since November '11
Saw RE April 2012 due to irregular cycles, Dx'd PCOS (normal weight)
Clomid 50mg, 100mg, then Femara 7.5, no response after 7 cycles
Testing = normal CD3 bw, normal HSG, v high antral follicle count; good DH SA
IUI #1 on 7/11/12 but poor monitoring and found out after that I never ovulated
New RE; Begin IVF September '12: Lupron, Gonal-F, Ovidrel trigger
14 days of stims, ER 9/30/12 (17 eggs, 12 fert)
ET 10/5/12, single blast transfer, 6 frozen
Home Digi 10/13 (8dp5dt): BFP! Beta 1: 11, Beta 2: 10 = chemical preg :(
FET #1 single embryo transfer: 11/10/12
5dp5dt:BFP! Beta 1- 122; Beta 2- 160; Beta 3- 202; Beta 4- 276
Poor prognosis, U/S inconclusive, 11/27 stopped all meds
12/12/12 - hcg mid 40s, MTX shots; 12/24/12 - hcg same, 2nd MTX shots;
1/23/13, hcg finally at zero. Blood work shows abnormal NK cell activity, but holding off on treatment this cycle
FET #2: 2/9/13, Beta #1, 2/18/13: 265!!, Beta #2, 2/20/13: 570!!, Beta #3 2/22/13: 1445!! Saw gestational sac and yolk sac on US 2/26/13
Image and video hosting by TinyPic  BabyFruit Ticker Baby BOY due 10/28/2013 
11-05-2012 at 7:41 PM
Crystal120...
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Crystal120410 is not online. Last active: 05-22-2013, 10:17 PMBronze
There's more to having twins than financial responsibility. It's hard on your body and they almost never go full term. There is a high chance of complications and birth risks. If your husband doesn't want twins then I wouldn't put in two. Remember there is always a chance that one splits and you end up with triplets. I thought the same thing, I would be disappointed if I put in one and it didn't work. But the stress of having twins or triplets would have been much worse than the outcome I had. It's not a one stop shop. And the last thing you would want is for DH to not support a decision or outcome. Hope this helps, good luck with your decision.

Married 9-10-11
Together 6 years before marriage
Me 26 DH 28
TTC since 9/2011
Dx endo 2007 Sx laparoscopy
End bcp 9/2011
Dx annovulatory, DOR, Low AMH
Hysteroscopy due to polyp 2-1-12
IUI#1-3 Cancelled due to low response
IUI#4 BFFN
IVF#1 8/30 Beta#1 256, 8/31 Beta#2 482 BFP!! M/C 5w3d
FET#1 Cancelled due to uterine fluid and thin lining
FET#1.2Cancelled due to abnormal bleeding
Hysteroscopy 12/28/12 All clear
FET#1.3 2/2013 Cancelled
FET #1.4 3/19 BFFN
Good Luck to All!!
Crystal
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11-05-2012 at 7:42 PM
ball.and.c...
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ball.and.chain is not online. Last active: 05-22-2013, 10:02 PMBronze

My concern about 2 embryos, and one of the big reasons we plan to transfer only 1, is not actually the risk of twins (although I'd prefer to have singletons) but the risk of triplets.  I have a friend who transferred 2, both implanted and 1 split.  My RE has had this happen to 2 patients.  IVF embryos do split more than non-IVF embryos.  I don't know exactly how often this happens -- I don't think the risk is super high -- but it's enough for me.

Sorry I don't have any stats to offer you, just my own anxiety!


Married my wife 8/2007 *** TTC #1 since 7/2011
4 IUIs w/ midwives = 4 BFNs
5 IUIs w/ an RE = 5 BFNs
IVF October/November 2012
ER 11/1: 22 eggs retrieved, 17 fertilized!
ET 11/6: 1 blast transferred, 5 frozen
BFP 11/15! Beta #1: 104 Beta #2: 613 Beta #3: 3415
Blighted ovum discovered at 7w5d; D&E 12/13
FET 1 cancelled
FET 1.1: ET 4/30: 1 blast transferred
BFP 5/7! Beta #1: 142 Beta #2: 730 Beta #3: 3100
*Everyone welcome*

 BabyFruit Ticker 
11-05-2012 at 8:05 PM
cdale86
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cdale86 is not online. Last active: 05-20-2013, 7:25 PMBronze
bluek210:

mended a single transfer the first time around. This time, he says he'd still lean toward just one since I am 33 and my embryos are very good quality.  The doc says that transferring 1 embryo is successful about 68% of the time in women under 35, and transferring 2 results in about 71% success rate, but the rate of twins in the 2-embryo-transfer group is 50%.

That's more stats than I knew 5 min ago.  I know you were asking but I'm saying thanks for offering this.  I have to agree with PPs that if your H is really that worried about twins...I'd go for one.  You definitely want to make sure you are on the same page. 


Me: 26 DH: 26
Together 12 years, Married 4 years
TTC #1 since 12/2010 with unexplained IF
HSG: normal SA: normal
Jan 2011-April 2011: Femara 2.5 mg with 4 failed cycles
May 2012-Aug 2012: 3 IUIs- 100mg Clomid + Ovidrel + Endometrin = BFNs
November 2012: IVF #1 ER: 11/2 22 eggs retrieved. ET: 5dt on 11/7 (2 transferred)
Beta #1 on 11/19: 1069 Beta #2 on 11/21: 2752
1st ultrasound 12/5- It's TWINS!!!
Baby B with omphalocele and diaphragmatic hernia...We will love him as long as God allows.

 Pregnancy Ticker 
11-05-2012 at 11:35 PM
amandaleig...
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amandaleigh1 is not online. Last active: 05-22-2013, 11:10 PMSilver

ticker warning...lurker butting in...

 I would definitely pay attention to the stats at your specific clinic, for your age group. That is what is most relevant for you. 

 I chose to do an eSET on a day 3 transfer as a 37 year old because the twin rate with a two embryo transfer for my age group at my clinic was a lot higher than I could stomach (nearly 40 percent of successful transfers of 2 embryos on day 3 in 35-37 year olds resulted in twins. They showed me clinic data the day of my transfer). I definitely did not want to have twins-- I could not handle them mentally, financially. Physically probably. But I also was looking to have an easy low risk pregnancy. Now that I have a single baby, that feeling is even more resolute. If/when I go back for #2, I will only FET one at a time. Lucky for me, they froze my embryos separately.



IVF Oct '11 brought us the little man of our dreams on July 29, 2012!
 
11-06-2012 at 1:52 AM
CutieGirlL...
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CutieGirlLissie is not online. Last active: 04-02-2013, 12:06 PMSilver

Hi, I just wanted to give my input since i noticed everyone that responded so far only put in one embryo. We chose to go with two. DH and I both talked about the financial aspect, stress and responsibilities as well as the higher risk pregnancy. Like you we would prefer to have a singleton, but at the end of the day we'd rather have twins then nothing. That isn't to say that I think the other ladies are wrong, or that they don't want babies - I certainly don't want to come across that way. I just know myself and I know that I would always wonder what would have happened if I got a BFN and had only put in one. I've also known several twins in my friend group and my sister had twins so maybe the idea of twins isn't so abnormal to me... I just wanted you to know that was why we chose to go ahead with 2. But with that said, you and DH definitely need to be on the same page. Whether you think he'd end up being fine with twins or not, if he doesn't feel comfortable with the idea of twins then you shouldn't push for two. And just for stat purposes, all of my ETs have been FETs. We froze all our embryos on day 5 after our fresh cycle due to OHSS. 

Also, just as a side note since I noticed a previous poster mention this, embryos that are frozen in pairs can be thawed and then one can be refrozen. Our lab said they have about a 90% success rate with that and the refrozen embryo is perfectly fine for future use. So that shouldn't be a concern if your embies are frozen in pairs.

GL with whatever you choose! 


My Blog: Maybe, Baby?

Image and video hosting by TinyPic
Been with DH since 01/2003
Married 07/24/2010
Began TTC 07/2011
4/2012 DH DX with Retrograde Ejaculation
5/2012 1st IUI, 100mg Clomid, Only 1 Follie - BFN
6/2012 2nd IUI, 150mg Clomid+Menopur, 18 Follies (yikes,too many!!) and Mild OHSS - Cancelled
8/2012 Begin 1st IVF, Menopur+Bravelle+Ganirelix
8/11/2012 ER, Holy Crap we had 31 eggs!! Developed Severe OHSS - Delayed with 10 Frosties
9/2012 Begin 1st FET, Delestrogen+PIO+Crinone
9/13/2012 1st FET, 2 Beautiful Embies... 9/25/2012 Beta - BFN
10/2012 Begin 2nd FET, Delestrogen+PIO+Crinone
10/26/2012 2nd FET, 2 Beautiful Embies...11/7/2012 Beta - BFP
...1st Beta (11/7): 251...2nd Beta (11/9): 618...3rd Beta (11/15): 5,870
***PAIF/SAIF Welcome***

 BabyFruit Ticker 
11-06-2012 at 6:55 AM
Mrs. Erin
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Royal Oak, MI
1,739 Points
Mrs. Erin is not online. Last active: 05-22-2013, 12:01 PMSilver

This has been a hot topic in our house as well.  That being said, we agreed to only transfer one at a time mostly because we already have a DD. If we were trying for our first, I think we would have transfered two, because we also wanted two children.

In the end, you and your husband need to do what feels right to you.  Good luck!!!!  Smile




Lilypie Third Birthday tickers

BFP #1 - April '09; Abby Born - Dec '09
BFP #2 - Blighted Ovum, Natural M/C - Oct '10
BFP #3 - Ectopic Pregnancy, Methotrexate Shot Successful - July '11
BFP #4 - 2nd Ectopic, Right Tube Ruptured, Surgery To Remove Right Tube - Feb '12
BFP #5 - 3rd Ectopic, Left Tube Ruptured, Surgery To Remove Left Tube - Aug '12

IVF #1 - Nov '12 - Long Lupron Protocol = Chemical :(

IVF #2 - Apr '13 - Micro Dose Flare Protocol
3/30 - CD #1, Started Mirco Dose Lupron 4/1 - CD #3, Starting Stims 
11-06-2012 at 7:27 AM
JewelsW198...
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Central Virginia
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JewelsW1980 is not online. Last active: 05-22-2013, 1:49 PMBronze

This is a topic talked about every day in my home as well.  I have no educational information to share, but I'll share how we came to our decision.

We signed all of our paperwork yesterday saying we were good to transfer two. TWO! Whew.  We have natural twins on both sides of our families and IVF twins, so we've experienced multiples at some level and while I know how hard it will be with multiples we are willing to take that chance.  This is our one shot only to have a family through IVF (unless we get frosties) and we were scared that if we only transferred one and received a BFN we would forever have regrets.

Good luck!  Discuss it a lot!!


* Me- 32 * DH- 32 * TTC for 4 Years
* *IUIs 1-6 BFN*
*IVF #1= BFP- M/C *FET- * *Beta#1: 69 *Beta#2:482 *Beta#3 1088
*Beta#4 28,318 * Ultrasound- 1 beautiful heartbeat
IT'S A BOY!!! MAX LIAM
 
11-06-2012 at 7:33 AM
hmz819
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Wilmington, NC
6,742 Points
hmz819 is not online. Last active: 05-22-2013, 9:21 PMBronze

I am 35 so I am in the older age bracket but my doc told us he would reccomend transfering 2.  Especially since we had a chemical in our first IVF.  He said sometimes one embryo "helps" the other implant.  (He did give me stats but I didn't write them down as I was ok with transferring 2 and so was my DH).  Now to be fair I have read a lot of differing opinions on this thought and I am not sure whether I believe it or not.  However, my thought was the first time we transferrred one and it "almost" worked maybe it will work with transfering 2.  I just got my first beta yesterday and it was positive but I will not know how many I have in there until the end of Nov. 

I will say that whatever decision was made I would want to be on the same page as my husband.  Good luck!


TTC#1 since April 2011
IVF#1 July 2012 5R, 3 made it to blast, sET c/p
FET#1 Aug 2012 2 blasts transferred BFN
IVF#2 Oct 2012
16R/6M/6F/2-8 cell grade 1 transfer
Beta 1-237.9, Beta 2-566, Beta 3-8657
US 6w3d shows one baby w/ HB 115
US 7w1d no more heartbeat/ D&C 11/30/12 normal karyotype
IVF#3 Mar 2013
6R/4M/4F 1 compacting and 2-8 cell transfer
ectopic pg MTX given 3 month break from TTC
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11-06-2012 at 8:59 AM
Citygirl10...
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Philadelphia, PA
7,030 Points
Citygirl1015 is not online. Last active: 05-22-2013, 7:59 PMBronze

Do you know how your embryos are frozen, and how many you'll be required to thaw? At my clinic, my embryos were frozen in sleeves of 3 so I had to thaw 3 at a time. I'm asking because my RE also said that re-freezing an embryo is not ideal, so would you be OK with putting only the best looking embryo back in and then discarding the other 2 embryos?

I personally put 2 embryos back both times, and am totally fine with twins (and at this point I'd be thrilled with them!) It is a lot of stress on your body and your finances, but the way I see it is that in the long run it could actually save us money. If we got pg with a singleton and then went back for #2, we'd have to pay for more IF treatments, all while paying for child #1 costs such as food, clothing, daycare, etc.

Either way, it's a very personal decision, so I wish you luck in whatever you and YH decide.


TTC #1 since Oct 2009, Dx: Unexplained Infertility
HSG: Right tube all clear, left tube inconclusive
3 failed Clomid Cylces
4/5 lap revealed blocked left tube, but right tube is open
April/May- 50 mg Clomid + Ovidrel + IUI #1= CANCELLED left ovary ovulating
June 1- 100 mg Clomid + Ovidrel + IUI #1 = BFN
June 28- 100 mg Clomid + Ovidrel + IUI #2 =BFP!
7/12 Beta #1= 14 Beta #2= >5 Chemical Pregnancy :(
July-Nov long break to recover emotionally and financially
Nov 24- 100 mg Clomid + Ovidrel + IUI #3= BFN
Jan 22- Gonal-F + Ovidrel + IUI# 4 = CANCELLED no response on right
IVF #1- Start stims 4/7, ER 4/20, 21R, 14F, 6 frosties, ET 4/25, 2 embryos transferred= BFN :(
FET #1- June 2012, Lurpon starts 5/27- CANCELLED
FET #1 take 2- August 2012, delayed until Sept-CANCELLED
FET #1 take 3- ET 10/11, 2 embryos transferred,= BFFN
FET #2- Transfer 12/4--Cancelled, no embies survived thaw :(
Next steps-- IVF #2 with new RE in March
HOLY SURPRISE BFP 2/15/13!!!! Beta 1- 286, Beta 2- 782, U/S shows baby in uterus and healthy heartbeat


 BabyFruit Ticker

 
11-06-2012 at 11:41 AM
Carolina B...
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Carolina Blue Skies is not online. Last active: 05-22-2013, 2:31 PMNewbie
DH and I had this very tough discussion ourselves, too.  The possibility of twins was just too much for me - at this time.  Our last FET we had a chemical pregnancy, so I optimistically hoped that one more try with one would be just what we needed.  If this doesn't work, we will consider 2 for the next time.  But, I was in the same category as you - under 35, good eggs.

My TTC Journey:
Dx: Hypothalamic amenorrhea
Progesterone to induce period w/ the goal of Clomid - never got period (September 2011). RE referral.
Femera - never responded to the meds (December 2011)
Clomid with TI - BFN (February 2012)
Injectables (Menopur) - hyperstimulated/canceled (March 2012)
Injectables #2 (Menopur) with TI- BFN (May 2012)
IVF - OHSS (transfer canceled), but 11 frozen! (June 1012)
FET - 1 transferred on 8/09/12. Beta#1 (11dp5dt): 350.3; Beta#2: 365; Beta#3: 157. Biochemical pregnancy.
FET # 2 - 1 transferred on 11/01/12. Beta#1 (11dp5dt): 337; Beta#2: 769. BFP!!! 1st ultrasound 11/28/12 showed heartbeat, but measuring 5 days behind. 2nd ultrasound 12/05/12 - miscarriage.
FET # 3 - 1 transferred on 1/24/13. Beta#1 (11dp5dt): BFN.
FET # 4 - 2 transferred on 3/28/13. Beta #1 (11dp5dt): 673; Beta #2: 1265. Just under 6 weeks - m/c at home. WTF appointment in late May.

 
11-06-2012 at 12:34 PM
LaineyPane...
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LaineyPaney is not online. Last active: 05-22-2013, 10:05 PMSilver
PAIF response:

My hubby was terrified of twins, but with all of the strikes against us in the IF world, we wanted to do whatever would increase our chances.
We put in two.
We are pregnant now with one baby.

wedding countdown  
11-06-2012 at 12:45 PM
maggie2324
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maggie2324 is not online. Last active: 05-12-2013, 6:04 PMSilver

Every article that I have read shows a much higher rate for 2 embryos vs 1 (usually something like 50% vs 35%). For us, the decision was mostly financial. IVF #1 we transferred 2 perfect 4AA blasts. Everyone warned us and asked us if we were ok with twins. I'd actually prefer twins if I could have the guarantee that they would be healthy. The BFN was a huge blow. So, after some research I decided to do 3 on day 3 for IVF #2. Then we had a c/p with really low betas, so probably only one abnormal embryo stuck. So, for FET #1, we transferred 2 perfect blasts again.

If we transferred all of these embryos individually, we would be in a huge mountain of debt and still no baby to show for it. If I had insurance coverage or if I already had a set of multiples, I may do one at a time. No other reason would persuade me to do less than 2. 


Photobucket   
Me (24) DH (26) TTC #1 Dx: MFI
2/12 IUI #1 - Clomid/HCG trigger = BFN
4/12 IVF #1 - 17r 14m 13f, 2 4AA blasts = BFN, 3 frosties
7/12 IVF #2 - 14r 13m 10f, 3 day 3 embies = BFP, 4 frosties
8/6/12 Beta #1 = 16, 8/15/12 Beta #5 = 72, 8/20/12 Beta #6 = 9. C/P
11/5/12 FET #1, 2 4AA blasts, 11/14/12 Beta #1 - 352, 11/16 Beta #2 - 1100
Vanishing twin, NT scan clear, 3/5/13 A/S
 BabyFruit Ticker 
11-06-2012 at 1:19 PM
Spring Fev...
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Spring Fever is not online. Last active: 05-17-2013, 8:29 PMNewbie

It's a really tough decision. I had 5 3day sFET and one was a m/c at 8 weeks and the other one that stuck was a chemical. I wish there was some guarantee that they were normal embryos. we did another fresh IVF and had 5 blasts, transfered one and that was a bfn. I do not want twins so I am going to still do single transfers but I'm also not oop so all I have to pay for each transfer is $20 co pay. 

I'm 33 and dh is 34. Our diagnosis is MFI. 


~ sFET November 18th - Beta#1 10dp5dt =104 Beta#2 12dp5dt=330:: Due on August 6, 2013
Lilypie Pregnancy tickers 
11-06-2012 at 3:18 PM
bluek210
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Joined on 12-26-2011
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bluek210 is not online. Last active: 05-22-2013, 6:31 PMNewbie
Thank you for all the responses - I really appreciate hearing all of the thoughts and opinions.  
I really want my DH to be on the same page as me, and I don't think I can really get him to agree to two at this point - he says he'll do what I want, but reluctantly.  We've decided to do one this time, and then if it doesn't work, two next time.  We have 6 frozen all individually.


Me: 33, DH: 32, Started TTC #1 since November '11
Saw RE April 2012 due to irregular cycles, Dx'd PCOS (normal weight)
Clomid 50mg, 100mg, then Femara 7.5, no response after 7 cycles
Testing = normal CD3 bw, normal HSG, v high antral follicle count; good DH SA
IUI #1 on 7/11/12 but poor monitoring and found out after that I never ovulated
New RE; Begin IVF September '12: Lupron, Gonal-F, Ovidrel trigger
14 days of stims, ER 9/30/12 (17 eggs, 12 fert)
ET 10/5/12, single blast transfer, 6 frozen
Home Digi 10/13 (8dp5dt): BFP! Beta 1: 11, Beta 2: 10 = chemical preg :(
FET #1 single embryo transfer: 11/10/12
5dp5dt:BFP! Beta 1- 122; Beta 2- 160; Beta 3- 202; Beta 4- 276
Poor prognosis, U/S inconclusive, 11/27 stopped all meds
12/12/12 - hcg mid 40s, MTX shots; 12/24/12 - hcg same, 2nd MTX shots;
1/23/13, hcg finally at zero. Blood work shows abnormal NK cell activity, but holding off on treatment this cycle
FET #2: 2/9/13, Beta #1, 2/18/13: 265!!, Beta #2, 2/20/13: 570!!, Beta #3 2/22/13: 1445!! Saw gestational sac and yolk sac on US 2/26/13
Image and video hosting by TinyPic  BabyFruit Ticker Baby BOY due 10/28/2013 
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