Anyone over 35 and have a Day 5 transfer?

I took the IVF class yesterday. I finally understand the difference between day 3 and day 5 embryo transfer.

Honestly, the way they describe the day 5 transfer seems like if your embryos made it to day 5, you probably didn't even need IVF. They only wait until day 5 if you have at least 8 good looking embryos on day 3. Who ends up having 8 good embryos on day 3?

I'm 36. AMH was good (3.3) but we're unexplained. I'm wondering what my odds of having my embryos make it to day 5 are.

Re: Anyone over 35 and have a Day 5 transfer?

The thought process has changed a lot in the last 5 years... even at my place.

My clinic (RMA) used to do day 3 & day 5 transfers.

Now, they only do CD 5 transfers (when I asked my RE, I was told that the culture media is so good that this gives you a better read on the quality and better selection if you have multiple embryos).

I certainly needed IVF (this is my second merry go round with IVF with unexplained IF & my 3rd child... sometimes, god throws you a miracle).

So, yes: Out of 9ish retrieved follies, 3 fertilized well, I had 1 good embryo, 1 not-so-great embryo on CD 5. I only transferred one. Expecting her any day now. I'm almost 37.

Re: Anyone over 35 and have a Day 5 transfer?

Anyone over 35 and have a Day 5 transfer?

I'm 36 TTC#2. We just did our 3rd fresh IVF & 4th overall. We had 21 eggs retrieved, 14 fertilized and we transferred 2 5D blasts. I just found out I'm pregnant. They were watching 10 blasts the day of my transfer but none made it to freeze.

For my prior IVFs (3) I've always transferred 5 D blasts and have always gotten pregnant. One resulted in DD, 1 a chemical and 1 a MC at 6 weeks.

ETA: My current clinic (Cornell) said that they base your transfer on how many eggs fertilize and how many continue to grow. I think if you have under 5 embryos they give you a 3dt regardless if they are going strong or not. Over 5 embryos they push to day 5 provided they are growing well.

Message edited 8/18/2015 1:58:05 PM.

Re: Anyone over 35 and have a Day 5 transfer?

I'm over 35 and we did a day 3 transfer. The decision was based on the fact that we had 4 eggs fertilize. The way my RE described it, unless you have a lot of embryos it doesn't make sense to wait until day 5. She said some embryos might make it inside your uterus that might not make it to day 5 in a lab.

Re: Anyone over 35 and have a Day 5 transfer?

you ladies are scaring me with the odds here... I havent even started yet, but im 36 and will start next cycle. My AMH was 3 and so far the ovaries, tubes and uterus check out to be working fine.

Re: Anyone over 35 and have a Day 5 transfer?

Posted by Peainapod

you ladies are scaring me with the odds here... I havent even started yet, but im 36 and will start next cycle. My AMH was 3 and so far the ovaries, tubes and uterus check out to be working fine.

Anyone over 35 and have a Day 5 transfer?

We were dealing with severe MF issues and IVF is/was our only option. We ended up with 8 embryos at day 5 but just for point of reference we went through 3 cycles and used 4 embryos to have our DD and yet you'll see other girls have 1 or 2 and be successful right away on a 3dt. You never know! Good luck

Anyone over 35 and have a Day 5 transfer?

"Honestly, the way they describe the day 5 transfer seems like if your embryos made it to day 5, you probably didn't even need IVF.". Not true at all. There are so so so many issues on why people can't get pregnant. Ivf can bypass a lot of those (ex. You need your tubes to get preggo "naturally" and with ivf you don't need your tubes). It's just a way to weed out putting a weaker embie in if you have a few to choose from.

Anyone over 35 and have a Day 5 transfer?

Oh and I was 35 and had a day 5 transfer. I am now 18w pregnant

Re: Anyone over 35 and have a Day 5 transfer?

Posted by Peainapod

you ladies are scaring me with the odds here... I havent even started yet, but im 36 and will start next cycle. My AMH was 3 and so far the ovaries, tubes and uterus check out to be working fine.

Re: Anyone over 35 and have a Day 5 transfer?

Re: Anyone over 35 and have a Day 5 transfer?

I was 40 at the time, unexplained infertility. Had 6 embryos - 3 excellent, 3 very good. 5DT, BFP and the other 4 made it to freeze.

Message edited 8/19/2015 3:18:53 PM.

Re: Anyone over 35 and have a Day 5 transfer?

interesting...i never heard it explained like that - if your embryos made it to day 5 you dont need IVF. Nor that its based on how many make it. I always thought the theory was that day 5 embryos are more likely to be "stronger".

I was over 35 (unexplained) when I did my IVFs - the first round I cant remember how many made it to day 3, but i did do a day 5 transfer. That one didnt work.

the next two frozen cycles i did, both with my frozen day 5 embryos, one worked, but it ended in a MC.

My second fresh cycle, i did a day 3 transfer, resulting in DD#2. I had 11 left over to freeze.

the only reason we did a day 3 transfer was because we did day 5 and that didnt work (literally, thats what my Dr said!). He also said that there are some studies out there that day 3 may work better because the embryos are in their "natural" enviornment. Obviously i have no idea why day 3 worked vs day 5, i think a lot had to do with my mental state - i was less stressed on day 3 for some reason....I did the Circle and Bloom audio series - loved it!!

good luck!

Anyone over 35 and have a Day 5 transfer?

Just because you have good embryos on day 5 does not mean you did not need to do IVF. What about people with MFI? If sperm can't get to the egg, then there's no chance of fertilization.

I was under 35 when I did IVF. Based on the research though, it is best to do a 5 day transfer. On day 5, we had two great embryos and then a handful that still needed time. We put both back. We now have a 15 month old DS.

Re: Anyone over 35 and have a Day 5 transfer?

I had 5 day-5 embryos go in between a fresh and frozen transfer and only 1 was strong enough to create a viable pregnancy. Day 5 embryos are stronger and more likely to create a pregnancy but they don't always work. It sounds like you facility isn't giving you accurate information.

Re: Anyone over 35 and have a Day 5 transfer?

I was a few days shy of my 35th birthday when I had my retrieval. I had 8 eggs and 6 fertilized and made it to 5 days. Had 2 successful FET and have a singleton and a set of twins.

FYI- My AMH is/was less than 0.5.