Anyone do IVF with donor sperm?

[fetch]

I've had several failed DIUI's and we're now moving on to IVF.
I have no known fertility problems so it's really all a crap-shoot if the IVF will work as well.

Just wondering if anyone has done IVF using ds and if so, why did you do IVF over IUI?

Thanks.

[thebrg]

I have not done it yet, but I am scheduled to start stims as soon as AF shows within the next few days. We are doing IVF with DS for 2 reasons. First is we are going to give DHs swimmers one last chance to play with a couple eggs. We will then compare to see if the embryos with DS make better embryos, confirming that DHs sperm is not any good anymore. We will transfer 2 of the best embryos regardless of whichever DHs sperm or DS fertilized it. Second, is I really need to be pregnant now...okay yesterday. I can't handle any additional BFNs. My RE said DIUI takes longer to achieve pregnancy (up to 9 tries) and well emotionally I can't do that. I am not sure what we do if this one doesnt work. I so far have not been diagnosed with anything, not that it isn't there. Our dx so far is only SMF. HTH.

[fetch]

Rachel, thanks for the reply.
When your RE said it could take up to 9 tries, were they referring to IUI?
eeek, I hope so. I'd hate to think it would take 9 IVF's. Could you imagine?

Do you know if you'll be doing 3 day or 5 day transfer?
I know I'm jumping the gun a bit since I don't even know if I'm taking a month off before starting IVF or longer, but I've been reading up. I've read how 5 day transfers have a better chance because they're "proven" to be able to reach blastocyst stage.
Any idea yet what you'll be doing?

This article in particular has be wondering what I should do.
I know my clinic by default will do day 3 transfers. hmmmm

www.sharedjourney. com/articles/3vs5.html

[thebrg]

I meant up to 9 IUIs. He said that because the sperm is frozen that it usually takes longer than doing IUIs with fresh like most women do when using DHs sperm. Of course many women get pregnant on the first attempt...

The whole 3 day vs 5 day is a huge debate. I personally feel 5 day transfers are more successful. However, soooo many women get pregnant on 3 day transfers. My triplets were my only fresh cycle that we were able to transfer blasts. IVF #1 and IVF#3 were 3 day transfers because we had poor embryo quality and they weren't doing so hot so they wanted to get them in me ASAP. I am hoping that it will be a 5 day transfer since we are using DS. Our clinic will grow them to blasts as long as they continue to multiply.

If you have any more questions please let me know and I will answer the best that I can...best of luck!

[bebeblues]

hey there,
I did a split cycle during my 3rd fresh ivf , we were going to split my eggs 50-50 donor-DH, but decided instead to give DH more of a working chance b/c the donor was def. going to have increased fert rates, ect. I had 22 mature eggs, 17 went to DH, 5 went to donor. Only 1 of 17 of DHs sperm fert. the 17 eggs and 4 of 5 donor fertilized. If you have MF, keep that ratio in mind. It turns out, due to the high dose of meds I was on, my eggs were fried and no good, we trfd 2 4d morulas from the donor and it was a bust. Moved onto DIUI and it worked like a charm. There could have potentially been one or 2 good eggs in there, but they ICSI'd them w/ DHs bad sperm, so no resulting embies.

Bebe

We were also doing an experiment like the BRG b/c the RE was not convinced that DHs sperm were in that bad of shape-turns out they were wrong!

[thebrg]

Thanks Bebe...I think my ratio will more be like 5 DHs and the rest DS. I normally only have around 16-17 mature eggs and around 20-22 follicles. We have always had decent fertilization with DHs sperm, they just end up being lousy embryos. They normally quite growing around day 3. I so hope it isn't an egg thing too...

What dose of meds were you on? I go in today and find out my protocol. I normally am on 175 of follistim in the morning and 150 of menopur in the evening. I am so nervous!!!

[bebeblues]

I am a good responder and they wanted me to makes lots of eggies on my 3rd IVF to give this a real chance and have lots to work with, so I was on 300IU gonal-f and 150IU repronex (450total). It was just waaay too high of meds for me.I had prteviously made close to that amount of eggs w/ 225IU gonal f.
I don't know if the extra LH from the repronex also caused egg issues or not...we'll never know.

I hope your eggies are in good shape too-keep me posted.
Bebe

[thebrg]

I just got my meds protocol. I will be on 300 follistim and 75 Menopur...so 375. My last fresh cycles I was on 150 Menopur and 150 follistim, but I think the follistim was increased a couple days. So this time it is a little higher. We shall see...I start this afternoon!

[simbathedog]

Hello, this is interesting - do you know if there is any scientific evidence that the high doses of the meds hurt the quality of the eggs? We have sever male factor and old eggs, - tried two IVF/ICSI - never had great quality embryos - so RE things its the egg, I may consider IUI with DS as a last try before moving on to DE.

[gatorsteph]

Hi! Going back to your original question on the thread - we did IVF w/ donor sperm. We started off w/ IUIs - first unmedicated, then w/ clomid and then w/ injectables. We did countless cycles and nothing so then IVF was the next step. We did a total of 3 IVFs (4 fresh transfers as we transferred into both me and my DP on one of the IVFs) and 1 FET. Anyway, IVF #3 was finally the cycle that worked for us. BTW - we did switch donors after IVF #1 since it didn't work and since we'd had some m/c's w/ our first donor from IUIs. BTW - not all RE's require this but ours requires ICSI if using previously frozen sperm (ie - donor sperm). Oh and our last IVF DP did pretty high dosages - I think she was up to 300 of gonal-f plus 75 of bravelle plus 75 of repronex (for a little added LH) and we got by far the best response (47 eggs - transferred 3 blasts and froze 9 and now have twins).

As for 3 vs 5 day transfer - a highly debated topic - at our clinic it depends on how many embies you have on day 3 and their quality. If you have more than 6 that look good, they go out to day 5 to give the best ones a chance to declare themselves and thus really transferring the best ones. If you have less then 6 then the chance of having nothing on day 5 is greater and some say the embies do better in you than in the lab.