Expanded Blasts?

[debi]

Hi,

I am doing a DFET cycle (from the most wonderful, gracious person) hopefully will start bcp in late May.

I have 4 expanded blasts that were 140 hrs old when frozen. What exactly does "expanded" blast mean? Does it mean that it took longer to get to the blast stage or is it almost to the hatching stage.

How many would you transfer, 2 or 3? The problem is they are in 2 straws and in order to get 3 we may end up with 4.

Thanks for any information.

Debi
22 month old precious son
a precious angel held by grandma as moma cannot

[Meesh2]

Expanded is great! Mine were also expanding but not expanded. Could you plan for two FETs and transfer 2 each time, sounds like you wouldn't need the 2nd one though! Good luck!

[debi]

Thank you both and Congratulations!

I am not certain if the embryos are expanding or expanded. The andrology report just had exp beside blasts. I didn't know that expanding was another phase to freeze at, although it would be of course.

I asked my IVF nurse what expanded meant and she had to ask another nurse. She said it means early blast. I thought it would be towards the end of developing and closer to hatching. Is this right?

My DH and I talked about just tranferring two if both made the thaw from one straw. But my nurse, yes her again, said to transfer 3 and given my age (42) to transfer 4. Isn't that a lot with the embryos being at the stage they are at? I do not want more than twins as we will not do SR.

Debi

22 month old precious son
a precious angel held by grandma as moma cannot

[SomedayMommy]

Yeah, Debi, I would not go by what that nurse says. With DFET and donor eggs, they ALWAYS go by the age of the donor, not the mother. Sounds like she really does not know what she's talking about.

[Quinn]

Hi Debi---

I'm in nearly the same shoes as you. (except I'm not using donor) We have 5 expanded blasts frozen. 2-2-1 (straws.) The endocrinologist explained it to me that it meant that they were about to "hatch" on their own, and likely would during or immediately after the "thaw." He said that it meant they were developing excellently and was very enthused by this knowledge. Furthermore, I asked about "assisted hatching" and he said that they would do this if they didn't do it on their own, but they very well might not need any assistance!!

Now, my DH and I have been doing the "whatifs" scenario on number to transfer as well. They suggest at our clinic to transfer 3 quality embryo's for FET's (2 for 'fresh") (Keep in mind every clinic is slightly different, obviously) Anyway, they told me that to transfer 3 frozen embies....they give approx. 37% chance of having a singleton/24% chance twins. To transfer 2 embies, 23% chance singleton/20% odds twins.

To ME, the difference is worth trying to transfer 3....but, that's just me. (The RE said she wants to transfer 3....the embryologist thinks we should stick to 2....so, there's discrepancy between two docs....just to further confuse me, I guess. The embryologist said we'd be asking for triplets....I doubt it, but....we'd be ok if that did happen.)

Now, the dilemma: if they thaw out 2 straws to get 3 embies and 2 make it....we must decide: a.) thaw out additional straw and then hope that you have 3 good ones.....but know that you might have 4 and then you'd have to decide within MINUTES to transfer 3 vs 4!! b.) go with transferring the two you have and leave the other two.

We still don't know what to do. DH has a feeling we're asking for trouble to transfer 4, should that situation arrise. I am not worried. I think things will happen how they're meant to on that day......but anxious to get there and see what happens! Like you, we could not do the selective reduction----but, truly...I think the odds of having quads even if you do transfer 4 are pretty slim, so, my instinct says to GO FOR IT and hope that 2/4 "take"!

That's just more info to throw in your bag. Sounds like things are going great though!! Many congrats and you're right----what a special person to donate those fabulous embies for you!! Good luck!!!

[becket]

Hi,

I had 3 blastocyst FEs transfered yesterday. Two were in the process of hatching, but one was already hatched. When the doc came in and looked at the picture of the embryos, he said we were looking at one ugly one (the hatched one) and two beautiful ones. Does anyone know why my doctor would call the hatched one ugly? Do already hatched embryos not have a good chance of implanting?

Thanks,

Becca

[debi]

I think my nurse doesn't know, sometimes, what is really going on about things. I really am anxious to talk with the RE and embryologist to hear their suggestions as to how many to transfer. We also have 5 2pn's but will most likely save those to use at a later time.

My DH thinks 2 is a perfect number to transfer as we think having more than twins would not be fair to our son. But, I do want to increase our chances of getting pg. Nurse said there is a 35% for a FET. I have become pg three out of three thus far. First was a chemical, second is our precious son watching a movie on his DVD player and the last one our precious angel's heart stopped at 11w3d, three weeks ago. I pray this will be a positive time for us and everyone.

Quinn, our donors are the greatest. I truly believe that God put us together and has made this all possible.

Becca, I am sorry but I do not know what your RE was talking about. I would think the hatched one has a better chance or just as good as the others. It sounds like you will be on the pg board soon with embryos like those. When is your Beta?

Thanks again,

Debi
22 month old precious son
a precious angel held by grandma as mommy cannot

[becket]

Debi,

Thanks for the encouraging words. I'm do tired of being disappointed after getting my hopes up.

My beta is on the 25th.

By the way, we are using donor embryos too. The donor couple is anonymous in our case, but I am so grateful. During my last IVF attempt in late 2003, we discovered that my FSH is high. We attempted the cycle anyway but it was canceled when I only produced two eggs! It was very depressing to see my chances deteriorating over time (first IVF attempt was in 1998). Thank God for donors!

I hope you have the best of luck with your transfer. After looking around various web sites, it looks like expanded means that they are pushing on the zona -- just ready to start hatching. Sounds good for you too...

Becca

[jadejong]

Last time we did FET we had a similar situation with regard to expaneded blasts. (Ours was also a DFET). My RE was really excited that they were expanded becuase it gave us really good odds of success. We had 2 straws- 2 expanded blasts in 1 and 3 blasts in the other. He advised (and we did) only thaw and transfer the 2. If only one had survived the thaw we would have only transfered one rather than chance 4. We were successful (our ds is 16 months old) and now have a chance to try again with the other straw of 3. My RE is even a bit nervous about transfering all 3 if they thaw nicely. He said we could consider refreezing one, but it is very hard on the embryo. We will probably transfer all three, but I would hesitate to transfer 4 blasts. I know a family with quads...
Anneke

[debi]

Becca,

How are you doing, feel any different? Have you hpt'd yet or will you? I did and will again. I am an addict to those little sticks. I pray you will get a positive, a start of good things to come. Keep me posted, okay?

Anneke,

Thank you for the positive story. It is good to know that your RE was excited about the embryos. I hope ours is as well, we haven't talked with him yet. I am still do not know what to do, DH is set on just two if both survive the first straws thaw. I want to up our chances of a pregnancy but still don't want more than two as I think it would be to much with an almost 2 yr old.

I am glad that you have another chance to try again. It sounds like it will be a positive as well considering the previous cycles outcome from the same batch of embryos.

Best of luck to us all, I pray we all get the baby(ies) we dream of.

Debi
22 month old precious son
a precious angel held by grandma as mommy cannot