Study says 2 IVFs may be all it's worth

[Hunter11]

Just ran into an article saying more than 2 or 3 IVF attempts may be a waste of time/money:

http://www.boston.com/community/moms...p1=Upbox_links

The article doesn't say whether the same effect was shown whether the IVF cycles used the same or different protocols. I used a different protocol on my third attempt and had a radically different result. I think the lead researcher is the same Barbara Luke who runs the multiples clinic at Michigan - isn't her PhD in nutriton? Odd.

I hope insurers don't glom onto this as a reason to deny coverage. On the other hand, sometimes I think people who try over and over and over need something to give them permission to give up on IVF and maybe this kind of study will help.

[daisyflower]

There are so many different issues involed in infertility. I agree with the author of the article that general statistics just can't show each individual's chances for success. Every cycle is very different from the previous one. I think, it's almost impossible to predict how many cycles each of us should go through, especially based on "examining it nationally".

(Child mentioned) Hunter, it's so great that different protocol helped you! Congratulations with your twin girls!!!!!!!!!

For me, it is not a different protocol. I stayed in the same protocol with totally different results. I had 5 eggs fertilized with zero normal embies my first IVF. Because it was done with ICSI, it was clear that it was not due to sperm. My RE said, "It's the quality of your eggs, I don't know why". Now I have 10 eggs, 6 normal embies (my ER was yesterday). The discovery of IVF was 4 million babies ago. How funny is it that our REs still work very often just by trial and error? And PhD in nutrition tryes to tell us how many cycles to do?

[3 ladybugs]

This is not in a peer reviewed journal. It is an AP article. Honestly I don't even know why it is news. To me it looks more like an opinion piece.

[MegSD]

I'm certainly glad I didn't stop trying with 2 failures -- we were just starting to figure stuff out at that point! The study also says “if you haven’t gotten pregnant by the third, the chances are slim to continue.’’ Again, if I had quit then, I'd still be empted handed...

-Meg

[Hunter11]

Barbara Luke has a long list of peer-reviewed articles, including some on this topic, so I think this one is probably peer-reviewed as well. The AP article is just a summary. I can't find the peer-reviewed version but someone with access to a medical journals database probably could.

[BC-MiracleTwins]

From personal expierence, I went through 4 IVF attempts. IVF 1-2 were the same protocol and failed. That DID NOT stop me from trying again!. IVF 3-4 were the same protocol but different from IVF 1-2. I got preg with IVF 3 and 4. Sadly I lost twins at 20wks with IVF 3. IVF 4 I had another set of twins who are 2.5yrs old and thriving! I also have a 1 mon old from IVF 4 frozen embryos. Had i stopped after my *Failed* attempts, I would have not have the blessed and wonderful family I have today. This article i do not agree on, as ALL IVF attempts are different.! You can have a *perfect* cycle and it still fail. You can also have a *Crappy* cycle and have a child. Each attempt the body is different and loaded with meds from previous attempts. I also did not pay out of pocket for ANY of my attempts! I co-payed meds.. but that is it! I live in a Mandated State, so my insurance covered it all.... its NOT a waste of money.

[3 ladybugs]

Okay this study has been weighing on me all day. I talked to my DH because sometimes with scientific things someone with just a 2 year degree in early childhood education can't understand all that is involved (DH has his PhD in biochemistry and is a pharma research scientist). He instantly knew the study and has read it... he thinks. There was a study like this one if not this one that he has read.

He said that what the study said is that your chances of success don't go up the more times you do IVF from a statistical standpoint. So your first IVF you have X chance of success. Your second IVF you have X+A chance of success. Your third IVF you have X+A+B chance of success. However at that point your odds don't go any higher then X+A+B. You are just doing a redo of the 3rd cycle from a statistical standpoint.

This is NOT to say that if you are on your 4th + cycle of IVF that it isn't going to work. It very well will. However you can't do IVF 100 times (for example) and expect a 100% success rate. Statistics don't work that way for this.

I hope that this thread hasn't upset that many people. As you can see, people do succeed later on in their attempts.

Good luck everyone!