Anyone over 40 with using their own eggs?

[Sadey]

Originally Posted by Ruth41

I just did IVF with my own eggs even though my doctor told me to forget it. I'm glad I didn't listen. I'm 41. I stimmed with gonal f and Menopur. I wouldn't use Repronex. Egg quality with Menopur seems to be much better than with Repronex. My egg quality this time was better than at 38. I had 12 follicles, they retrieved only 5 eggs and only 4 fertilized. We transferred 3 on day 3 and the quality of one of them was excellent. The other 2 were not perfect but good. I got pregnant and my doc was shocked. Unfortunately, it ended up in my tube, but we have sent the products of conception for genetic testing. We believe because of how strong the embryo was growing that it was normal. I plan to try again with my own eggs even though my doc has advised against it. All it takes is one good egg so I don't see what all the fuss about huge egg quantity. I'm also switching to a full Menopur cycle next time to try to improve the quality even more. I hear this is a growing trend and works well with older women. By the way, DH has lousy sperm and we didn't use a donor either. Opted for ICSI.

What is wrong with the quality of eggs when using Repronex? And how do you know this?

[june0703bride]

Hey there,

i am 43 and after our 3rd IVF and one IUI finaly got our BFP with my own eggs. It is very early as we just got our results this week. A great Thanksgiving gift! I did follistim on the IUI and first IVF. IVF only yielded 3 eggs with poor quality, transferred 2. Changed RE since I wasn't ready for DE as he kept pushing. New RE put me on Bravelle, doubled egg count, 3 fertilized normally, one was an 8 cell, no luck. At this age RE advised not to wait any longer. This last time was put on Gonal F and Menopur yielded 5 eggs, 1 immature, 3 mature and one intermediate. 4 fertilized normally and transferred all 4. I would tend to agree Gonal F and Menopur is a good choice. Our quality was good with 2@6 cell, 1@5 cell and 1@7cell.

U/S on 12/15/05.

It is possible with your own eggs. Never believe what they say if it doesn't feel right. Keep looking for the right RE. Don't give up!

Best of luck to us all and lots of baby dust!!!!

[Christinella]

I will be 40 when I deliver, I am pg with my first. I had 4 failed IUIs on clomid, one failed IVF with Follistem and Repronex. Got pg on my second IVF with my own eggs on Gonal F and Lavaris. Expecting a baby in 11 weeks and then going back to hopefully start protocol for a second one which will be when I am 41.

My FSH was at a high of 9.9 and they never retrived more than 6 eggs, 4 fertilized. They put 4 in and I got one healthy pregnancy. Already had Amnio, etc and everything is fine.

Good luck. It is easy to get discourged. I was convienced I would never concieve, now I know with enough patience and trying anything is possible.

christie

[adelaidegal]

Hi,

I just found out I am pregnant. Have been ttc for close to 5 years. Had one IUI about six months ago, but never felt good about ART, and struggled with the decision about whether or not to try IVF. Basically, we had given up hope, and were trying to come to terms with a childless future, so it came as quite a shock to suspect I might be pregnant. My doctor's office confirmed it yesterday. I think all the concerns about using your own eggs when over 40 are somewhat overblown. Yes, there are risks, but there are risks to pregnancy at any age. I recently read that in 1920, the average age of last pregnancy was 42 (which means lots of women had babies later than that). It makes perfect sense, as birth control was not available then, and most women kept getting pregnant until their bodies were no longer able to do so.

Blessings & babydust to everyone here . . .

[Ruth41]

Adelaidegal,

SO very happy to hear your news! I do caution you, however, to keep a level head until you at least make it past the first trimester! You are 42 and for that reason alone you are high risk. Yes, many women do get pg (and post on this site), but they often don't log back in to tell you they've miscarried. I speak with them on private e-mail and everyone always regrets jumping the gun and telling the world they're pregnant. I am not trying to rain on your parade, but nothing hurts worse than someone coming up to you 3 or 4 months later and rubbing your belly because they think you're still pg....and having to tell them you've had a m/c. The reality is that preganancy after 40 is risky and you are only at the first rung of the ladder, so keep your feet on the ground and we'll hope and pray you make us over-40 girls proud! The very best of luck to you! Lots of baby dust and smooth sailing.

[oldermama]

Hi Adelaidegal:

Congratulations! I am 43 and unexpectedly pregnant also. ( I also read that average age of 42 in the 1920s). I was pregnant and miscarried at 39/40 and after 2 more years of trying was told to give up unless I wanted to try IVF. So we gave up and voila. As Ruth mentioned we choose not to tell anyone not even our parents this time until we made it past the amnio and the first trimester - as last time it was hard enough to miscarry but having to tell everyone was hard. But I am now almost 20 weeks - had the amnio - and so far so good. So I will keep my fingers crossed for you - there are more and more of us out there so stay positive!! I just took it one day at time and visualized making it each step of the way. Had some scarey times already and some rude comments from some nurses about my advanced age :-) Had the u/s tech in belly laughs when at my first u/s I told her I had a dream and the dr. kept talking about my old eggs but hey - I guess my old eggs were still okay after all.

If I was to give you one piece of advice it would be statistics are just that - and that they don't always apply to you - it's just the base average. And remember even with the statistics - odds are still in your favour.

All the best - lots of glue. Please keep us updated.

Barbara

[Ruth41]

Barbara,

Just had to say CONGRATULATIONS! You are my new idol. As I turn 42 in March, I will think about you and try to stay positive about my own prospects of conceiving and actually having it work out. Best of luck to you!!

Ruth

[adelaidegal]

Hi Ruth41,

I understand that you are wishing me well and expressing concern that I might have my head in the clouds. However, you might want to be more careful in your responses, as the last thing I needed to read this morning was a reminder of how risky this pregnancy is.

Perhaps my post makes it sound as if I am not "level headed", and I am completely at ease with this pregnancy. Nothing could be farther from the truth. I certainly haven't "told the world" about this pregnancy. I have told two close friends (who I know will be there for me if anything happens), and a few people who are involved in my general medical care. I only posted here in response to the question about people getting pregnant over 40 using their own eggs. I don't feel that posting in a chat room like this is "telling the world".

I am acutely aware of the risks, and it doesn't help to be reminded of them. To be honest, I am struggling with immense anxiety right now. When you get pregnant, you realise there is absolutely no point in dwelling on the risks. You take lots of deep breaths, and repeatedly tell yourself everything will be OK. You tell a couple of trusted friends, so there is someone you can talk to when the feelings get overwhelming. When I posted I was trying to give hope to others who were ttc over 40. Perhaps I should have held back until my own situation was more stable, but I certainly know women who have had healthy, beautiful babies in their 40s, using their own eggs.

I hope you don't take offence at anything I've written, but I really felt the need to respond. I wish you all good things. Best of luck with getting pregnant.

[adelaidegal]

Hi Barbara,

I'm so sorry for your earlier loss. It must have been devastating. How wonderful that things are progressing smoothly this time. I'm very happy for you. Not sure how well I would tolerate rude comments from nurses . It sounds like you have a good sense of humor about it all, which is fantastic, and so important I think. Thanks for the encouragement. I need all the encouragment I can get. Also for the "lots of glue". That's a good image. As you say, it is very much "one day at a time". But you're absolutely right about statistics, the odds are still in our favor. Babydust to you.

PS - I also found a UK website devoted to motherhood over 40. There was a great link on it, listing maybe 1500 stories of 40+ women (many of them were 45+) who've had babies using their own eggs.

[lovindan]

I too was told I have old eggs The term alone makes my hair stand on end. I am now 44 years old and at 42 I surprisingly became pregnant after 22 years of being told I could not get pregnant. My husband passed away and I met a man and voila! I got pregnant but at 8 weeks I miscarried. At 43 I was pregnant again and lost it at 6 weeks. Now I am 44 and just miscarried again I guess I have no problem getting pregnant now However, I can't seem to keep them, so this time the Dr. tested my progesterone and sure enough it is very low so they are going to try Prometrium on my next cycle so I am given new hope So I guess we'll see, I've never wanted anything so much in my life. I have an adopted son who is now 18 and I have had many struggles with due to his many difficulties with being a foster child, so it would be wonderful to have one of my own.
Lots of luck to all of you trying and all of you who are.
Lori