The Five Embryos That Could!
It's now a week past my egg retrieval and FIVE embryos made it to the blastocyst stage! They have been biopsied and frozen. This means the embryologist has carefully removed a tiny amount of cells from each embryo. These removed cells are sent to a lab for testing to see which ones are genetically "normal." This is an optional step that can be done via IVF, and one that my doctor recommended due to our recurrent losses. Most early miscarriages are caused by a genetic defect, therefore the goal is to keep only the embryo(s) that are genetically normal, because they have the highest chance of continuing on to a successful pregnancy.
Not much will happen now in the upcoming month as we wait for results. My doctor wants me to wait a full menstrual cycle before transferring an embryo back inside me. This means, if all goes well, the earliest we could have a transfer would be late January/early February.
I have had some questions regarding the IVF process that I wanted to address here as well. So, here are my IVF FAQs!
1) Will you transfer more than one embryo?
No. It was common in the early years of IVF to transfer multiple embryos, with the hopes that at least one of the embryos would survive to birth, which lead to the idea that fertility treatments equal multiple births. However, this is rarely the case now. While there are still clinics that allow patients to transfer multiples, there are many other who do not follow this practice today. This is also due to the genetic testing I mentioned earlier. With the advancement of testing abilities on the embryos, there is a higher chance of implantation success, which therefore lessens the need to transfer multiple embryos.
2) Does this mean you will have five children?
No, even if ALL five embryos are genetically normal, implantation and pregnancy success are still not guaranteed. I will be incredibly blessed if ONE of our five current embryos continues into a healthy, living baby. Even with all the medical advancements, money spent, and time prayed, there is NO guarantee in IVF or any fertility treatments.
3) Will you be able to know the gender of the embryos?
Yes! With the pre-implantation testing, we could know the exact gender of each embryo! We could potentially even choose which gender is transferred. However, this is a decision Brandon and I are still working through. We like the idea of having the gender be a surprise, and don't want to feel like we have to fall into stereotypical gender "norms" as we prepare for the arrival of the baby. Most likely we will let the embryologist choose which embryo he feels has the best chance of success, regardless of gender and keep it a surprise until birth.
4) Are these embryos genetically your children?
While I have not gotten asked this question directly, I think there is some confusion out there with how the IVF process works. So, I just want to set the record straight. Yes, all of these embryos were created using my eggs and Brandon's sperm. Even though it did not happen "naturally," these embryos are 100% our genetic children. However, IVF can be utilized with donor eggs or sperm if the clients need. For example, same sex couples, couples facing male factor infertility, or female diminished ovarian reserve.
Do you have any burning questions regarding IVF you want me to answer? Leave them in the comment section below!
Hoping and praying for my five little embabies!
Em
I love the way you explain the process so we can all understand. We are hoping and praying for the ultimate success of a healthy/happy Stover baby! Love you, Mom!!
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