Length of Fresh Cycle & BCP? (Long..sorry)

I'm coming out of my third failed fresh cycle (was blessed with my DS in between during a frozen cycle) and have been really looking into my process to think about why fresh just doesn't work for me. I transferred a Grade A hatching blast and everything was exactly as planned. Unfort, bc I stimulate so 'well' the doc lowered my meds and we didn't get a lot of embryos out of it so I have to go for another fresh and I want to do everything possible to make it work.

One thing I've noticed is that by the time we transfer, I'm on cycle day 30-31. Now, I know the cycle isn't supposed to truly matter because your on meds, O is suppressed etc BUT I'm someone who has a naturally very short cycle 21-24 days. Every time I do fresh, I'm full blown bleeding (straight through the progesterone) a day or two post transfer. I feel like by the time we get to transfer my body is ready to cycle already. Maybe I'm crazy but I'm really beginning to believe it. I looked at my successful frozen cycle and it was done within 18 days - big difference.

What seems to drag the fresh process out is the first two weeks of BCP. Is this really necessary? Has anyone just gone straight to stimming at the start of a cycle? I want to push my doc in this direction but am trying to gain as much knowledge as possible before heading to round 4. Ugh...

Thanks ladies and good luck to all of you!

Re: Length of Fresh Cycle & BCP? (Long..sorry)

You're right that you can't look at cycle days during IVF, but I would be questioning if you're bleeding immediately after transfer. Have your progesterone levels been high enough? Are you on PIO? The bleeding has to do with your progesterone levels, so I'd question that.

Going straight to stimming, rather than BCPs won't make a difference. I also have very short cycles, but I didn't bleed that early when I did IVF. My progesterone was high, though.

You can always do a fresh retrieval but choose to transfer on a later cycle if you're afraid the timing just isn't right for you. So basically fresh retrieval, but frozen transfer.

Re: Length of Fresh Cycle & BCP? (Long..sorry)

I've done both PIO and sup in the different cycles. Progesterone has always been high enough and in fact my viable pg was sup (which has been lower prg historically than PIO). So...that doesn't seem to be it for me. We considered doing fresh to frozen this time but one of the two embryos wasn't doing well and they ddnt think it would make it to freeze so we didn't want to risk losing the one really good one and just put them both back. Ugh so frustrating!

Re: Length of Fresh Cycle & BCP? (Long..sorry)

I had 2 fresh cycles and both I took BCP as part of the protocol. Its more about controlling the timing of everything. For me, the first cycle I produced a lot of eggs but they were not the best quality. Out of like 14-20 retrieved none made it to freeze. we transferred 2 that cycle and it didn't work. But the second cycle the only change they made in my protocol was how long I stimmed. I once again made lots of eggs but this time we had 8 made it to day 5 and 6 to freeze. we transferred 2 again and both took.

its so hard to say what will work but it could be the smallest change in protocol that can make the biggest difference. good luck

Length of Fresh Cycle & BCP? (Long..sorry)

BCPs are not necessary. I did three cycles and never used them. I had two BFN cycles and one BFP cycle which resulted in DS. During that last cycle, I was on the fewest mess and produced the best quality eggs. M

I would be concerned about having AF. If your progesterone is high, you should not be getting it. Have you tried PIO?

Message edited 10/30/2015 7:07:37 AM.

Length of Fresh Cycle & BCP? (Long..sorry)

Would it be possible to skip the fresh cycle and do a freeze all embryo cycle? My doctor recommended that for me since I had, had success with a frozen cycle. He said that studies show better pregnancies with frozen embryos. I also felt a lot less stressed with everything since I gave my body a chance to breath after the stims.