When did you decide to use embryos vs continue to try naturally? TTC for 9 months, 1 mc. I’ll be 40 in 2 month

[atonofheart]

I froze my eggs several years ago as I was single and wanted a backup plan. When my partner and I decided to try, we thawed and fertilized my eggs to see if/how many embryos we’d get. We have 3 euploid (healthy embryo, we did PGT-A testing).

We’ve been trying naturally for 9 months - so not too long and had one mc. Should we continue to try naturally (and for how long) or go to plan B and use the embryos? While I like the idea of naturally, I don’t know how long it will take, if I’ll have more mc, or if the embryo has the expected chromosomes. While using the embryos will cost several thousand for the transfer, it saves time and I know the embryos have the expected number of chromosomes. I’m 40 in 2 months and worry about increased risk of mc, quality/health of egg, and chromosomal abnormalities. For reference , a year ago (April), my AMH was 24.9 pmol/L (Canadian units) or AMH 3.486 ng/mL (American units).

Any advice? Or how did you make a decision for those who had similar experiences?

 

[everly]

@atonofheart At 40, I would definitely use the embryos.

 

[hintofasian]

@atonofheart I think the only reason not to use them would be if you want more than one child. 3 euploids gives you a pretty good shot at 1 child, more than that is possible but iffy. So if you want more than one then you could keep trying unassisted and if successful then use the embryos for baby #2. Your age mostly impacts egg quality, it doesn’t matter as much for transfers, so you can still use them later if you’re unable to conceive unassisted.

If you only want one child, I see no reason not to use the embryos now. As you said, risk of miscarriage is high at your age. Plus, if you were to be successful unassisted, that would mean there are 3 extra embryos not being used/possibly discarded.

 

[atonofheart]

@hintofasian We are unsure if we are one and done. Both of us have siblings and like the idea of 2 kids. However, depending if the first pregnancy is too much of a mental/physical toll on me/us, we may stick to one.

We also discussed embryo donation should we not use the embryos, so likely not discarded.

 

[rydyk]

@atonofheart I would use now unless you want 2 or more kids. Then I’d try for maybe 3-6 more months and if no luck, turn to the embryos

 

[alex594]

@atonofheart At your age, I’d do the embryos. The risks are high at your age for chromosomal issues, with IVF you can find out beforehand if the embryos are truly healthy and all set, and then implant. You have 3, the odds are good one will stick!

 

[limoraliwesa]

@atonofheart Typically I like to tell people trying that it can take a completely healthy couple up to a year to conceive naturally but if I’m being honest, with your age and the fact that you also have had a loss, I would use the embryos in this case. I’m so sorry for your loss

 

[allanb]

@atonofheart Use the embryos.

 

[john025]

@atonofheart I told my OB I wanted to try naturally for the first and harvest eggs for my second. She was 100% on board with that and I am 39. She told me she did IVF at 41 bc she wanted another.

I also had a MMC and that’s when we talked about all of this. She also told me I can use leteozol when I want to try and have more than one follicle a cycle. If I don’t end up pregnant this cycle I will move to that. We’re about 6 months in but I was pregnant from December to February.

 

[atonofheart]

@john025 I didn’t know about using Letrozole to better the odds. We have our appointment with our fertility doc next week to talk about the process and timelines of embryos, should we go that route. Thank you for this info!

 

[esteban]

@atonofheart I’d use the embryos, well done on having the foresight to freeze them when you did!

 

[atonofheart]

@esteban Thank you! It was pretty empowering to decide to take control of my fertility and not leave it to fate or biology. Plus, made dating less stressful and more fun as I was no longer on the fertility/biological clock.