Great Day 3 report

Ok, before the great news, I have a new theory about the lab at the far away clinic. They call you early with good news, and they call you later with bad news. I hadn't even thought about them calling me today, and the phone rings.

Which now means good news. On Day 3, all 10 are still kicking! I cannot believe it!

The embryologist (some woman, and not my favorite one there, John) that called is like "And they all look really good." Uh, ok, that is not descriptive enough for me, 4-time IVF veteran and Dr. Google College of RE degree holder. So she says, "They all are still alive and are of good quality." I scoff, and say, "I'm going to need more than that. What are the cell counts, what are the grades?" She pauses, then says , "Oh, ok. Well, let me look..."

Sigh. Don't treat me like an idiot.

Anywho, she counts (yes, out loud) "1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8...Eight are 8-celled. Six of those are grade 4, the highest quality. Then one is 10-celled, also grade 4. And one is 6-celled, more fragmentation in that one." I'm so happy about having eight 8-celled embies, I don't even press her to give me grades on the 2 remaining 8-cells or the 6-cell.

And just to give you perspective on how much better this is than any other cycle we've done, check this out:

IVF #1: 4 fertilized. D3 transfer of 2 8-celled embies. The only 2 that are 8-celled. Other 2 embies are 6-celled, don't live to blast stage.

IVF #2: 8 fertilized. D3 transfer of 2 8-celled embies. Leaves 1 other 8-celled, 1 10-celled, 2 6-celled. One of the 6-celled makes it to blast, is frozen aka Chilly Willy (a genetically normal 3BB).

IVF #3: 5 fertilized. Freeze-all cycle, push to blast. On Day 3, 2 8-celled embies, 2 10-celled, and a 6-celled. One of the 8-celled makes it to blast, is frozen aka Frozen Frannie (also a genetically normal 3BB).

IVF #4 (this cycle): 10 fertilized. On D3, eight 8-celled, a 10-cell and 1 6-cell.

It is looking good.

I also mentioned that we were not sure if we were going to do the MA genetic testing on this round. We debated it back and forth, and came up with an "if-then" that took into account how I'd done on previous cycles and, well...money. On previous cycles, I'd never gotten more than one blast, and it seemed like the blasts that could survive to that stage were genetically normal. Granted, the n is small, but it was an interesting coincidence. And financially, its $5000 to do the genetic testing again - none covered or reimbursed by insurance. Ouch. So after lots of back and forth with the genetic counselor, we came up with the following, extremely optimistic, tempting the fates, best-case-scenario plan:

Scenario 1: If we get 2 or fewer blasts (which we thought most likely, given past performance), then we would not do genetic testing. We figured that we would transfer one of the already frozen genetically normal blasts in the spring, hopefully get pregnant, and transfer the second genetically normal frozen blast 6-8 months after the first was born. Then, optimistically, 6 months after that one is born, we would transfer whatever was left (1 or 2 untested blasts). Maybe in total have 2 kids, maybe 3. Or 4. Let the fates decide. Because 2-4 kids is my ideal. 3 is perfect.

Scenario 2: If we get 3 or more blasts, then cough up the cash and send them for genetic testing. That way we can figure out which are the good ones to transfer, and still keep with the family planning ideals of 3 kids. Doing SETs with all.

So going into this, I was certain we'd be going with scenario 1. Now, I'm not so sure. Better make sure we have space cleared on a credit card. Gulp.