The Day of Transfer

Day of transfer was Tuesday, not today (or tomorrow). We decided after a lot of careful research and serious talk, that waiting 5 days didn't buy us anything odds wise, but it did offer a bigger chance of loss. Results are pretty comparable with success rates overall. There are a few examples here and here. There are actually a ton more scholarly articles (many that are more recent) that pretty much bear out the same thing in our specific case, but that was soooooo Sunday/Monday and I'm not digging them up again.  

Rates are often viewed as higher because the result set of blastocyst are skewed with young women's eggs. I had to face facts, some embies that could make it to 3 day and be viable, may not make it to 5 day. 

Tuesday came and it was a moot point anyway, because there were clear leaders in the embryo pack. Very clear. Day 5 wasn't going to make it any different except that we could lose some that would have been perfectly fine. 

In their system, Grade 1 is the best, 4 is the worst. I've listed them in order of their quality. 

Here was the breakdown:

#1: 8 cell embryo - grade 2

#2: 8 cell embryo - grade 2

#3: 8 cell embryo - grade 3

#4: 7 cell embryo - grade 3

#5: 6 cell embryo - grade 3

#6: 5 cell embryo - grade 3

No perfects, but I can't say as I was really expecting any to be. #1 & #2 look pretty good. They won't make the cover of Embryo Monthly, but that is fine since I just made up that magazine name anyway. Now that I think about it they TOTALLY could make the cover, as long as I create the magazine and approve the cover. So not perfect, but still they look good. (I'll try posting pics of them later in the week.) 

#3 was ok. If I had to guess, I'd put it at a 3+. Almost a 2, but not quite. 

#4 was a disaster. I honestly don't know how #3 and #4 are even in the same grade based on the fragmentation.  My only assumption is that grade 4 must be when they start to darken. We didn't have any grade 4s, but since #4 was so sad, we didn't need to see the other 2. 

What ever we didn't put in they were still going to try to grow to blastocyst and then try and freeze, but we were essentially told, "don't really even consider that happening." I guess tomorrow I will call and ask anyway, but I will feel foolish doing so. But for the same reason I can't stop watching a movie even when it's bad (curiosity), I will be compelled to call. At least I know what to expect. 

That's it. Transfer went great. I was in the operating room holding my GC's hand as they implanted. She was a champ. Both the embryologist and the doctor were very pleased with the transfer. Very clean and without problems. 

2 week wait - here we come. Except I'm not sure if it is 2ww, because they are doing it at the 12 day mark. Weird. I've warned my GC that she may have to come back for a second if the one on the 27th doesn't give us enough info. 

Oh well - back to this:

Thanks for all the support and well-wishes!