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Am I over the limit of ivf cycles and now at risk?

Posted: Thu Feb 11, 2016 6:23 am
by GoFollies
Hi Dr Wisot,

I have now done 10 cycles and am looking to do another.

My early cycles were not producing eggs and embryos of very good quality, using high dose stims due to my diminished reserve, but in my most recent cycles on lower doses I have been getting good looking eggs, good grade embryos and blastocysts - but only 2 blastocysts per cycle.

So I now feel more confident that the protocol I am on now will produce a blastocyst. And the euploid rate has been quite good.

I am yet to do transfer because unfortunately all but one of my euploid blastocysts did not pass PGD for a gene we are screening for. Just bad luck essentially. But we have got one good one from the last cycle.

I want to do another cycle to try and get at least one more blastocyst that is both PGS & PGD clear. I want to do this now because of my age and DOR rather than wait until 9 months passes if I get pregnant.

My question is whether doing 11 cycles would push the boundary of potential health risks too high for myself and I should really stop? I want to try for another blastocyst but if I am now putting myself at too much risk I won't do it. At the end of the day it's no good making babies if you're not here to raise them!

Is there any evidence to say 11 is too many from a safety perspective? Cancer risk? Etc?
My father passed away from cancer at the age of 32 and also our son at the age of 6, so I'm a little paranoid when it comes to cancer risk.

I heard recently there may even be an increased cancer risk due to the number of follicles rupturing (causing many 'little traumas') at egg collection during the IVF process.

Regards
GoFollies

Re: Am I over the limit of ivf cycles and now at risk?

Posted: Thu Feb 11, 2016 1:11 pm
by Dr. Wisot
Nobody really knows how many is too much. I certainly could not make a recommendation specifically for you now knowing you.

Arthur L. Wisot, M. D.
Reproductive Partners Medical Group
Redondo Beach, California