FAILED IVF CYCLES – Why they happen and why they should never break you

09:40 20th August 2020 | Failed Cycle

failed cycle lost hope IVF complications

Failed.

Failed? No one ever wants to associate with that word in any aspect of life. But the sad reality is that failed IVF cycles happen, and when they do, they leave emotional scars that take some time to heal.

Having the problem of infertility is enough a burden to deal with. The pain. The waiting. The periods you wished they’d come but never did. The countless pregnancy sticks that only displayed one line instead of your highly anticipated two lines. The symptoms that mimicked pregnancy but were only hormonal fluctuations in your body. The people who dropped “innocent” comments about you wasting time to get pregnant and reminding you of your biological clock…

…and a myriad of other events that take place all within your 28-day cycle. All these are enough to leave your heart heavy.

Resorting to assisted reproductive means somewhat gives a glimmer of hope and encouragement, especially going by how scientifically detailed the entire IVF process is from the first consultation down to the main moment – the pregnancy test.

However, a failed cycle should never translate to a failed hope. There is no reason to blame yourself or your partner. Failed cycles happen for many reasons, some of which are medically beyond anyone’s control. The good thing about a failed cycle is that it gives your medical specialists better insights as so what may have caused the failure in the first cycle and then they can better prepare you for your next cycle. We have listed some reasons why IVF cycles fail.

• A major reason for IVF cycle failure is the quality of the embryo(s) transferred. Bridge Clinic has a quality management system that makes sure only high-grade embryos are transferred.

• For older women (40 and above) the quality of their eggs may affect the outcome of the cycle. As soon as this concern is forseen by the managing doctor, we usually recommend the use of donor eggs, however, we also respect patient autonomy. Poor quality of sperm parameters can also lead to failed implantation and donor sperm may be recommended.

• Some women have no embryos for transfer which could be quite devastating to find out, especially on the day of transfer.

• Poor ovarian response to the medications. This could be as a result of PCOS or other underlying medical conditions.

• Embryos that have chromosomal abnormalities will affect the success of a cycle.

• There is also a possibility of an autoimmune response whereby the body is immune against itself and prevents the transferred embryo from implanting/progressing.

• Your lifestyle can also affect the outcome of the IVF cycle – smoking, drinking, unhealthy eating, to mention a few. We always advise couples undergoing treatments to ensure they imbibe healthy habits to enhance the success of their cycle.

• Other reasons, such as being in an unstable emotional state which is no fault of yours but the drama going on around you. Also, when you are not in sync with your cycle and drugs are missed or not followed as advised by your doctor and explained by your fertility nurse, this could result in failed IVF procedure.

How can the second/third cycles be better? Read on.

• First of all, don't give up and don't be discouraged. Your body did not fail you and you are not a failure. Get up, try again!

• Attend the post-cycle review with your fertility doctor and get counselling, too.

• Consider donor eggs or donor sperm which can help improve the outcome of the second/third cycle if this is recommended by your doctor.

• If there is a concern about uterine issues, surrogacy can be considered.

The importance of having your cycle done at a clinic that has a proper quality management system with regular process audits can’t be over-emphasized. Expert specialist help is a major factor in cycle outcomes and success. At Bridge Clinic, we don’t compromise standards and we give you the highest possible chance of conception.

Bridge Clinic cares.

Email: enquiries@thebridgeclinic.com
Call: 01 631 0092 / Whatsapp: +234 (0)810 460 7791.
Visit: 66 Oduduwa Way, Ikeja GRA

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