IVF 4: The Final Report

I just got a call from the embryologist. He informed me that only one additional egg was fertilized. I should be happy that this technological advance is even available to us at all.

In the end, that leaves us with 4 fertilized eggs but none have started to divide, or cleave. Instead they were frozen at the single cell stage. The way the embryologist made it sound, the best we could hope for is 2 out of 4 being able to make it to day 3. Day 3 is when we would transfer our embryos back to me later this spring.

So overall, it was a dismal cycle. But as long as we have 1 embryo, we'll hold out hope for a good outcome in the end.

As a strategy for the frozen transfer, he preferred to defer to Schoolie. But I insisted we discuss a little more. Since this group was frozen on day 1 and the 5 embies from the last cycle where frozen on day 2, it might be best to thaw these 4 for the frozen transfer. That way, if they all arrested immediately, we could thaw the day 2 grouping without missing out on the window of opportunity for transferring. The embryos are frozen in straws, or groups, of 1 or 2 embryos. In this March cycle, we have a straw of 2 embryos and 2 straws of 1. So that means, we can also just thaw one straw from last cycle if needed.

If an egg is fertilized but hasn't yet cleaved, is it an embryo or just a fertilized egg? Does anyone know the proper terminology? *** Update. Ronni is right. It is called a zygote. Thanks Ronni!

Also, does anyone else think that Fashionably Infertile should start a Friday post about Fashion choices out there? I'd like her to answer some of my most pressing questions about Fashion. I mean, I know nothing about Fashion and I need some help!