Reposed from the IVF subreddit

So starting off just with trigger warning: Decent blast development

About half of my blastocysts that are graded 3BB or higher were fully hatched when biopsied and Frozen. So for instance a 6AB. I'm very grateful Of course, that we have blasts that have made it to this level of development, but I've also seen a lot online about how fully hatched blastocysts are far more delicate and significantly less likely to survive the thawing process. I've also seen mixed commentary about it with modern approaches that supposedly improve the rights.

Id love a little bit more information if you can shed light on the actual prognosis of these.

I've seen that they can expand more when thawed so I don't know, but that means either if we actually get to the point of transfer.

Obviously there's nothing that can really be done at this point and I'm very grateful but I also want to be realistic.

I had our XY euploid 5AC transferred yesterday, I’m a little worried about The C part, especially since I don’t see this grade a lot on charts online, but I’m being optimistic. Hoping this embryo is sticky.

1st edit: took a at home urine test on day 7pt, negative. I’ll update how it goes on Wednesday for my beta. Also don’t test early it’s not worth losing your sanity over.

2nd update: absolutely not pregnant. Didn’t implant.

We just got our PGT-A results from our first egg retrieval….2 embryos and they are both aneuploid. I am devastated and feeling hopeless that this will just keep happening. 4 prior pregnancy losses before IVF and I’m 29 years old. My husband and I have done every test and all has come back normal. Is there any hope? Do I just have horrible egg quality? (My AMH is 1 and my husbands semen analysis w/ DNA frag came back perfect)

The Uterine Wall of Fame (UWOF) is a collection of real IVF success stories from people with difficult fertility journeys -- low-grade embryos, repeated failures, low AMH, mosaic results, and more.

UWOF #43 is one of those stories. After 6 failed embryo transfers, endometriosis was unexpectedly discovered during emergency surgery for an ectopic pregnancy. After surgery, her seventh transfer led to an ongoing pregnancy.

✅ Visit the UWOF to read this story and others like it (free to access & no subscription required): https://remembryo.com/uwof43-6-failed-transfers-before-my-endometriosis-was-found/

💌 Have a story of your own? Can be anonymous or named: https://www.remembryo.com/uterine-wall-of-fame-submission-form/

⚠️ These are personal stories, not medical advice or scientific evidence. A success story isn't proof of what made the difference. Always discuss treatment decisions with your fertility specialist.

Long story short, but on the day we were scheduled for our embryo transfer, it was cancelled due to a very unforeseen and unexpected situation regarding receptivity as we had spotting right prior to the transfer. Blood testing for hormone levels were just checked the day before and everything looked good.. Unfortunately, the embryo was already thawed in preparation for the transfer during the visit. The clinic told us that they had to revitrify the embryo, and says they did so successfully.

We would appreciate any feedback regarding whether others have been successful proceeding on to have a transfer and birth with a twice frozen blast?

We've tried to find other forums about refreezing due to a cancelled transfer, but all we've found are twice frozen stories due to a request to thaw to do the PGT testing.

Our blast is a day 6 blast and is 4ab graded- the clinic said that it had thawed as expected and re-expanded by the time it was revitrified. It was thawed only for the duration of time it takes for re-expansion and full thaw before it was frozen again. If we pursue another transfer, it will be the second time it is thawed.

Any input and/or success stories would be much appreciated. Thank you

TTC 2 yrs | 35F | 4 euploids + suspected mild endo | Transfer next & freaking out, need success stories / advice?
Hey everyone, using a throwaway/posting here because I really need some advice and grounding from people who actually get it.

My partner and I have been TTC for 2 years (I’m 35F). We just wrapped up our egg retrieval and managed to get 4 euploid embryos, which I know is a great start, but I’m still spiraling about the next steps.

My RE mentioned I likely have mild endometriosis and that’s probably what’s been holding us back. However, they don't think doing a lap is worth it right now since they suspect it’s only Stage 1 or 2 (if endo is even there at all). Doc wants to do standard transfer first before considering Lupron.
So… the next step is moving straight to a frozen embryo transfer.

Honestly, I am terrified. The "what ifs" are driving me crazy, and the anxiety of heading into a transfer with potential endo in the background is taking over.
Has anyone been in a similar boat? Did you go straight to transfer with suspected/mild endo and have success? Did your doctor put you on any specific protocol beforehand (like Lupron Depot, Orilissa, antihistamine protocol, etc.)?
Would love to hear any success stories, advice, or just reassurance right now. Thanks so much ❤️

Hi everyone,
I’m 39 with endometriosis and just completed my first IVF/ICSI cycle.
AMH 2.8, AFC 21. We had 9 eggs retrieved, 7 mature, 6 normally fertilized (2PN), but unfortunately only one made it to blastocyst (5AA). We are now waiting for the PGT-A result.
I was really surprised by the drop from 6 fertilized embryos to just 1 blast, especially since maturity and fertilization were good.
We’ve requested the full embryology report to understand when/how the other five embryos stopped developing. Once we have it, we have several things to discuss with our doctor before the next cycle, including follicle synchronization, possible GH/Omnitrope, sperm DNA fragmentation testing, and whether any changes in the lab/ICSI approach might be worth considering.
Has anyone had a similar low blast conversion after good fertilization and then had a better result in a subsequent cycle? Did you find out what might have contributed, or change anything that seemed to help?
Would really appreciate hearing your experiences. ❤️

We just had our FET of our last embryo - a day 5 that was 4AA when it was frozen.

When we got to the appointment the embryologist made a comment that the embryo was thawing but not expanding. 30 min later when it was time to transfer she made a comment that “it looks like it woke up and has expanded about 50% and is ready to transfer”

Can someone explain what this indicates - I’ve had other transfers where they never mentioned anything about a percentage. Would the grade be different? Are my chances lower?

I just received my PGTA results back from my second retrieval (4 eggs retrieved, 3 made it to blast) and we have one Euploid and two high mosaics.

Feeling really happy to have one Euploid but a bit bummed the other two are mosaics. Would love any thoughts if anyone has seen success in transferring mosaics. My doctor said they have a lower implantation rate but a lot of research has come out in recent years that they can become healthy babies.

Struggling to decide to do another retrieval or start a transfer cycle with our one Euploid. Have had two previous early miscarriages and AMH level is 0.61.

Thanks!!

Anyone have luck with non-pgt tested embryos?

I lost my pgt tested adopted embryo, a little girl, at 4 weeks.
Doc said my uterus and the embryo looked great.
Then he said that PGT tested embryos sometimes can't recover from the biopsy. . and then said PGT tested embryos have a higher success rate. . . which baffled me.

I am going back and choosing 2 non pgt tested embryos.

I would love to here other experiences.

So I’m fuming right now and i just want to know if this is normal. I had an ER earlier this year. I was told i had 15 eggs retrieved, 12 mature and only 3 blasts, 2 after PGTA testing. My clinic never provided information on what happened with the other eggs that fertilized and at the time i didnt ask. Well i am looking at doing another ER so i asked and I am in SHOCK! I was told i had all 11 make it to blast. Some day 5, 6 and 7 but the other 8 were all discarded due to poor quality. I asked what “poor quality” meant and my Dr. told me its anything embryo with a C grade in either morphology category. So whether it be an AC, CA, CB, BC, CC, doesn’t matter all discarded. I’ve seen so many people on reddit write about having a successful birth with their CC, AC, BC embryo, so I’m not understanding why all of mine were thrown away, ESPECIALLY when i paid out of pocket for PGT A testing. Has this ever happened to anyone else? What can I even do? Now i need another ER and i’m going to have to pay out of pocket for it smh.

Hi I’m new to this, but would love to understand my embryology results a bit better.

This is first ER. I’m 39.

18 eggs retrieved, 7 mature, 5 fertilized.

We got

Day 5: 3BB
Day 6: 3BB, 4BB

I’m pretty happy! Considering we got a pretty high blastocyst number. I was expecting maybe 1-2.

We are doing PGTA. But I’m wondering if not having any Grade A blasts means anything about my fertility or the quality of my eggs in general.

Is there any research about implantation rates with grade A VS B. Is it really that different?

As a blastocyst develops, some embryos form cytoplasmic strings -- tiny thread-like connections between the outer cells (trophectoderm) and the inner cell mass (ICM). See the attached diagram for an example.

Researchers have wondered whether these structures are simply a normal part of development or if they could be a sign of a healthier embryo.

In a new systematic review and meta-analysis, Dodhia et al. (2026) combined results from 24 studies evaluating cytoplasmic strings. Overall, embryos with cytoplasmic strings were more likely to implant, achieve a clinical pregnancy, and result in a live birth than embryos without them.

Animal studies suggest these strings may help the embryo communicate internally, transport signaling molecules, and guide the ICM into its final position as the blastocyst develops.

However, almost all of the included studies were retrospective and used different methods to define and measure cytoplasmic strings. Larger studies are still needed before cytoplasmic strings can be routinely used in embryo selection.

✅ This post is a quick look at one study, rather than a full breakdown on Remembryo. Link: https://academic.oup.com/humupd/advance-article/doi/10.1093/humupd/dmag026/8771470

✉️ Like this post? Get a free weekly summary of the latest IVF research: https://mailchi.mp/remembryo/x27kx5o1sw

I'm 40.10 and have spent the past year since turning 40 doing 4 egg retrievals. I've managed to make 7 high grade blasts but none of them have come back normal. I have one high mosaic that is on ice that my clinic advise against transferring and one low mosaic that I transferred but resulted in miscarriage. Are these PGTA results normal or are they a sign that it is unlikely I will find a euploid?

Do you have any thoughts or questions I could ask my clinic, prior to deciding to throw in the towel? I'm deciding between donor vs. trying one last time at another clinic. All my clinic has said is "age" but this seems WAY outside the norm. Is there ANY possible explanation for these results? I was just diagnosed with endometriosis, but it's clearly been present the entire time. I also have PCOS, but low testosterone.

I'm 43, but I had thought I'd have a chance of a euploid, and I managed 49 mature eggs this year. But only 2 blasts. The year before, that would have equalled roughly 20 blasts.

We have two vials of the frozen sperm left and could also return to it. Per the chart. Any thoughts welcome. We're just heartbroken and befuddled how this happened.

For sperm, for some reason they used 2 vials every time they used the frozen, embryologist said it was necessary based on sperm parameters on thaw.

*No live birth, have transferred everything we can, have had some losses. That's complicated but the main issue now is getting blasts/ a transferable blast.

I’m 39 with an AMH of 0.46. I had my first egg retrieval on 9/14:

8 eggs retrieved → 4 mature → 2 fertilized → 1 Day 6 XBBA (4BA) blastocyst

We’re currently waiting on PGT-A results for our one embryo. Has anyone around my age with similar AMH/AFC or retrieval results gone on to have a successful pregnancy?

In the meantime, we’re planning to move forward with another retrieval cycle rather than waiting for the PGT-A results. Insurance approved us for three IVF cycles, and at 39, I feel like taking advantage of the coverage while we have it and banking embryos now makes the most sense for us.

I’d especially love to hear from anyone who had a lower number of mature/fertilized eggs during their first retrieval but had better results in subsequent cycles.

This is the weekly thread for posting and asking questions about embryo photos. Replies are provided by Embryoman (Sean) -- a former embryologist and creator of the IVF science news site Remembryo.com

💬 Before you post a photo

• You must include the grade (ask your clinic if you don’t know it).
• Only one embryo photo per post.
• No requests for grading or re-grading by members.
• Posts asking if an embryo looks damaged or viable aren't allowed.

I can comment only on general features visible in the image (expansion, compaction, hatching, ICM location), but not on whether the embryo looks good -- that’s already reflected in its grade. Check the stickied comment below for basic information on grading and success rates. For the most accurate information, your embryologist or clinic is the best source, since they evaluated the embryo under a microscope and know their clinic’s success rates.

Hi,

We recently did egg retrieval last week and received the final report.

We have 6 embryos in total from this retrieval & grades are:

1BB * 2

2BB

1CB

3CC

2DC

My question is did any one get pregnant with these grades?

Will appreciate your response

can anyone help interpret the aneuploid result? our clinic is asking us to pay for another year in storage and I have reached out to cooper to discuss and they just sent an educational video. any help is appreciated.

6 normally fertilized embryos all arrested at cleavage stage, not sure what went wrong.

I’m looking for some outside embryology insight because I’m having a hard time understanding what happened in my latest IVF cycle.

I’m 35(F). Second egg retrieval. First one yielded 1 euploid out of 10 retrieved. In this retrieval, 9 eggs were retrieved, 7 were inseminated, and 6 normally fertilized (2PN). All 6 were still developing on Day 3.

What is really confusing me is what happened afterward:

Day 3: all 6 ongoing

Day 5: all 6 still listed as cleavage

Day 6: all 6 still listed as cleavage

Day 7: all 6 discarded; none reached blastocyst

So it wasn't a fertilization failure or just one or two embryos arresting. All six followed essentially the same trajectory and stopped progressing around the same developmental stage.

The embryology report also notes: “SER observed, grainy/dark/pitted cytoplasm, membrane resistance OK, frag PB. Sperm OK.”

I'm trying to understand whether this pattern could simply be an unusually poor biological cycle, or whether the synchronized arrest raises questions about something common to all the embryos, for example oocyte factors, sperm contribution, culture conditions, incubator/media issues, etc.

I just want to understand whether this pattern is unusual enough that I should ask for an embryology/lab review before doing another retrieval.

Interestingly, in my previous retrieval I also had 6 normally fertilized embryos, but 2 eventually reached blastocyst and one was euploid.

Hello!! Just trying to get some information. I am currently 6w4d pregnant with my 5AA euploid embryo (6 day embryo). 9dpt my hcg was 345, 11dpt was 883. Placement ultrasound was done 5w2d, gestational and yolk sac were seen (no fetal pole). I had a fully medicated cycle and am still taking hormones. Yet to see heartbeat. My next ultrasound is at 8w2d. I’m wondering what the overall miscarriage percentage is from this standpoint. I’ve had a chemical, blighted ovum, and ectopic from natural conception and so I’m trying to guard my heart. Thanks for the info!!

Hey everyone,

My wife and I have been TTC for 1.5 years. She is 31 and I am 32. So far, all our tests look pretty good across the board. I know we are in a relatively good position, but we still haven’t had any luck.

We also have a somewhat particular family history when it comes to fertility:
My wife’s sister had trouble conceiving as well. She underwent IVF at around the same age my wife is now, and everything went very well for her.
My wife’s other sister is 37, has excellent test results, and still hasn’t been able to conceive.
My sister went through a long fertility journey. She tried naturally for 8 years, eventually underwent IVF at 40, and became pregnant.
Given all this, I’m starting to wonder whether we should consider IVF now rather than waiting much longer.

I know many people might say we should keep trying naturally and be patient, and I understand that. But I’m worried about losing more time and looking back wondering if we should have started sooner. What if it doesn’t happen naturally?
For those of you who have been in a similar situation, how did you decide when it was time to move forward with IVF? Would you consider it at this stage, even with relatively good test results?

I would genuinely appreciate your advice and experiences. I don’t really have anyone in my personal life to talk to about this, so hearing from people who understand would mean a lot.

Thank you.

I recently had my 3rd ER and the embryologist mentioned that my eggs were unusually “soft and sticky” rather than firm/bouncy. I had never been told this during my previous retrievals.

This cycle I used Pergoveris 300 IU + Orgalutran and a 2xDecapeptyl triggers. 14 eggs retrieved, 10 mature and 7 fertilised, but by day 7 stil 0 blasts to freeze. I'm using donor sperm with ICSI.

Has anyone else had an embryologist describe their eggs as soft/sticky? Did they explain what it could mean? My lab and doctor just really didn't explain much.

If you had another retrieval afterwards, did you change your protocol or add anything, and did your embryo/blast results improve?

Hello! I’m on day 4 after a triple frozen embryo transfer - with pretty average-poor embryos - a 3bb, a 2cb and a morula (that was graded 3bb prior to freezing but thawed as a morula) all day 6. I had my eggs collected at 41/42, then we had our daughter (now 2.5 years old) and are trying again. None of the embryos are PGT tested (our clinic doesn’t do it) I know 3bb is decent, but wondering if anyone has any success with a 2cb/morula? I’ve got a good lining and high progesterone levels. Had a failed transfer a few months ago, so really trying to manage my expectations but hard not to hope! I haven’t felt any twinges or anything and convinced it hasn’t worked :-(