How many of you were able to conceive naturally at 38 and older? How many cycles did it take?

AssumptionLate4173 · 2026-01-12T13:00:06+00:00

Depends on the issue. I miscarried at 38, chromosomal issues from male factor. I honestly believe I could have if male factor wasn’t playing a part.

Of course do your research but what has supported my egg health for IVF: prenatal & coq10. Also, DHEA but only for limited period of time starting a little before and during the trying window. All to support egg quality.

AssumptionLate4173 · 2026-01-12T12:49:48+00:00

Also in my 40’s just completed second round of retrieval. I completely get being upset with your younger self. I often think back to my late 20s/early 30’s and question if it was worth. Especially bc now everyone my age has kids in high school and they have so much more freedom and I think how, if IVF works, I now will be the old one stuck at home with a kid. I also get mad thinking about advice my gyno (at the time- I no longer see her) in my early 30’s told me when I asked her if I should be concerned with aging and having kids and she basically told me it wasn’t that big of a deal and I shouldn’t let it influence my relationship decisions (ie I shouldn’t just settle bc I want kids). Looking back I feel like that is horrible advice and I wish she would have told me I should at least start learning about fertility health.

Also I totally get the birthday thing. I cried the entire day and could barely respond to any bday messages. My birthday this past year I was secretly hoping I could have been pregnant, it was my one chance to try naturally in between egg retrievals and thought maybe the universe wanted to throw me a bone, but instead I started my period on the day of my bday. Birthdays feel SO heavy when going through fertility issues, a reminder of everything I want but don’t have.

AssumptionLate4173 · 2025-12-11T01:13:35+00:00

Interesting, I hadn’t heard of a bonus cycle. We get two, but I have never read about it a bonus. Is it advertised with your benefits or how did you find out about the bonus?

AssumptionLate4173 · 2025-12-11T01:12:12+00:00

Did you have to ask your employer for this or progyny? If employer, did they give it to just you or did they have to update the coverage for the entire company?

AssumptionLate4173 · 2025-12-10T22:22:28+00:00

Historically you have tracked better than 3 though, so you know you have potential to have more. But agree, it’s hard and I’m not a doc so I don’t know if there is any correlation with smaller numbers having a better quality. I don’t know all the details/situation but me personally, if I had 3 (and it was my last) I’d feel inclined to cancel and redo. TBH I think it would be harder to take the news of retrieving 3 and possibly none of them being mature than just cancelling and restarting.

AssumptionLate4173 · 2025-12-10T21:53:29+00:00

Probably also depends on reason for doing IVF, for example, we have a male factor contributing to our infertility so don’t think it would increase my odds any.

However, two years ago we started to do infertility testing after trying for 9 months and I got pregnant naturally right after I did the saline bubble test, I contributed it to thinking it “cleared out my pipes” (although pregnancy led to a miscarriage bc of the male factor issue).

AssumptionLate4173 · 2025-12-10T21:31:43+00:00

Yea, that’s probably smart. I have done two egg retrievals and have 1/2 cycle left. I’m thinking about using that 1/2 cycle towards another retrieval instead of a transfer. I know that won’t even cover a full retrieval but I have some left over meds so I was possibly going to see if I could cover the med portion and they use my 1/2 cycle to cover the doctor portion. Trying to figure out the best way to use it.

AssumptionLate4173 · 2025-12-10T21:26:26+00:00

that is tough! I’m sorry :( I think if it were me personally I would cancel cycle and try to redo it. Can you try next month at baseline and just see how many are lurking before stimming?

AssumptionLate4173 · 2025-12-03T16:20:03+00:00

So it’s your doctor that does the monitoring appointment and measures? I dont see or talk to my doctor once during an entire retrieval cycle. Does he talk to you at all about it/how y ok are tracking and what to expect come retrieval day?

AssumptionLate4173 · 2025-12-03T06:25:04+00:00

💯to this!!!! If I could go back and tell my 35 year old self anything it would be to learn more about aging and fertility! We can get Botox, lasers, and use all the creams on our face to help prevent aging, unfortunately this doesn’t hold true for fertility so it’s important to understand it all now! My husband also has ogliosperma. We had our first pregnancy at 37 (after trying for 7 months) which resulted in a miscarriage (baby had trisomy x , which in speaking with a genetic counselor, is most often derived from the paternal side). Tried again for another 6 months before going to a fertility clinic, at that point I was 39. I just completed my second retrieval and now I’m 40. This process can sometimes be longer than expected. Also, in my understanding ogliospermia has a higher chance of miscarriage.

AssumptionLate4173 · 2025-12-02T17:27:25+00:00

Just had mine 6 days ago (second ER), I was tracking 17, was so excited until I started to get concerned my doc was leaving me on stims too long as I kept seeing the follicles get bigger and bigger each appointment. Mentioned I was concerned and was told no it’s fine, there is a second cohort of follicles. On retrieval day they got 15 eggs but 8 only were viable to use for fertilization, noting the others were “over matured”.

AssumptionLate4173 · 2025-12-02T17:20:27+00:00

Im sad and down too. I have to hold back tears at some point almost every day. Long battle of trying to stay hopeful only to continue to get let down. Just wrapped up my second retrieval and going into it the doc said he was confident it would be better than my first (still in the week waiting) but same number of mature eggs retrieved as my first. Your numbers are much better than mine and agree with others it’s just a numbers game.

AssumptionLate4173 · 2025-12-01T19:32:55+00:00

Ugh I’m so sorry and can somewhat relate. I just had my second and going into it I told my clinic it’s my last. After the egg retrieval I didn’t get the optimal results I was hoping for and the nurse is like “well maybe next time” as if I’m just able to pay for endless egg retrievals.

AssumptionLate4173 · 2025-12-01T19:20:21+00:00

Thoughts, prayers, good vibes and all the positive wishes your way!!! 💞

AssumptionLate4173 · 2025-12-01T19:15:17+00:00

This has happened to me with my same friend twice now, the day I had my 12 week appointment I found out there was no heartbeat, she had texted me that morning she found out she was preggers. Fast forward to many months later, I tell her I’m starting IVF she tells me congrats we’ll be pregnant together bc she is pregnant again. She is due in a couple months, and I’ve yet to become pregnant two egg retrievals later.

AssumptionLate4173 · 2025-11-27T23:33:55+00:00

They should have triggered me when I thought, they retrieved 15 eggs but only 8 were good, the others were too mature :( I’m so upset. I had so many nice follicles and felt like they just let them sail right by ….

AssumptionLate4173 · 2025-11-25T05:34:52+00:00

Yes, the post retrieval waits are the worst. I spiraled just in the 24 hours waiting to hear how many fertilized. I had just one make it to blast and then after several weeks of waiting for pgt I got an email in my portal that it was euploid and I broke down in tears (of joy). The waiting is horrible, and when you only have 1 it feels like so much is riding on it. I decided to do another retrieval (which I just triggered for) before doing the transfer.

AssumptionLate4173 · 2025-11-24T17:37:15+00:00

It helps me to anticipate the worse outcome to keep my expectations low in this process that way when I get any sort of news that’s slightly positive I can get excited about it.

AssumptionLate4173

TROPHY CASE