IVF (In vitro fertilization) is a tiring process, both physically and emotionally. You know how much you have gone through during the procedure, and one of your greatest fears during this period would be IVF failure.
Some people say that IVF is a complicated procedure and you can relax after embryo transfer. However, they do not understand that the 2 week wait after embryo transfer is the most crucial and stressful period of the IVF procedure.
During this period, you would look for any signs and symptoms indicating whether your IVF cycle was successful. But you usually won’t know which symptoms indicate success or failure. So, to make things easier for you, we have discussed some tell-tale signs of IVF failure in this article.
What are signs of failed IVF in 2ww?
The “2ww” referred to here means “2-week wait”. After the embryo transfer, your doctor would ask you to wait for at least two weeks before taking a pregnancy test.
This 2-week wait is to give time for the embryo to implant into the uterine lining and produce the hCG hormones that can be detected in pregnancy tests. You can mostly learn if your IVF cycle was a success or failure after two weeks. Below are some signs that can indicate IVF failure after 2 weeks of embryo transfer.
Negative pregnancy test result
Getting a negative pregnancy test result two weeks after embryo transfer often indicates an IVF failure. However, sometimes implantation might be successful, but you will get a negative result.
This may mostly happen because your body hasn’t yet recognized the pregnancy and started releasing hCG hormones into the blood. So, don’t panic if you get a negative result 2 weeks after embryo transfer. Visit your fertility doctor or wait for another one or two weeks before taking another pregnancy test.
Vaginal bleeding
Vaginal bleeding is often confused with implantation bleeding(light spotting you get when the embryo implants in the uterus). However, unlike implantation bleeding, which indicates a successful IVF, vaginal bleeding is a sign of your menstrual cycle and IVF failure.
Stomach pain
This stomach pain is similar to the cramps you get during your menstrual cycles. This is also a sign of IVF failure and that your menstrual cycle is going to start.
What are the common causes of Failed IVF?
Now that we know some symptoms we would get if the IVF cycle failed, the next step is to know the Cause of IVF failure. Understanding this can help you prevent these mistakes in future cycles and increase the chances of pregnancy.
Less Quality Eggs
The quality of your eggs is an important factor that determines IVF success. Less-quality eggs won’t be able to get fertilized, and if they do, they won’t be able to develop till delivery.
Low-quality eggs also increase the chances of chromosomal abnormalities in the developing baby. So, you should check the quality of your eggs and choose the ones with the highest quality for fertilization. If there is no way to improve your eggs’ quality, you can use donor eggs for fertilization.
Less Quality Sperm
Not only egg quality but also sperm quality is important to achieve a successful IVF pregnancy. If the sperm is of low quality and has low motility and morphology, the chances of it fertilizing the egg are very low.
Even if fertilization happens through ICSI, there are chances of chromosomal abnormalities in the developing embryo. If your male partner has very low-quality sperm, you can choose to use donor sperm for fertilization.
Ovarian response
The ovarian response here refers to how your ovaries respond to the fertility medications and how many good-quality eggs they produce. Sometimes, the ovaries may not respond well and produce very few eggs.
Sometimes, the ovaries may overreact to fertility medications. This situation is serious as it may lead to OHSS (Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome), a condition where the ovaries become enlarged and painful.
Age
Age is a very important factor in determining your chances of success in IVF. The younger you are, the higher your chances of pregnancy through IVF. This is because as you increase, the number of eggs in your ovaries decreases.
The quality of your eggs starts declining as you age. So, if you are planning to undergo IVF treatment, it is best to do it when you are in your 20s or early 30s.
Conclusion
It is normal for you to feel depressed and lose hope when your IVF cycle fails. But remember that IVF failure is normal, and most women only succeed during their fourth or fifth cycles.
Consult your fertility doctor and discuss the causes of IVF failure. This can help you understand why your cycle failed, and you can avoid making those mistakes in your future cycles.
In case your IVF cycle fails, the transferred embryo will be expelled by the uterus along with the endometrial tissue when you get your period. You can then rest for some months before beginning the next cycle.
The time taken for you to get your period after a failed IVF differs for each woman. Some might get their period a week after the procedure, and some might have to wait for three to four weeks before getting their period.
Some people say that IVF is a complicated procedure and you can relax after embryo transfer. However, they do not understand that the 2 week wait after embryo transfer is the most crucial and stressful period of the IVF procedure.
