We expected the embryologist to call with an update around 9-10am this morning. I was glued to the phone, ringer on the highest volume. Waiting, waiting, waiting. Why is it that when you’re waiting for a call those hours, minutes seem so long? I’ve never been particularly patient – but if there is one thing this fertility process has taught me is trying to teach me, it’s to be patient.

To distract myself I met a dear friend and her toddler for coffee and a walk in the park. And, of course, as soon as I stepped out of the house at 11.30am the lovely embryologist called.  All six embryos are still in the race. We have five embryos with 6-12 cells, and out of those three beautiful front-runners (perfectly formed with little to no fragmentation). The sixth little runner is struggling and the embryologist doubts it make it to the finish line, but said she wouldn’t disqualify it from the race yet.

On my NHS rounds, I never got a day 3 update, which I fully appreciate is due to lack of resource. After The Disaster Round, I requested a copy of my file so that I could give the history and the data to my new clinic. We had to pay an administration fee of £50 to obtain the notes and it took 21 days – and of course when H turned up on the 22nd day, they still hadn’t copied the notes. Anyway, bygones…

Looking at the notes for my second round (the only real comparison cycle I have), I had seven embryos and on day 3, five of them had 6-8 cells, two 5 cells only but all of them were grade 4 (little to no fragmentation). So, it looks like the embryos this round are similar to the ones in our second round (two early blastocysts were transferred, none made it to the freezer and no pregnancy). I’m just hoping these embryos are stronger than the ones in the second round.

That said, following The Disaster Round in March, today’s call was a BIG RELIEF. H and I high-fived: we’re back in the game, baby!

Love,

E.