What To Do After a Failed IVF Cycle
The first few days after learning that your IVF cycle has failed can be filled with disappointment and numbness as you attempt to make sense of how you are feeling. You have two areas for consideration at this point: the emotional response to the loss that needs to be processed and the medical choices that need to be made regarding the next steps in your fertility journey.
Take a break
It is important to take a well-deserved break after this loss. The process up to this point has taken a huge emotional and physical toll on your body. Take a week off from everything so that you can nurture yourself. Use this time to scream, cry, binge eat your favorite food or substitute any activity that will help you channel the waves of emotions that are all normal reactions to this situation. It is also a good idea to seek support from a licensed counselor. At Aspire, we have experienced professionals on staff to provide a safe place for you to express your emotions and comfort you and your partner as you navigate your grief.
Talk to your fertility specialist
After you have allowed yourself some time to express the emotional anguish, it is necessary to pick yourself up and schedule a meeting with your fertility specialist. The physician will review all the details of your cycle beginning with the results of your ovarian stimulation, any egg quality or quantity issues, and any embryo development or transfer issues.
Proceed with a more informed treatment plan
Meeting with your fertility specialist affords you the opportunity to discuss any new pieces of information learned from the cycle to then proceed with a more informed treatment plan for the next cycle. For instance, pinpointing if it was an implantation issue or suffering a miscarriage and having the tissue tested could reveal if a chromosomal or genetic disorder was the cause. You might then consider performing PGS/PGD on the remaining embryos. If your embryos were healthy and no other issues are apparent, don’t despair! You may get the results you want with your second IVF cycle.
While the emotional impact is huge, the failed cycle does provide some pertinent information to the physician about you, your embryos and what might be changed for the future to help increase your chances of success.
If you have more specific questions about the next steps after a failed cycle, you can schedule an appointment at any of the Aspire Fertility Clinics or call the:
- Houston Fertility Clinic at (713) 425-3003
- Dallas Fertility Clinic at (214) 414-3806
- Austin Fertility Clinic at (512) 456-9827
- McAllen Fertility Clinic at (956) 300-3557
- San Antonio Fertility Clinic at (210) 981-3572
