UWOF #5: Pregnant at 41 after 13 IUIs, cancer, and a mosaic embryo

A day 6 mosaic embryo led to pregnancy at 41 for a patient who had undergone trachelectomy, faced cancer, and endured 13 IUIs and multiple losses.

๐Ÿ’ฌ These stories are part of the Uterine Wall of Fame โ€” a growing collection of real IVF success stories submitted by patients who faced challenging scenarios like poor-quality embryos or low AMH. The UWOF is a project by Remembryo / Embryoman, a site that highlights new IVF research. All UWOF posts are free to access (no subscription required).

โš ๏ธ These stories are personal experiences, not medical advice or scientific evidence. Success stories are more likely to be shared than unsuccessful ones, so they should not be interpreted as proof that a treatment works. Always discuss treatment decisions with your doctor.

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๐Ÿ“Š Story Snapshot ๐Ÿ‘ฉ Age: 41
๐Ÿ“† Years trying: 6 years
๐Ÿงฌ Embryo: Day 6 4AB mosaic (segmental deletion 6q23)
๐Ÿงช Retrievals: 3 (+13 IUIs)
๐Ÿฃ Transfers: 3
๐Ÿ’Š Diagnosis: Uterine issues, Recurrent pregnancy loss
๐Ÿ“ˆ Outcome: Pregnant at 41 weeks

Iโ€™m ready for a baby but Iโ€™m diagnosed with cervical cancer at age 34 โ€œadenocarcinomaโ€. I have a trachelectomy, the removal of the entire cervix and a portion of the upper vagina, and a cerclage is placed at the same time. We โ€˜re trying to conceive but the stenosis and scar tissue prevent it from happening!

First IUI is ridiculously painful, as no catheter can go through this tiny hole (pseudo cervix). After trying many dilations, cytotec, surgeriesโ€ฆI have a second and third IUI. Still BFN. Transfers are way too painful โ€” I passed out on my third IUI.

With IUI number 4, Iโ€™m pregnant! Finally! Unfortunately our daughter is stillborn after PPROM and sepsis. I delivered her via classical C section (vertical) and need to wait at least a year before trying again.

I am 38 completely devastated and heartbroken. I found out later that my cerclage failed (remember I have no cervix).

I had the cerclage removed and placed a TAC (transabdominal cerclage). We try to conceive again.

A total of 13 IUIsโ€ฆ

Many pregnancies that result in early losses!

Iโ€™m emotionally and financially drained. I had heard about a miracle IVF clinic and I am ready to move forward. I remember my first phone consultation with the doctor, at 6 am on a parking lot in my car (I had to be alone that day). Iโ€™m concerned about my stenosis and I keep asking him ifย he had patients with trachelectomy before!

His answer was โ€œweโ€™ll get through this cervixโ€.

I order some meds and Iโ€™m ready to start a new journey.

My amazing OBGYN supports me and allows me to perform all my IVF scans at her office with a great tech. I am ready for my first retrieval.

Iโ€™m already 39, and didnโ€™t respond well to conventional IVF. But after a first canceled IVF I decide toย try mini IVF with femara 12.5mg a day, gonal-f 75 every other day and cetrotide. Iโ€™m ready to retrieveย whatever I have! I got 2 eggs.

One embryo and a short BFP. But itโ€™s reassuring that the doctor was able to do the transfer.ย 

A second IVF will fail. Iโ€™m almost 40 and I decide to try another mini IVF. I have 4 eggs 4 embryos on day 3. They are all fair or poor! Iโ€™m so sad that I almost forget about them and decide to transfer an embryo from a donor. Here again BFN!

I emailed the embryologist and ask him to thaw my embryos and grow them to blast in order to do PGT-A! At this point, I am not expecting anything. Few days later I find out that one embryo made it to blast on day 6 and was biopsied! When the report comes back, it says โ€œaneuploidโ€

Iโ€™m ready to discard it.

But I want to know the gender before I do it. I call the embryologist, he tells me โ€œitโ€™s a maleโ€. Iโ€™m sitting outside under a coconut tree and when I hear itโ€™s a male I shut my eyes and see my baby boy running everywhere.

This flash lasted less than a second. But I clearly saw it, โ€œhimโ€. I asked if the embryo was truly aneuploid or mosaic? He tells me โ€œmosaic Del 6q23โ€ณ. I donโ€™t remember anything from there.

I made some phone calls the following days, weeksโ€ฆTalked to a genetic counselor who told me NOT to transfer it. And as I learned about mosaicism, I decide to take the risk to transfer it along with a donor egg embryo!

The day has come. Iโ€™m ready for the transfer. When I come to the clinic, the embryos from the donors didnโ€™t grow to blast. My mosaic embryo thawed pretty well but I am completely devastated!

The transfer is too painful the doctor decided to do it under anesthesia. When I wake up, Iโ€™m still a little dizzy, and I hear, โ€œIโ€™m sorry, we couldnโ€™t pass a catheter through, too much scar tissueโ€.

I leave to go back home, crying and broken. Myย mosaic embryo is back on ice again. The embryos from the donors died the next morning. The doctor is willing to help me no matter what!

We make a plan for next time. Try a transmyometrial transfer. Itโ€™s a transfer through the vaginal wall. So this time Iโ€™m doing a natural FET and Iโ€™m ready to transfer after a positive OPK.

Iโ€™m here again and I take another selfie few second before the transfer, this time, we are transferring one embryo. My mosaic deletion 6q23 male. A day 6 blast 4AB.ย 

The transmyometrial was done within seconds. 3 days later, I see a faint line on a HPT. First beta is great. First ultrasound is overwhelming, Iโ€™m really pregnant!

I am almost 41 and Iโ€™m the happiest mom on earth.


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