Hello Dr. Sher,
I just had an egg retrieval cycle where despite my follicles growing nicely and the clinic expecting to collect 15 eggs, they only retrieved 6 eggs, two of which have fertilised. Apparently, the ‘empty’ follicles contained cumulus cells but no eggs.

This is my sixth retrieval cycle and I have never encountered this issue before. Normally I am able to predict quite nicely how many mature eggs I will get compared to my follicles. My last cycle I got 22 eggs and ultimately four euploid blastocysts – this was four months ago. The protocol was pretty much the same – just a different clinic.

I have had other issues with cycles, such as a cycle where 20 eggs were retrieved, 18 mature but only one fertilised. I have had a difficult journey but I have not had this issue before.

I am 37, nearly 38. My AMH tends to measure low (around 1) although the last two times it was tested were not at optimal times. I normally have around 20 or more follicles. I also
Have been diagnosed through a lap with mild endometriosis. I am banking embryos due to failed transfers and miscarriages resulting from six untested embryo transfers.

I’m planning to do another retrieval but I am so worried about this happening again.

Thank you.
Ruth