u/Fit_Improvement_277

We received an update from our first retrieval cycle: 6 eggs were retrieved, 5 fertilized, and only 1 made it to a Day 6 blastocyst. We sent that embryo for PGT testing, and thankfully it came back normal (euploid) and male.
We are now trying to decide whether to move forward with transferring this one embryo or go through one more retrieval cycle first to try to store more embryos. We’ve heard different experiences and would really appreciate suggestions from others who may have been in a similar situation.
We’ve also heard that some women are able to conceive naturally after having their first baby through IVF. Has anyone experienced this or received guidance from their doctors about it?
Any advice, experiences Will helps us to think wisely . Our age is 40 M and 37 F

We started our journey toward parenthood in November 2023 with hope in our hearts. Our OB-GYN encouraged us to try naturally first, and we truly believed that, with time, we would eventually conceive on our own. Month after month, we held onto that hope, but after nearly two years of trying, nothing happened. It was emotionally draining, but we kept moving forward and eventually decided to consult a fertility specialist.

The fertility clinic recommended IUI treatments. We entered that process with optimism, believing we were finally taking the right step toward building our family. Instead, the experience became emotionally, mentally, and financially exhausting. One of the hardest parts was feeling like timing — something so critical in fertility treatment — was not being handled with the urgency it deserved. In one cycle, we administered the trigger shot on a Friday, but because the clinic was closed over the weekend, nothing could be done until Monday. In another cycle, the IUI was missed completely because the sperm sample overheated. That moment broke us emotionally. After multiple failed IUIs and spending thousands of dollars, we began to feel less like patients and more like numbers in a system.

At the same time, life became even harder financially. I had lost my job, and for almost a year I struggled to find work while my wife carried the weight of supporting us financially. Watching her shoulder that burden while also going through infertility was heartbreaking for me. We wanted answers, especially about the financial reality of IVF, so we could plan responsibly and understand what kind of burden we were stepping into. But despite trying to consult with the same clinic multiple times, we rarely received clear communication or follow-up. We often felt alone in the process, without guidance or reassurance.

Eventually, after months of uncertainty, we decided to look elsewhere and found a clinic in New York that was more affordable than the options available to us in Texas. The clinic was extremely busy, but fortunately we were able to secure an appointment and move forward with IVF. We went into the egg retrieval process carrying both fear and hope. We retrieved six eggs, and five successfully fertilized. For the first time in a long time, we felt a little light again.

But the journey continued to test us emotionally. Out of those embryos, only one made it to a day-6 blastocyst. Hearing that news was devastating for my wife. Since then, she has been struggling deeply and losing hope, often asking, “Why is life treating me so badly?” As her husband, it hurts to see her feel that way. I keep trying to remind her that there are still possibilities ahead of us, that one embryo can still become our miracle, and that we will continue to find a way forward together no matter how difficult this journey becomes.

Right now, we are waiting for the PGT testing results of our one remaining embryo, graded 4BB. We know the odds and uncertainties, but even with all the pain, disappointments, and setbacks, we are still holding onto a small piece of hope. Because after everything we have gone through, hope is the one thing we are trying not to lose.
Happy weekend.

Update ended positive

Our story of IVF