IVF After 40: Lisa's Story of Hope from Melbourne to Shenzhen

"The fertility specialist looked at my blood work and said, 'Lisa, your AMH is 0.3. At 43, with these numbers, your chance of success with your own eggs is less than 5%. I recommend donor eggs.' I remember nodding politely, walking to my car, and then sitting there for 20 minutes, crying. I wasn't ready to give up on my own eggs. I wasn't ready to give up on the possibility of a biological child."

This is Lisa's story — a journey that took her from the edge of hopelessness in a Melbourne fertility clinic to the delivery room, holding twin babies she was told she'd never have. As told to the FertiJourney Medical Team.

The Diagnosis: Diminished Ovarian Reserve

Lisa met her partner, Michael, at 41. "We fell in love fast. We both wanted children. We knew we didn't have time to waste."

Within months, Lisa visited her GP for a fertility check-up. The results were devastating.

"My AMH came back at 0.3 ng/mL. My FSH was 15. My antral follicle count was 3 — total. The GP was kind but direct. She said my ovarian reserve was 'significantly diminished' and referred me to a fertility specialist."

"I started Googling immediately. Everything I read said the same thing: with these numbers at 43, the chance of conceiving with my own eggs was extremely low. I felt like I'd been handed a sentence, not a diagnosis."

Australian Clinics: "Donor Eggs Are Your Best Option"

Over the next four months, Lisa consulted three different fertility clinics in Melbourne. The message was consistent.

"The first clinic was the kindest. The doctor spent 40 minutes with me, explained the science in detail, and said she'd be willing to try one cycle with my own eggs — but she wanted me to understand that the odds were very, very low. She quoted me less than 5%."

The second clinic was more direct. "The doctor looked at my file for maybe two minutes and said, 'At your age and with these numbers, donor eggs are really your best option. Using your own eggs would be an expensive experiment with a very low chance of success.'"

The third clinic offered to try, but with a catch. "They said they'd do one cycle, but if I didn't produce at least 3 eggs, they'd cancel the retrieval. And the cost — $12,000 AUD for a cycle they might cancel halfway through — was terrifying."

Lisa considered donor eggs. She researched egg donors in Australia, South Africa, Spain. "But every time I looked at donor profiles, my heart sank. I wasn't morally opposed to donor eggs — I think it's a beautiful option. But I wasn't ready. I wanted to exhaust every possibility with my own eggs first."

Refusing to Give Up

Lisa is a research scientist by training — she works in biomedical research at a Melbourne university. When the clinics told her "no," she didn't accept it. She started researching.

"I approached it like a research problem. What affects egg quality? What can improve ovarian response? What protocols work for women with DOR? I read everything — journal articles, clinical studies, patient forums, everything."

Two themes kept appearing in the literature she found:

1. Mild stimulation protocols — using lower doses of medication to produce fewer but higher-quality eggs, rather than the high-dose approach typical for younger women
2. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) as an adjunct to IVF — acupuncture to improve blood flow to the ovaries, herbal medicine to support egg quality, and dietary therapy to improve overall fertility

"The TCM research was fascinating. Studies from Chinese hospitals showed that women with DOR who did 3 months of acupuncture and Chinese herbs before IVF had significantly better outcomes — more eggs retrieved, better embryo quality, higher implantation rates. But when I mentioned TCM to the Australian clinics, they dismissed it. 'No evidence,' they said. But there was evidence — just not the kind they were trained to recognize."

Discovering the TCM + IVF Approach

Lisa's research led her to Luohu Hospital in Shenzhen — one of the few hospitals in the world with an integrated reproductive medicine department, where Western IVF and Traditional Chinese Medicine work side by side.

"The idea made so much sense to me. IVF treats the immediate problem — getting eggs, fertilizing them, transferring embryos. TCM treats the underlying environment — blood flow, hormone balance, stress reduction, egg quality. Why wouldn't you combine them?"

Finding FertiJourney

Lisa found FertiJourney through a PubMed search. "I was reading a paper by Dr. Chen from Luohu Hospital about integrated TCM-IVF protocols for DOR patients. The results were impressive — women with AMH below 0.5 were achieving live birth rates of 25–30% with the integrated approach. That was dramatically better than the less-than-5% I'd been quoted."

At the bottom of the paper was a note: "For international patient inquiries, contact FertiJourney."

"I filled out the contact form at 11 PM Melbourne time. By the time I woke up the next morning, I had an email from a FertiJourney coordinator with detailed information about Luohu's DOR protocol, pricing, and next steps. It was the first time in months that I felt hope."

Three Months of Preparation

The FertiJourney coordinator explained the full protocol: Lisa would need to spend three months preparing her body before starting the IVF cycle. This wasn't a delay — it was part of the treatment.

"In Australia, the approach was 'let's start IVF immediately and see what happens.' At Luohu, the approach was 'let's optimize your body for three months, then start IVF when you're ready.' It was a completely different philosophy — treating the patient, not just the diagnosis."

The TCM Experience

Lisa had never tried acupuncture before. "I was nervous. Needles, you know? But the acupuncturist, Dr. Wang, was so gentle. She explained every point she was treating — 'This one is Spleen 6, it supports the uterus. This one is Kidney 3, it nourishes the reproductive essence.' It felt like she was having a conversation with my body."

The herbal medicine was an adjustment. "It tasted terrible, honestly. Bitter and earthy. But after two weeks, I noticed I was sleeping better. My periods — which had become irregular and light — became more regular. By the end of the first month, I felt healthier than I had in years."

"The TCM doctor explained that in Chinese medicine, my diagnosis was 'Kidney Yin deficiency with Blood stasis' — which roughly translates to depleted reproductive energy with poor circulation to the reproductive organs. The herbs were nourishing my Kidney Yin and moving Blood. It sounded poetic. But my FSH numbers backed it up."

The Mild Stimulation Protocol

After three months of TCM preparation, Lisa started her IVF stimulation. Unlike the high-dose protocols typical for younger women, Dr. Chen prescribed a mild stimulation protocol specifically designed for DOR patients.

"In a standard IVF cycle, they might use 300–450 IU of gonadotropins daily. Dr. Chen started me on 150 IU. The philosophy was completely different: don't force the ovaries to produce quantity — support them to produce quality."

Lisa's monitoring schedule was intensive: blood work and ultrasound every 48 hours from day 5 of stimulation. "Dr. Chen adjusted my medication dose three times based on my estradiol levels. It was incredibly personalized. I felt like they were watching my body's response in real time and responding to it, not following a one-size-fits-all protocol."

By day 10, Lisa had 5 follicles measuring between 14–19mm. "Dr. Chen was pleased. 'For your AMH level, this is a very good response,' she said. 'The TCM preparation has helped.' I cried — happy tears for once."

Egg Retrieval: Four Eggs

On the day of retrieval, Lisa was anxious. "Four follicles meant four potential eggs. I kept thinking — what if they're empty? What if none fertilize? What if this was all for nothing?"

The retrieval took 20 minutes under light sedation. When Lisa woke up, the embryologist was there with the report: four eggs retrieved from four follicles. "100% retrieval rate. Dr. Chen was smiling. 'Four is a good number for your situation,' she said. 'Now we focus on quality.'"

ICSI was used for fertilization. The next morning: three of the four eggs had fertilized. "Three. I'd been told I might get zero. Three felt like a miracle."

The five-day wait for the blastocyst report was the longest of Lisa's life. "Michael and I walked around Shenzhen like zombies. We went to Window of the World — this theme park with miniature versions of famous landmarks. I remember standing in front of a tiny Eiffel Tower thinking, 'Please let there be embryos.'"

The report came via WhatsApp: two blastocysts. Both were grade AA. "Two perfect embryos from four eggs. The Australian clinics had told me I might not produce any. I had two."

Lisa and Michael decided against PGT-A testing. "At our age and with only two embryos, the risk of biopsy damage outweighed the benefit of genetic screening. Dr. Chen supported the decision. 'These are beautiful embryos,' she said. 'Let's give them a chance.'"

The Transfer: Both Embryos

After consulting with Dr. Chen, Lisa and Michael made a bold decision: they would transfer both embryos. "We'd only gotten two. The chance of either implanting was maybe 30–40% individually. Dr. Chen explained that transferring both gave us the best cumulative chance — and at my age, the risk of twins was lower than for younger women."

The transfer itself was almost anticlimactic. "Fifteen minutes. I watched on the ultrasound as the catheter delivered both embryos — two tiny flashes of light on the screen. The acupuncturist came in immediately after and did a session to support implantation. I lay there with needles in my ears and ankles, visualizing those embryos burrowing into my lining."

Twins!

The two-week wait in Shenzhen was made bearable by Lisa's TCM routine. "I kept doing acupuncture. I drank my herbs. I ate warm foods. I went for gentle walks. I tried not to Google 'early pregnancy symptoms' every five minutes."

The beta HCG test: 1,247. "The nurse called and I thought I misheard her. 'Did you say 147?' 'No, 1,247.' I dropped the phone. Michael picked it up and the nurse had to repeat it again."

Two weeks later, the ultrasound. "The doctor moved the wand and said, 'I see two sacs.' I said, 'Two what?' She turned the screen toward me. Two gestational sacs. Two heartbeats. 138 bpm and 142 bpm. Both had implanted. Both were growing."

"The Australian doctors told me I had less than 5% chance with my own eggs. I didn't just beat the odds — I doubled them. Two babies. My babies. From my own eggs, at 43. I still can't believe it sometimes."

Lisa's twin girls were born healthy at 37 weeks via planned cesarean. "Mia and Zoe. Mia came first, 2.8 kg. Zoe followed, 2.6 kg. They came out screaming — the most beautiful sound I've ever heard."

The Cost Comparison

Key difference: The Australian option offered less than 5% chance with own eggs. The Shenzhen option included 3 months of TCM preparation not available in Australia — and resulted in twins.

"Yes, the total was higher because of flights, accommodation, and the TCM program. But the Australian option was essentially a gamble with my own eggs — most clinics wouldn't even try. Luohu gave me a real protocol, real preparation, and real results. I'd pay it again in a heartbeat."

Lisa's Advice for Women Over 40

1. Don't let one AMH number define you. "AMH tells you about quantity, not quality. My AMH was 0.3 and I had twins. Focus on improving what you can improve — egg quality, uterine environment, overall health."
2. Consider TCM as preparation, not as an alternative. "The herbs and acupuncture didn't replace IVF — they made IVF work better. Think of TCM as training for your body before the big event."
3. Find a clinic that treats you, not your age. "The Australian clinics saw '43, AMH 0.3' and stopped thinking. Luohu saw a person who was healthy, motivated, and willing to prepare. That made all the difference."
4. Mild stimulation can be better than aggressive. "For DOR, less can be more. Lower doses, fewer eggs, but better quality. Don't let a clinic push you into high-dose protocols just because that's what they do for everyone."
5. Prepare for a longer journey — it's worth it. "Three months of preparation felt like forever. But I was 43 — what was three more months if it meant a real chance? Those three months gave me my daughters."

Lisa's twins are now several months old. "People ask if twins are hard. Yes, of course. But every time I look at Mia and Zoe, I remember the doctor in Melbourne telling me I had a less than 5% chance. And I think — look what happens when you refuse to accept the odds."