After 3 Losses, Why Did She Dare to Try Again? At 40, She Finally Got the Answer She’d Been Waiting For

"This time, I still didn't dare to let myself feel hopeful too soon." That was the sentence Ms. Lin (a pseudonym) found herself repeating most often when she later looked back on that chapter of her life.

For many people, seeing two lines on a pregnancy test may come as a joyful surprise. But for those who have experienced recurrent pregnancy loss, the truly long wait begins the moment the result turns positive. Ms. Lin knew this all too well. From trying to conceive naturally, to attempting IVF domestically, and later seeking a new path abroad, she had been through two natural pregnancies that ended in miscarriage, as well as a failed cycle during assisted reproduction. Time after time, hope gave way to disappointment. What she feared most was no longer "not being able to get pregnant," but rather—

I did get pregnant. So why, in the end, couldn't I hold on to it?

Two Natural Pregnancies, Both Ending in Early Loss

When Ms. Lin first began trying to conceive, she was 34. She had always felt her body was in good shape and her daily routine fairly balanced, so when she became pregnant the first time, the couple believed everything was moving forward just as planned. Yet around 8 weeks of gestation, the long-awaited fetal heartbeat never came.

After the first loss, they were heartbroken but reassured themselves that an isolated early pregnancy failure was not uncommon—perhaps next time would be different. Less than six months later, Ms. Lin conceived naturally again. With the first experience behind them, the couple was especially cautious this time. But at a follow-up scan, the doctor found that the gestational sac was not developing as expected. After a period of monitoring, they once again received the news they had dreaded—a second miscarriage.

After going through two strikingly similar experiences, Ms. Lin began to realize that she could no longer simply attribute the problem to "bad luck."

Turning to IVF, Only to Find a Different Kind of Struggle

The couple then decided to try IVF. After multiple ovarian stimulation cycles, she finally gathered the courage to proceed with an embryo transfer.

That transfer happened to fall around Chinese New Year. So afraid was she of facing disappointment once more that she didn't even use a home test strip in advance. Instead, she waited until after the holiday to have her blood drawn. Her first HCG result was 59. At the follow-up test, the level was not rising as hoped, and it eventually began to trend downward. This meant that, once again, the hope could not be sustained.

Two natural pregnancies ending in loss, followed by a failed IVF cycle—for someone who had already invested years of effort, what was truly being consumed went far beyond the physical toll. It was the confidence she had worked so hard to rebuild, each time from scratch.

Starting Over at 40—This Time, First Finding the "Why"

Later, at the age of 40, Ms. Lin began to reassess her situation. When Global New Life first connected with her, the focus was not simply on "trying again." Instead, the priority was to carefully review her past history, test results, and the details of each previous cycle, and then have a thorough discussion with the professional team.

At the time of evaluation, her AMH was 1.03. For women around 40, beyond the question of how many eggs can be retrieved, there is another factor that is often overlooked—the chromosomal status of the embryos. As a woman's age increases, the likelihood of chromosomal abnormalities in oocytes gradually rises, and embryonic chromosomal abnormalities are one of the important considerations in early pregnancy loss.

In light of this, the subsequent plan for Ms. Lin involved attempting blastocyst culture and incorporating PGT (preimplantation genetic testing) from third-generation IVF to assess the chromosomes of the resulting embryos. Meanwhile, intrauterine evaluation also revealed chronic endometritis, which was treated accordingly. For anyone with a history of recurrent pregnancy loss, this point is crucial:

We cannot focus only on the embryo, nor only on the uterine environment. Identifying the factors that may be affecting pregnancy and then developing the next steps based on the individual's circumstances is often far more meaningful than simply repeating the same attempts again and again.

First PGT Results: 2 Blastocysts, Neither Passing

In June 2025, Ms. Lin entered a new cycle. A total of 5 eggs were retrieved, of which 4 were mature. After fertilization, 2 blastocysts were ultimately formed and underwent PGT testing. She had believed she was finally one step closer to an answer. A month later, however, both blastocysts were found to have chromosomal abnormalities. There was no embryo that could be prioritized for transfer.

If past failures had made her keep asking "why," this result at least allowed her to begin seeing one possible explanation. But knowing the cause did not mean the road ahead would be easy. At 40, with time, ovarian reserve, and the number of eggs obtainable in each cycle all working against her, every subsequent cycle became more precious than the last.

A Second Attempt—Finally a Different Outcome

After taking some time to rest, Ms. Lin began another cycle. This time, her baseline antral follicle count and hormonal profile differed from the previous cycle, and the doctor adjusted the stimulation protocol accordingly. In the end, 9 eggs were retrieved, of which 7 were mature and progressed through fertilization and culture. To everyone's delight, 3 blastocysts were formed this time.

What truly rekindled the couple's hope was the test report that followed: of the 3 blastocysts, 1 was a mosaic embryo, and another showed no chromosomal abnormalities within the screened panel. After so many years, they finally had an embryo they could discuss with their doctor for transfer planning.

What Does PGT Actually Address?

Many families looking into third-generation IVF in Thailand hear about PGT for the first time and easily assume it means "screening for an embryo that is guaranteed to succeed." In reality, that is not the case. PGT-related testing evaluates the chromosomal status of sampled cells before embryo transfer, providing doctors and families with more information at the embryo level.

For women of advanced maternal age, those with recurrent pregnancy loss, or individuals with specific genetic risks, doctors may discuss whether PGT is appropriate based on the clinical picture. But it must be clearly understood: PGT cannot guarantee that an embryo will implant, nor can it guarantee that miscarriage will not occur after pregnancy is established.

Whether a pregnancy continues successfully can also be influenced by the embryo itself, the uterine environment, endocrine factors, immune function, and a range of other variables. This is precisely why a truly individualized plan should never be reduced to a simple yes-or-no question of "third-generation IVF or not."

In 2026, She Finally Reached That Day Again

After careful consideration, the couple ultimately decided to proceed with a transfer. In April 2026—exactly one year after restarting this journey—she received her pregnancy test result on day 10 after transfer. HCG: 310. When she saw the number, she wasn't as excited as one might expect. Her past experiences had taught her that a good first result does not necessarily mean smooth sailing ahead. So she chose to wait.

From the gestational sac and fetal pole to the confirmation of the fetal heartbeat, every follow-up scan felt like crossing a hurdle she had never been able to clear before. Then, at last, we received her message: the baby had arrived safely, and both mother and child were doing well. In that moment, years of disappointment, waiting, and perseverance finally found a warm place to rest.

What Global New Life Wants to Say: After Repeated Failure, the Most Important Step Is to Find a New Direction

Among the families Global New Life supports in seeking fertility treatment abroad or cross-border parenthood journeys, many are not new to IVF. They may have already been through stimulation, egg retrieval, and embryo transfer—some more than once, with more than one failure.

At such a moment, the most important thing may not be rushing into the next cycle, but rather pausing to look back: What happened in the past? What was the condition of the embryos? Were there factors worthy of further evaluation? Is there room to adjust the next protocol? Especially for families considering third-generation IVF in Thailand, PGT is simply one technical step in the overall process—not an "insurance policy" for success. Age, ovarian reserve, egg and sperm quality, embryo culture, laboratory conditions, the uterine environment, and individual variation can all influence the final outcome.

What Global New Life can do is assist families throughout their overseas fertility journey—helping with preliminary information gathering, communication with clinics and doctors, itinerary planning, translation support, and accompaniment to appointments abroad—so that the complex cross-border process becomes clearer and more manageable.

Ms. Lin's experience does not mean everyone will achieve the same outcome. But her story at least reminds us of this: having experienced failure does not mean the next attempt must simply repeat the past. Sometimes, what truly matters is not blind persistence, but rediscovering a direction that better fits our own circumstances after each experience.

From IVF to third-generation IVF in Thailand; from domestic consultations to seeking treatment abroad and cross-border parenthood—every family faces a different situation. And every careful evaluation, every clearer choice along the way, is a bit more preparation for the future they have been waiting so long to meet.