Hi everyone,

I was invited to join in the chat here. I am on my first cycle of IVF - on the synarel nasal spray at the moment (only had 3 doses so far). At this stage they are saying egg pick up will be around 12th April... assuming my body decides to do the right thing. I am using anonymous donor sperm (which feels weird in itself because I know so few details about the donor and I was doing AI with a known donor so I felt confident about the traits the baby might inherit but also about how the donor would treat the child if he/she ever went looking for their biological father. With an annon donor you really have no idea what you are getting - in terms of personality, or what your child might find when they are 18 and able to make contact with their donor).

Last year I started AI (donor insemination with known donor). Had 2 cycles where my body went a little weird and things had to be rescheduled but okay (both BFN). Third cycle my body went really weird. I ended up having 3 scans and the follicles just weren't developing. Let it go and it took 8 weeks before I got my period (ended up taking drugs to bring my period on). I was told most women have 1 or sometimes 2 non-ovulatory cycles a year and not to worry. The following cycle I decided to not take any drugs at all and let my body have a rest. It ended up being 10 weeks before I got my period. I let my body rest for the remainder of the year whilst I tried to find a local donor (I was using one from Interstate). My cycles finally settled down around Oct. In Jan this year I went back to Sydney for another attempt with my previous donor. I ended up having 4 follicle scans as my eggs weren't developing. Scan 1 I had a 12mm on the left, 3 days later it had shrunk and my biggest was an 11 on the right, next scan 4 days later that one had shrunk and I had a 12 again on the left which finally developed into 19 by the final scan before I drove to Sydney. I knew my body was responding to stress in my life at the time and therefore my chance of success wasn't great... but I still had my fingers crossed (had a huge fall out with long term friends of mine who caused alot of problems between me and my ex, as a result I was hardly sleeping or eating). On the positive side my parents had finally started acting interested in my TTC journey and were being supportive (previously they had known what I was doing but didn't want to know anything about it). If it had worked the baby would be due at a perfect time for me (after I had finished teaching for the year - I work for a university) so my maternity leave wouldn't be disruptive on any one. But alas... best laid plans and all that!

So my parents have agreed to lend me enough money for 2 attempts of IVF. If I'm not really lucky and fall pregnant in one of those attempts then I don't know what I will do. I've spent $3000 so far on my AI attempts and don't have any spare money now.

As far as we know I have no medical infertility problems (just stress affecting my cycles). My cycles have always varied from 4 weeks 2 days to 5 weeks 5 days, however 14 years ago I concieved my daughter naturally when her father and I were using contraception, only saw each other once a fortnight and were definately not wanting to be pregnant. Because of my periods varying in length it caused alot of confusion for medical staff related to due dates (at my first ultrasound they told me the baby was growth retarded but then at the 2nd one they corrected it and said she was just 17 days younger than they had expected from the date of my last period). I didn't have any early pregnancy signs and hadn't considered the possibility I could be pregnant - just thought I was having a long cycle until it got to around 8 weeks and I was feeling really tired and thought I should get my iron levels checked. Doctor asked if I could be pregnant and I said "well my boyfriend and I have sex but we always use contraception". We did a preg test and the doctor and I were both shocked when it came back positive. Although my daughter wasn't planned she was definately the best thing to ever happen to me. I was only 22 when I concieved her (so at our most fertile age) but the fact I got pregnant when all the odds were against it gives me hope that I will get pregnant again. I never wanted her to be an only child but her father and I split when I was 16 weeks pregnant (he's never seen her) and I didn't want to try to have another child on my own (was waiting to meet my soulmate first). Finally gave up on that idea in 2006 and started seriously looking into my options and then started my donor search in Dec 06. My daughter was not quite 10 when I started looking for a donor and now she is 13, and sometimes I think maybe she is too old now... maybe there will be too much of an age difference. I turn 37 in June and I wonder if I am getting too old mentally and emotionally to have a baby. I definately won't keep trying after this year. Just got to hope it works soon.

Lori