Just off the IVF route

Hi ladies,

I have been TTC for the past 2 years. Whilst I am now 8 wks pregnant (twins) it has been a loooong and emotional road and I can offer only words of encouragement. I am 34 (now) and hubby is 36.

I have has 5 miscarriages and 3 failed IVF cycles.

The first time I fell pregnant, it was sooooo simple. First go. Problem was, that it was termed a 'blighted ovum' and wasn't discovered until I was just over 12 weeks at an ultrasound (urine levels were great indicating no prob). I had a D&C to end it and get back on the wagon again.

Second pregnancy was equally as easy. I think first go again. I had a "feeling" that things were not going any differently to the first and I demanded an ultrasound at 8 weeks. U/S showed some egg sac tissue, but nothing else. It was either nothing, another blighted ovum or a reabsorption. Another D&C to end it. And then another D&C to get out what they missed the first time.

By this stage I had easily convinced my doctor to send me to a fertility specialist in Melb. He monitored my next few "tries" by taking BHCG tests at day 28 and then again in 2 days time if no bleeding. The third, fourth and fifth pregnancies were all classified as chemical miscarriages as none of them lasted beyond about 33 days.

Then he started talking about IVF which sent absolute chills down my spine. After all, when having a few probs, I think that the possibility of being infertile runs through your mind, but to be actually faced with the distinct possibility is a whole other ball game.

However, we did go down the IVF track. The first time seemed to be so strung out - having to go on the pill to get your cycle timed right, using the Syneral spray to shut down system, using the Gonal-F injections to get the follicles producing and then finally the trigger injection to release the eggs.

It was also very time consuming. We live 2 and a bit hours from Melbourne and are dairy farmers, so to get to Melbourne for a 15 minute appointment in the morning was a real effort. We had to get relief milkers, sometimes arrange accommodation the night before etc... It is a huge drain time wise, financially, not to mention the drain on you emotionally.

Anyway, the IVF cycle did not work, neither did the next 2. We were sent away to try on our own. I was devastated - I thought that we would have been fine once we could get some chemical support, seeing as we could get pregnant. Also, we had genetic testing whilst on IVF and it showed that we could make 'normal' embryos (clear of the main 5 chromosonal probs that normally cause miscarriage, incl downs). We just didn't have an answer for why we could not get pregnant.

Then, by miracle, I found out I was pregnant. The second cycle after we left IVF. And it is twins (possibly identical as they can only find 1 corpus luteum).

My cousin, just had her second baby via IVF. It was her 21st go on IVF. Her first baby was her 10th go. And again, there was no rhyme or reason behind why it didn;t work all those other times for her.

I am not particularly religious, however I do think that much of this is about attitude and faith. Yeah, I know that you are probably thinking that it's ok for me to talk as I am now pg, however, I still have to get over the scary 12 week mark.

I'm happy to elaborate on anything. I found it really hard to get Australian information, advise and support when I was on IVF. I'm happy to lend that to anyone TTC.

:luck: Sam

BTW, what does BFP stand for????? With the white square and the 2 red lines

Dear Sam,

What a journey!!

Welcome to BB and sincere CONGRATULATIONS on your pregnancy. I really hope all goes well for you and your family. You deserve it!! I cannot imagine the long road that you have been on.

Thank you so much for sharing your story. It puts all my winges into perspective.

Hope you have a wonderful and healthy pregnancy.

My DH and I are still trying for baby 1 after 14 months. Planning to go and see a fertility specialist if we don't succeed this cycle. I am glad you are around for more information if IVF is suggested for us too.

BFP by the way means a big fat positive on a home pregnancy test and the white square with the two lines is a positive result on urine dipstick. A single line means negative test.

Speak soon, and once again congratulations on your pregnancy.

Love
Gabby

Hi there Bumble bea,
Good luck this cycle!!!!!!!Fingers & toes crossed. I have also done the IVF route but were a little luckier than others in which we knew what the problem (so to speak) was.

The first thing i want to say is that you are in the best possible country if you have to do IVF. My hubby and I started in the UK in 1998 and they led us a merry dance!! It was a complete waste of time, effort and money. And they also misinformed us by telling us that;
1. My hubby will NEVER father ANY children EVER!
2. My hubby's child from a prev relationship was not his.
3. The only option was doner sperm.

Suicidal?? You betcha!!

When we moved back here, I was lucky enough to find a supportive GP who listened and decided that he didn't like what he was hearing. He never even wrote for our medical records in the UK as he said it sounded like a lot of rot.

Three months after seeing him, we saw our IVF specialist at Melb IVF who determined that yes my hubby did have a major problem in that his sperm had antibodies (means he has a built in condom factory haha) due to a groin injury from rugby and yes his sperm count was a little low but nothing that ICSI couldn't fix.

This man was SO positive that he was going to make sure that we had a baby, and he was right. The very first time that we did this IVF (ICSI) in Australia it worked. We have no bloody idea what they were doing in the UK?? And it makes us furious as we will be lucky to have another child now (I am 33 but hubby is 42) i just think of what would have been if we had come back to Aust earlier.

Still better not to dwell on it! By the way just some info, the Gonal-F is now supplied in the form of a pen injection now-heaps easier than needle
& syringe (I just read that in the latest newslatter)

You can count on me for support and i have a good website that you can visit if i'm allowed to post it here. We are also going to do it all again later this year.

All the best
Jo
PS Sam you had a drive and a half!!! We had just over an hour and a half to get to MIVF!