Quest for baby #1

Apr. 06: Engaged!

Nov. 06: Let's try for a baby...we'll get married soon anyway

Mar. 07: Married! Now let's really really try for a baby

Jun. 07: Ok, I'm tired of waiting. We need help. SA came back with low numbers and low motility...sigh...I seem to be ok. Let's keep trying for a little longer.

Dec. 07: Exploratory Lap&Dye and D&C to see if my tubes are clear. They are clear but I have mild endo. The gyn suggest I go on a chemical menopause for a few months to clear the endo. What?? I'll think about this (not!)

May. 08: Fertility Clinic. Initial plan is to do an IUI but new SA brings worse news. Numbers are really low and motility is still poor. They recommend to go straight to ICSI...

Jul. 08: Can't take an ICSI straight away, we try a medicated IUI and we are scheduled for ICSI in August if it's a BFN. I respond very well, three follicles, triggered, good sperm prep but sure enough it's a BFN

Aug. 08: ICSI #1. Long protocol, Suprefact and Puregon+Luveris. 24 Follicles, 16 Eggs retrieved, 14 mature, 14 fertilised. Mild OHSS. Day 3 transfer, a 10 cell and a 8 cell embryo put back. 9 Penguins frozen.

Sep. 08: BFP but low beta (18) but the value picks up and seems ok. Spotting at 5 w, spotting again at 6 w. Feeling bad, pains and stitches on the left side. Scan at 6w4d maybe a small sac in the uterus (it's a pseudo-sac), maybe miscarried but beta are up, suspected ectopic. Surgery at 6w6d, confirmed ectopic pregnancy in the left tube. Lost the left tube.

Jan. 09: FET #1. 2 penguins back in (3 defrosted). BFN. Immuno tests show some bordeline values.

Apr. 09: FET #2. Defrosted the remaining 6, grow out to blast, 2 blasts transferred. Very very faint BFP 7dp5dt and then BFN. Maybe chemical pregnancy (if I really saw a BFP)

Jul. 09: ICSI #2. Short protocol, lower dose of Puregon + Luveris and Orgalutran. Also Clexane + Prednisolone and intralipid for good luck. 12 Follicles, 9 Eggs, 7 mature, 6 fertilised, 2 blasts transferred on day 5, no penguins.

Aug 09: BFP! This time everything looks great, HPT very strong, beta is good and rising brilliantly. Bleeding at 5w1d, scan shows nothing in the uterus. Devastation. But beta very high and keep rising. Another scan at 5w4d there is a sac! Heavy and odd bleeding at 6w0d. Another scan. Sac has not really progressed but now they can see clearly a second sac with a heartbeat in the right tube. Ectopic pregnancy. Surgery to remove the right tube.

Sep. 09: beta still high, MTX shot to kill whatever is still growing somewhere inside me.

Feb. 10: ICSI #3. Same short protocol. 18 Follicles, fear of OHSS, triggered with only 5000 U of Pregnyl. 6 eggs retrieved (utter devastation), 6 mature, 5 fertilised. 2 blasts transferred on day 5, 1 penguin frozen on day 6. BFN.

Mar. 10: Hysteroscopy done and Dr. B found quite a lot of scar tissue which he removed. It could definitely have been cause of failed implantation!

May 10: FET #3. One 6-day embryo transferred. BFP on May 16th (9dp5dt). Beta #1: 52 (10dp5dt). Beta #2: 123 (12dp5dt). Early scan at 5w1d(24/05) shows gest sac in the right place measuring right on time! We never got this far...

June 10: Viability ultrasound (10/06) shows a heartbeat of 154bpm and the baby measuring right at 7w1d! Another step in the right direction! We are beyond joy. A bit of spotting at 8w1d saw us in the ER but everything was fine. Another scan at the clinic (24/06) at 9w4d shows a aheartbeat of 176bpm and the baby measuring perfect at9w3d!

July 10: Scan at 11w2dhearbeat at 166bpm and baby measuring 11w4d! First OB appointment went well (12w3d) and NT scan at 12w4d (15/07) gave us great results and a clean bill for little Elvis!

Aug 10: OB apointment at17w3d went very well, Elvis is growing and the heartbeat is strong (and we check it at home too with a doppler!). All my blood tests are great so I have to keep doing what I'm doing.

Sept 10: Anatomy scan at20w3d was perfect! Elvis measured 20w2d so excellent! Everything looked as it should. I do have anterior placenta which is low quite near the cervix (not covering the cervix) and we hope it'll raise in the next few weeks. Another bonus visit to our friend OB at home at22w5d confirms everything is good, including my cervix which is close shut and not shortened! Woohoo!

Oct 10: OB third visit at24w2d went great, all my blood/urine samples are perfect. Weight gain on his scale+8kg (but I think I'm +12kg from the beginning). Little Elvis doing well! Another appointment at 27w2d went very well. Placenta still low though so we have to wait and see.

Nov 10: OB visit at 30w2dconfirmed Elvis is still head down and unlikely to turn at this stage. Placenta not checked but will check next time. I measure right on track and all is well. Visit at 32w2dshowed the placenta is still low but everything else is great. I'll have a more accurate scan before my next check at 34 weeks.

Dec 10: scan at 33w5d to check placenta location and growth. Placenta checks out great and so are the measurements of little Elvis! Estimated weight on 10/12 is 2.2 kg. OB visit at 34w2dconfirms all is going well.
At 36w3d went into hospital as I thought my waters were leaking. Not confirmed that was the case but it prompted a scan which showed Elvis had not grown much at all and fluids were very low. Induction on New Year's Eve at 36w5d.

Jan 11: Induction repeated on New Year's Day also unsuccessful. The placenta started tearing in the afternoon and I was sectioned. At 4.37 pm our miracle baby was born. Weigh 2.57Kg and healthy. His name is Oliver.