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Hi girls......
I found out yesterday that I need to have IVF to have a baby after 4 consequtive miscarriages. I really don't know anything about it and would love some advice or just to know what it's all about. We are now just waiting to get the intial consultation appoitment so I really am clueless about it all. I have looked on the internet, but can't really find any websites where they explain exactly what happens.
Thanks xxx
Thanks xxx
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Sorry you are going through this
We found out we needed IVF/ICSI in January and are half way thorugh our first cycle so i will explain all it entails.
Most women start off with a nasal spray i think for a week or an injection to down regulate your ovaries. I had the injection on day 21 of my cycle so was to expect AF 1 weeksafter. Day 28.
On Day 5 your clinic will usually scan you to assess whether your ovaries have stopped working and that your lining of your womb is thin. If so you will need to begin giving yourself daily injections at around the same time each day. ( This may sound really scary but it's honestly not that bad) Your DR will recommend the drugs for you as there are a few different one, I have Puregon. Also just a note, i have found it works out a lot cheaper buying the drugs from Tescos than our clinic!! So that's good to remember
Once you've started your injections you will need to go back to the clinic for scans so they can assess how you are stimulating. I went back 4 days into my injections, then pretty much every other day for 2 weeks. But each clinic is different.
The follicles they will be looking at should be between 18-23mm and they would expect around 12-15 follicles. When your follicles reach the size and your lining is a thickenss of 10mm they will book you in for your Egg Collection.
36 hours before Egg Collection you will have a dose of Pregnyl which will cause you to ovulate. Each clinic is different but for Egg Collection they will sedate you and use an Internal Ultrasound with a thin needle attached to pierce into the follicle and retrieve any eggs. At the end of the procedure the embryologist should let you know how many they got.
This is the point that you OH will give his sample.
With IVF the eggs will be placed in a dish and the sperm washed and placed in the dish around the Egg, so they can swim in and fertilise it. If you are having ICSI which is usually used if you have a male fertility issue (ie motility or antibodies, which is our issue) they pick the strongest sperm and inject it straight in to the egg.
The next morning the clinic should call and let you know how many of your eggs have fertilised. They will keep watching the embryos to see they are dividing correctly.
2-5 days after they will do the embryo transfer, they use a fine catheter to place the embryos in the uterus and the embryologist will check the catheter after to make sure they were both tranfered. You might be given Progesterone suppositries to take after your transfer as it can help them stick
Then comes the 2ww. Your clinic will either tell you to do a HPT after 2weeks or get you in for a blood test.
Hehe sorry for the long post, i don't think i have missed anything out
xxx
Where are you up to in the cycle?? xxxx
I am having my Egg Collection on Monday. So feeling quite uncomfortable now and just will be happy to get it done.
I think all clinics vary on NHS and waiting times are different for each area. We have actually gone private as we are both really impatient.
I'm finding everyone's IVF/ICSI accounts fascinating and so informative.
Good luck for monday and hope your follicles are plentiful and all the right size!
xxxx