Background

My first appointment with an RE was approximately 1 year ago. My husband and I had been trying to get pregnant for 6 months without results. I was concerned because I was in my early thirties and had a history of uterine fibroids. My two previous gynecologists had told me to relax and keep trying. I was lucky because my insurance allowed me to go to an RE without a referral. I walked into the RE's office and we talked at length about my medical and ob/gyn history. I felt like he took my concerns seriously. I went through a battery of tests, including an ultrasound (confirmed multiple fibroids), HSG, Post-coital test (no sperm found!), Estrogen & FSH. The post-coital test caught us off guard. My husband had a semen analysis which revealed a very low sperm count. The world of IVF opened up to us. My RE felt that ICSI would be the way to go in our situation. Before we embarked on IVF-ICSI however, my uterus had to be optimized. I underwent a laparotomy to remove multiple uterine fibroids, one of which was full thickness (this means I have to undergo a c-section in the future to avoid uterine rupture). This was on May 21, 1999. I had to wait three months to heal before starting IVF.

IVF

I started my IVF cycle on day 21 of my menstrual cycle, which was on August 28, 1999. My ovaries were suppressed with Lupron (hot flashes!). Stimulation started with Humegon and Gonal-F while still continuing the Lupron (pin cushion stage). Monitoring by ultrasound and hormones continued through early September. During a mock transfer in August, my RE could not pass a thin catheter through my cervix (I would need a laparoscopy for the transfer). My right ovary could not be visualized by transvaginal ultrasound but revealed only 2 follicles by transabdominal ultrasound. My left ovary was also difficult to visualize because it was located high up. My Re once again had concerns about retrieval via the transvaginal route.

On September 21, 1999 I injected 10,000 units of HCG and retrieval was done two days later. I signed a consent form for a laparoscopic retrieval if the transvaginal route was not possible. My Re was disappointed. He had no access to the two follicles on the right and of the eight follicles on the left, only 4 had eggs. The first of the 4 eggs he retrieved were immature. We were down to 3 eggs. That was the number he had hoped to transfer. His concern was that he may have to cancel the transfer if only 1 fertilized (he did not want to put me through a lap just to transfer one embryo). He told me to come to the hospital the next day so we could discuss our options, but asked me not to eat anything after midnight just in case.

We got up to the 3rd floor and as soon as I stepped off the elevator he was standing in the hall way with a wide grin. He told me all 3 eggs had fertilized by ICSI and he showed me the three pictures. Two were perfectly round and one looked a little bit like a football. The Embryologist was happy with the embryos and my RE said he would transfer all three that same morning. I underwent ZIFT on the 24th of September. The anesthesiologist had to use sodium pentathol (my arm hurt for 1 week) because it is felt to be safer for embryos. I was on bedrest for 2 days and went back to work the third day. I started on IM progesterone in oil shots and after 1 week I could not take it anymore (pain!)

Fortunately my RE had a pharmacist who makes progesterone troches, but I had to pay for these out of pocket. That was fine by me. They taste so bad that I had to suck half a lemon after each one. The two-week wait was the worst! It was during these two weeks that I found your site and read the 2-week wait story (very positive and uplifting)

I had my blood drawn on October 7 in the evening and was on pins and needles all the next day. As I came down to my clinic from the operating room (work) the secretary told me my RE had called. I went into my office and closed the door. I called and he came on the phone. He said, " Well, you are pregnant." I thanked him and called my husband with the news. As I came out of the office the front office staff were all watching me (you can hardly go through IVF without your co-workers knowing about it). I smiled and all of them started clapping right in front of my patients. My program director congratulated me (He knew because being a medical resident, I had missed many conferences attending blood draws and ultrasounds).

My next blood draw is on the 12th and 15th of October. I will have an ultrasound in 2 weeks to locate the gestational sac(s). After that I will be referred to an OB. I remain cautiously optimistic and thank GOD for this wonderful miracle. P.S - My insurance (Blue cross/blue shield -carefirst) covered all my expenses except for the progesterone troches!