New with questions..

[Meemz26]

Hello

I am new in this website. I love that there is a special section for people who are WTT I look forward to interacting with you all as I wait.

A bit of a background:
I am 26 years old (turning 27 in September) who got married a little bit over 4 months ago. My husband is 25 (turning 26 in November). We talked about having kids one day and we both agree with this plan. The difference is in the WTT period. Initially, my husband sees a 2-3 years wait to be a perfect period for WTT. On the other hand, I thought that 1 year was good enough. We then both agreed on a 1.5-2 years WTT period.

In late 2012, I went to my bone/back doctor for some back pain following a horse back riding accident. a MRI imaging for my lower back revealed that I have a double uterus I went to a Gyno who requested a trasvaginal imaging to look at it further. The result of the imaging wrote "suggested diagnosis: Septate Uterus or Bricorniate Uterus". To date, I didn't get a confirmation of which of the two I have. I thought that I will leave it as it is and see what happens when the day of TTC comes.

However, things don't always go the way you plan it.

In July, I went for a pre-conception check up. As part of the check up, the level of AMH was tested (to check my remaining reserve of eggs). To my surprise, the my test result showed low AMH level. The doctor suggested us trying for a baby sooner rather than later which made us re-think our plan on when to start ttc.

Having said that, there is another fact that doesn't allow us to start right away. Last March I learned about the vaccine against cervical cancer. They are a set of 3 vaccines that are especially effective when taken under the age of 25 years but not harmful to take (and still to be thought useful) when a bit over 25. I decided to take my first shot of the vaccine last March. I took my second one in April and I am due for my third and last one in September. I was advised not to get pregnant while taking this vaccine. I don;t mind that, especially since we weren't in a hurry to ttc when I decided to take it last March (before the pre-conception check up), but now, we have another thought of the doctor's advise. Anyone have experience with this vaccine? will it be safe to ttc straight after the last shot in 16 September? or will we still have to wait after it? say maybe a 2 months wait or so? any idea anyone? We thought of starting ttc in November of this year if things didn't change further for us as you can never be sure.

Here comes my main question - what do you guys do WTT? anything specific to prepare you for ttc? Being in this website tells me that you are at least researching or preparing somehow. I would love to learn and see if there is something other than what I am learning that I should do.

I already recently started taking my BBT. My August's cycle is the first one I decide to be consistent on. I am a little confused here in relation to which temperature is considered high and which is considered low. This morning was my 3rd day temping. I got a result of 97.3 F at 5 AM. The last couple days, it was 97.8 F at 9 AM. I have to note that I still try to take it right after opening my eyes; and not after switching off the alarm and doing a couple small things beforehand. I am wondering, for the ladies who chart, what's your BBT range? And for the ones who understand their cycle better than I do with mine, how does the temperature change after ovulation? does it change a lot? does it increase to 98 f ?

Clearblue kit - I also purchased an ovulation kit and will start using it with consistency in my current CD 6 (technically, that would be tomorrow). Anyone uses this? when do you test? Morning or afternoon to give an accurate result?

I think for now, that's it. I look forward to interacting with you all.

Thanks for reading.

 

[VGirl]

I'm also waiting for my 3rd shot of the vaccine in September. A few doctors I saw (including a gynecologist) recommended to wait 2 months after the last shot - just to be safe. It won't postpone your baby-making plans for much longer although the time just draaaags Good luck!

 

[sarahfh]

Welcome to WTT!

I'm not able to help much with a lot of the issues you have brought up but I can help with charting
The low temp at 5am is likely from taking your temp earlier. If you want you can adjust it so it is what it should have been at 9am, just google BBT temperature adjuster anyone will come up. I never bothered personally, it is the general trend you are looking for more than anything.
The temperature shift is small in some people and big in others. Mine was always about 0.5 C although once it was only about 0.3C. I'm not sure how that translates into F though.

For the ovulation tests they are best taken between 10am and 6pm, try and hold your urine for as long as possible too, it will be more accurate. Another handy tip is Internet cheapie ovulation tests, I get mine on Amazon, they are something like 12p a test and you order them in packs of 25/30/50 etc.

I'm not doing much to prepare for TTC as we have no date set, but I started charting to avoid conception about 18 months ago as I was having trouble with hormonal BC. I have recently started taking pre-conception vitamins as I don't fully chart so it's not as accurate these days. And I live in hope
Other than that I've just done lots of researching things I want to try with parenting, I hope to exclusively breast feed, use cloth nappies, babywear, extended rear facing, baby led weaning and things like that.
Oh and while waiting I have started to buy the odd things, mostly cloth nappies which are on offer
Hope that helps!

 

[Hollynesss]

In late 2012, I went to my bone/back doctor for some back pain following a horse back riding accident. a MRI imaging for my lower back revealed that I have a double uterus I went to a Gyno who requested a trasvaginal imaging to look at it further. The result of the imaging wrote "suggested diagnosis: Septate Uterus or Bricorniate Uterus". To date, I didn't get a confirmation of which of the two I have. I thought that I will leave it as it is and see what happens when the day of TTC comes.

In July, I went for a pre-conception check up. As part of the check up, the level of AMH was tested (to check my remaining reserve of eggs). To my surprise, the my test result showed low AMH level. The doctor suggested us trying for a baby sooner rather than later which made us re-think our plan on when to start ttc.

I already recently started taking my BBT. My August's cycle is the first one I decide to be consistent on. I am a little confused here in relation to which temperature is considered high and which is considered low. This morning was my 3rd day temping. I got a result of 97.3 F at 5 AM. The last couple days, it was 97.8 F at 9 AM. I have to note that I still try to take it right after opening my eyes; and not after switching off the alarm and doing a couple small things beforehand. I am wondering, for the ladies who chart, what's your BBT range? And for the ones who understand their cycle better than I do with mine, how does the temperature change after ovulation? does it change a lot? does it increase to 98 f ?

Welcome, Meemz! This forum has been a lifesaver for a lot of us!

I can help you with a couple of the things in your post, which are the paragraphs quoted up top:

I found this webpage all about uterine abnormalities and how they effect pregnancy. I'm sure you've already read up on it like crazy, but from the sounds of it, if it is septate uterus, you could get that repaired before you TTC and it would greatly reduce your risk of miscarriage. Honestly, it sounds like your OBGYN didn't really give you a lot of information. It may not hurt to see a specialist and get a second opinion before you TTC. If it would help you to conceive and take the pregnancy to full term, it may well be worth it!

https://www.babycentre.co.uk/a551934/abnormalities-of-the-uterus-in-pregnancy


AMH levels- What was your test result? Be very careful what you read about this hormone. It is still relatively new when used for testing for fertility issues and there is a ton of incorrect information out there, such as what the numbers mean. I have included the clinical information on this test from the Mayo Clinic where it explains (albeit in painful scientific jargon) what exactly this hormone measures and its implications. There is a list of reference ranges toward the bottom, and under that an interpretation of what they mean. For our age group, you want to be between 0.9-9.5ng/mL. Also- don't lose hope. A coworker of mine was in her mid 30's and had a value of 0.3, which is considered very low menopausal ovarian reserve. She just gave birth to twin baby girls about 5 months ago that she and her husband conceived naturally

https://www.mayomedicallaboratories.com/test-catalog/Clinical+and+Interpretive/89711

Charting- Your temp will shift a bit from day to day, and some variation is normal and expected. I would recommend getting a thermometer that goes to the nearest hundredth of a degree to better identify these subtle changes. When I get my ovulation spike, it is usually between 0.5-1.0 degrees F. If you are using an app like Fertility Friend, after a few cycles it will get to know your pattern, and it will know what is normal for you and what isn't, and it will take that into consideration when identifying your O day. Are you also checking your cervical mucous? That is also a good indicator of when you are fertile

I wish you the best of luck on your journey!! I hope you get the answers you need from your doctor To prepare, it is a good idea to begin taking prenatal vitamins (recommended to begin taking 3 months prior to TTC), watching your diet, and taking care of any habits that may make conceiving more difficult. I hope you find this forum helpful!

 

[Catalyst]

I have no knowledge on the vaccination or the temping

But I recomend if you are on the BCP pill to stop taking it and let the system clear a bit and just use the condom, it is only for 2,5 month or so

Also you might start taking vitamins

 

[babyzoe]

The cervical cancer vaccine is most effective in women who have not been sexually active. Since you're married and already sexually active (so if you don't already have HPV, you'd likely not get it) I don't really see the usefulness in the vaccine; but that's just my personal view.

If I were in your shoes, with a limited time to TTC, I'd ditch the vaccine and go straight to TTC.

 

[itsnowmyturn]

I thought the same, I heard of the vaccine being offered to 13/14 year olds because they weren't sexually active. I heard if u were it wasn't worth having.
It's up to u whether u keep having it or not but I wud stop it n just start unless there was another reason ur waiting n then I wud take it

 

[Meemz26]

Thank you all for your input.

I just started testing with clearblue kit today. I am on CD6 so testing for the first time in this cycle. The result shows low fertility.

I didn't check CM. Actually, I never did. I am new at this, but I read that it is helpful to do. I don't have experience at checking it, but will start with this this cycle too. Let's see how will it go.

I found this webpage all about uterine abnormalities and how they effect pregnancy. I'm sure you've already read up on it like crazy, but from the sounds of it, if it is septate uterus, you could get that repaired before you TTC and it would greatly reduce your risk of miscarriage. Honestly, it sounds like your OBGYN didn't really give you a lot of information. It may not hurt to see a specialist and get a second opinion before you TTC. If it would help you to conceive and take the pregnancy to full term, it may well be worth it!

https://www.babycentre.co.uk/a551934/abnormalities-of-the-uterus-in-pregnancy

Thanks for the input.

yep. I also think that the gyno I saw didn't give me a lot of info. She said this wont affect pregnancy and didn't further investigate it. I in fact did lots of reading about it because it freaked me out to have a not normal uterus. I went to a RE recently for the first time who saw the imaging result which I already did. She said it was a biocornuate from looking at the cavities without seeing the outside shape of the uterus. From my reading, the cavities of a Septate Uterus and Biocornuate Uterus look somehow similar. However, the difference is on the outside shape of it. I asked the RE if she had a similar experience with other women who have similar cases to mine, but it turned out that I am her first case. I don't know who is a good uterus specialist in my area. I can't seem to find one.

I reached out to other people with uterus abnormalities through BabyCenter and one suggested this to confirm which uterus I actually have (septate or biocornuate) which made me wonder whether to do it now or not.

laprascopic camera is the gold standard to confirm. But then if you're not TTC yet, maybe you might want to hold off unnecessary surgery??? But a good doctor will advise you on this.

AMH levels- What was your test result? Be very careful what you read about this hormone. It is still relatively new when used for testing for fertility issues and there is a ton of incorrect information out there, such as what the numbers mean. I have included the clinical information on this test from the Mayo Clinic where it explains (albeit in painful scientific jargon) what exactly this hormone measures and its implications. There is a list of reference ranges toward the bottom, and under that an interpretation of what they mean. For our age group, you want to be between 0.9-9.5ng/mL. Also- don't lose hope. A coworker of mine was in her mid 30's and had a value of 0.3, which is considered very low menopausal ovarian reserve. She just gave birth to twin baby girls about 5 months ago that she and her husband conceived naturally

https://www.mayomedicallaboratories.com/test-catalog/Clinical+and+Interpretive/89711
!

Thanks for the info. I am very new to AMH and didn't research it much, but relied on what the report wrote. My result was around 1 ng/ml. According to the clinic that did the test, low level is between 0.3 - 2.2 ng/ml. Your input gave me some hope ^_^ Thank you.

 

[MUMOF5]

I know two women that have bicorniate uterus's, the first is my cousin, she has carried two babies to term, and it hasn't caused her much trouble, although she ended up needing to have caesareans (no evidence that it was due to her uterus). The second had to deliver her baby at 32 weeks because the baby ran out of room in the portion of the uterus it was growing in (which was the smaller half). Id get some expert advice/opinions from a gynae doc. Good luck and welcome

 

[Meemz26]

If I were in your shoes, with a limited time to TTC, I'd ditch the vaccine and go straight to TTC.

I have similar thoughts, but I am still debating my own thinking lol

II heard of the vaccine being offered to 13/14 year olds because they weren't sexually active. I heard if u were it wasn't worth having.

This says otherwise

Does the cervical cancer vaccine offer benefits if you're already sexually active?
Yes. In clinical trials, Gardasil and Cervarix were effective in groups of sexually active women age 26 or younger, some of whom had already been infected with one or more types of HPV. However, Gardasil and Cervarix only protect you from specific strains of HPV to which you haven't been exposed. The more sexual partners you've had, the greater your chance of having been exposed to multiple types of HPV.
Who is the cervical cancer vaccine for and when should it be given?

The cervical cancer vaccine is recommended for girls and boys ages 11 to 12, although it may be given as early as age 9. It's important for boys and girls to receive the vaccine before they have sexual contact and are exposed to HPV. Once infected with HPV, the vaccine may not be as effective.

If not fully vaccinated at ages 11 to 12, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that girls and women through age 26 and boys and men through age 21 receive the vaccine. However, men may receive the HPV vaccine through age 26 if desired.

Both vaccines are given as a series of three injections over a six-month period. The second dose is given one to two months after the first dose, and the third dose is given six months after the first dose.

The cervical cancer vaccine isn't recommended for pregnant women or people who are moderately or severely ill. Tell your doctor if you have any severe allergies, including an allergy to yeast or latex.

Source: https://www.mayoclinic.com/health/cervical-cancer-vaccine/WO00120

 

[BabyConscious]

I asked my doctor about it at age 24. He said due to me being in a stable relationship and not likely to have lots of different sexual partners in the next 10yrs not to get it. I would have either been exposed to a HPV or not, and vaccination after exposure would have no effect........and as I am terrified of needles I took his advice and didn't get the vaccine, which I am thankful for after the US courts awarded payouts to women effected by the Gardasil vaccine (https://communities.washingtontimes.../10/us-court-pays-6-million-gardasil-victims/)

 

[Meemz26]

I asked my doctor about it at age 24. He said due to me being in a stable relationship and not likely to have lots of different sexual partners in the next 10yrs not to get it. I would have either been exposed to a HPV or not, and vaccination after exposure would have no effect........and as I am terrified of needles I took his advice and didn't get the vaccine, which I am thankful for after the US courts awarded payouts to women effected by the Gardasil vaccine (https://communities.washingtontimes.../10/us-court-pays-6-million-gardasil-victims/)

WOW! now that is something new I come across with (Link to page).

I am seriously considering not completing it!!!! I will share this article with the clinic that provided me with the advice for the vaccine.

Thank you so much for sharing.

 

[babyzoe]

"Does the cervical cancer vaccine offer benefits if you're already sexually active?
Yes. In clinical trials, Gardasil and Cervarix were effective in groups of sexually active women age 26 or younger, some of whom had already been infected with one or more types of HPV. However, Gardasil and Cervarix only protect you from specific strains of HPV to which you haven't been exposed. The more sexual partners you've had, the greater your chance of having been exposed to multiple types of HPV.
Who is the cervical cancer vaccine for and when should it be given?"


The key phrase is "to which you have not been exposed". A vaccine is useless if you've already had the strain "naturally". Mayoclinic is trying to paint a positive light so of course they say that it's still effective...and it may be. But that's where you have to weigh your own options. If you're not a high-risk then....

I had a high-risk cancer-causing strain of HPV my first year of college. After one year, my Paps were normal again and haven't had any abnormality since. Since I already had the high-risks strain it made no sense for me to get the vaccine. In most women, the virus is dealt with by your own immune system, like most other viruses. Hopefully that eases some of your apprehension in regards to potentially not finishing the series.

 

[babyzoe]

I asked my doctor about it at age 24. He said due to me being in a stable relationship and not likely to have lots of different sexual partners in the next 10yrs not to get it. I would have either been exposed to a HPV or not, and vaccination after exposure would have no effect........and as I am terrified of needles I took his advice and didn't get the vaccine, which I am thankful for after the US courts awarded payouts to women effected by the Gardasil vaccine (https://communities.washingtontimes.../10/us-court-pays-6-million-gardasil-victims/)

Thanks babyconscious for the article. I wouldn't place too much trust in Washington Times as they tend to publish wacky, biased information but I do appreciate them bolding the sentence about how many women clear the virus on their own. Something I've been preaching for years. While I'm not to swayed by their claims of danger from the vaccine (all vaccines, and all medications, procedures, foods, etc have potential side effects), I do agree with their general idea: is it really necessary. I say no.