Past and Present TTCers~ The continuation of IVF 2012 - present!

[honeycheeks]

Mo- it's almost time. It must be so exciting and nervous for you. Everything will come together by then. I hope you have some friends or family to help.

Stinas - how are you doing? Feel better.

Kathy- bring on the

bubu - Keeping everything crossed for your ultrasound. I have a feeling there is nothing to worry about. You are going to see one perfect heart beating away.

I am feeling marginally better, but I do see signs of getting better. Days are getting warmer here and I feel it is the weather change that brought on the sickness.

I had my first appointment with my new RE. She seems really good. But the news she had for us, I don't know what to think yet, is it good or really bad? It's all taking a while to sink in.
My RE says it is male factor and was surprised that more investigation was not done in that direction. We were never told anything about male factor. She says DH has very abnormal sperm and there is a huge chance of sperm DNA fragmentation. She seemed fairly sure about it. We have had some investigation in the past, but we are doing some more tests. And another thing is possible NK cells in me which probably attack the embryo.

I have been reading up on sperm DNA fragmentation, the prognosis doesn't look so good. It scares me that they say it could mean more miscarriages and inability to carry to term and also higher incidence of birth defects and possibly childhood cancer.

We are now glad that we have a new direction, but really not sure if it means new hope or rather the end of a road.

 

[bubumaci]

Thank you Honey, I hope you are right

That is very interesting, that your RE has found that DH has such abnormal sperm and high DNA fragmentation!
Most of the time, with high DNA fragmentation, or if the embryo has serious chromosomal abnormalities, results in either no implantation or very early miscarriage. That was also our explanation for all the failures that we had - due to the fact that DH has such poor quality sperm, it was highly likely that this was why the embies didn't develop better / further.

I am not sure what it means for you - one thing I did read before DH had his TESE - that in many many cases, where the man has high DNA fragmentation in the sperm, they retrieve healthier / better sperm in a TESE. The result of the analysis was, that the fragmentation seems to happen at a later stage in the maturation and so their results with TESE were very good (increase from 5,6% to over 30%, if I recall correctly).

I think it is very good, that your RE seems to be incredibly thorough. Has she given you any "feeling" as to what she thinks and what solutions she offers? It does sound like you are on a good route, I am very happy that you are now with an RE who seems very competent - you are in good hands. I think you should definitely keep hoping - I have faith in your new RE

 

[snd80]

Wow Mo!!!! SOOOO close!! Still seems like yesterday that you announced your on the azoo thread! Excited for you!!!

 

[Stinas]

Mo - it's sooo crazy that you only have a few days left!!! I wonder if it's a girl or boy!!!!

Honey - glad they figured out a cause. I agree with bubu, ask about the TESE. Won't hurt to try it.

Bubu - totally forgot I had that in my sig. I'm sooo excited for you!!!

 

[CDysart]

So everything looks good with my uterus, my fibroid is not a problem and is not in an area that would harm implantation and is not large. My doctor says the problem is not a physical problem so now we have to wait for my blood work to tell us the problem.

 

[MoBaby]

CD that is fantastic news. Also I hope all your bloodwork is good. I had mine tested twice and never found a reason. A lot of times its just unexplained and bloodwork doesnt show anything wrong. Some REs do protocols with aspirin even if there is no cause because it has been shown to help.

 

[CDysart]

Mo - I do take a baby aspirin, my doctor put me on them before my frozen egg transfer in October. He really thinks it is a clotting disorder because I have so many little clots when I'm on my period and he really thinks heparin is the answer to my problem. I don't know I'm just really ready to have a baby. I'm trying to decide if I should wait to see if I will continue to ovulate or just go straight to my next frozen egg transfer.

 

[MoBaby]

will your clinic let you do FET when you ovulate? Thats what my clinic did with me and I really liked it. Minimal medications.

 

[bubumaci]

Morning Ladies,
Well, little Pünktchen is now 0,43cm long (so 4,3mm) and the little heart was pulsating away, at 118bpm
At this point, our clinic already releases us for standard pregnancy controls to the OB, so I guess that is the next appointment I will be making. I hugged our doctor (asked if I could hug him) and was a bit tearful when we left... many long hard years we have been there! Bloods were taken, so I expect to receive those in a couple of hours
Am in love

 

[MoBaby]

That's so perfect!!! Congrats!!! So excited for you

 

[honeycheeks]

Morning Ladies,
Well, little Pünktchen is now 0,43cm long (so 4,3mm) and the little heart was pulsating away, at 118bpm
At this point, our clinic already releases us for standard pregnancy controls to the OB, so I guess that is the next appointment I will be making. I hugged our doctor (asked if I could hug him) and was a bit tearful when we left... many long hard years we have been there! Bloods were taken, so I expect to receive those in a couple of hours
Am in love

Aww bubu. Brought tears to my eyes. Wish I could come to Germany and give you a real hug.

 

[snd80]

Yay Bu!!!!! So happy for you babe!

I must admit, I was crying my last visit with my dr. as well.... they become part of your lives (3 years for us)! It's sad, but bittersweet also! And hormones in the mix don't help that much either!

 

[bubumaci]

Thank you snd!!
Yup - we have been there for 3 years too!
I have actually changed my status and prepared a ticker (how's that for going for it??). We are confident, that this little baby is around to stay and I have to move forward with that attitude!

DH is very concerned about our travelling plans ... we fly to Orlando on April 20th (11w+6d) - he's scared of the radiation effects on our little Pünktchen (I have tried to rationalise, that it is so little, that it wouldn't affect Pünktchen. We also have a trip planned in September (to celebrate a friend's 40th birthday in the Dom. Rep.) - would be my 32nd-33rd weeks ... the airlines still take you until 36. I have said that if it is a healthy pregnancy and we get a green light from the doctor, I see no reason why we shouldn't fly. Of course, finally being pregnant, I don't want to endanger anything either ...

 

[CDysart]

Mo - I don't know if my clinic will do that or not I will have to check with them and see if it's an option!

Bubu - reading your post gave me goose bumps i loved hearing about the heart beat! When's the official due date?

 

[bubumaci]

Thank you CD! EDD is November 3rd I am so happy that it's November / Scorpio - my Mother had a November birthday ... somehow feels significant...

 

[PRAYIN4BABIES]

Thank you BUBU for your dancing!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[bubumaci]

Yaaaayyy.. Kathy's is here

 

[snd80]

Ok twin mommies.... I need some advice!!!

So, my hubby is still TOTALLY freaked out that we are having twins! He won't even talk about it! I keep telling him IT IS WHAT IT IS!!!! What can you do?! And he might as well go on and accept it now cause I sure as hell don't want him rejecting them when they get here cause they didn't ask to be born!!! Right?!

Did any of your hubbys have the same thoughts? I admit I had them at first too cause I was NOT expecting it and am still really really scared, but excited for the most part... idk what to do! I even got him "the expectant father book" thinking it would help but he won't touch it. Will he eventually come to terms later on down the road? Or is he playing the role of the spoiled older child who doesn't like the fact that babies are on the way cause it will take away attention from them?!

 

[snd80]

Kathy! Bleed away sista!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[MoBaby]

yay kathy!!


bubu about the traveling: my ob said no more than 4 hours away after 31 weeks..yours may be different. At 34 weeks it was not more than 1 hour away. I personally wouldnt travel that far away from home at that stage in your pregnancy as medical care is very different in Dominican Republic. But if your ob is fine with it go for it, You will have to wear compression stockings because a flight that long and travel that long will put you at a higher risk of blood clots and clots going to your lungs, You should still wear compression stockings when you travel to orlando at nearly 12 weeks. Have you called your ob to get an initial appointment?