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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Infertility, IVF then getting pregnant naturally?!!

59 replies

JonahAndTheSale · 27/10/2016 21:07

Just wondered if this is common?

I've a friend who tried for 10 years to have a baby and were told they couldn't conceive naturally.

Had 5 failed IVF before successfully getting pregnant.

Baby is 2 and then conceived naturally.

Everyone is delighted!!

Is this very rare? AIBU to wonder can happen?!!

OP posts:

Undervaluedandsad · 27/10/2016 21:11

First baby was IVF after 3.5 years trying and one failed of IVF, second was a happy surprise.

HesterBlue · 27/10/2016 21:21

Not so rare! No 2 a happy surprise for us too, following infertility drugs for no 1 (tho not IVF in our case). Seems that pregnancy hormones can switch your own back on again? I've met 2 other people this happened to following IVF too.

Tumtitum · 27/10/2016 21:26

A friend of mine is currently pregnant with twins who she conceived months after having her last failed round of IVF which was to be their last! We are all so happy for them

ALemonyPea · 27/10/2016 21:27

I had to have fertility treatment to conceive DS1 and DS2 and was told couldn't conceive naturally. Then along came DS3. He was a lovely surprise.

NormHonal · 27/10/2016 21:30

Happened to us!

Rainydayspending · 27/10/2016 21:30

My friend found her cycle became regular after IVF trials, presumably because of the medications. Unfortunately her husband's fertility (both had issues) has never improved. AFter much soul searching and research they decided against adoption too. It's been a journey of 16 years so far, it isn't always the case.
I suppose this revolves around any underlying reasons for low/ infertility

DotForShort · 27/10/2016 21:32

I know of a family with three sets of twins.

DC 1 & 2 were adopted.

DC 3 & 4: IVF.

DC 5 & 6: Surprise!

babyblabber · 27/10/2016 21:33

It's not rare, I know 3 people in the last 2 years this has happened to.

One had an ivf baby then went for tests to start ivf for number 2 and found out she was already pregnant.

One had a year of various treatment, one very early miscarriage followed by two failed rounds of ivf. Decided to take a break before more egg harvesting and got pregnant that month.

One had 2 babies but retained placenta during 2nd delivery resulted in scar tissue and problems with the lining of her womb. 6 months of treatments then one failed round of ivf then she got pregnant the following month.

FlipperSkipper · 27/10/2016 21:38

Please don't assume this might happen for all ivf patients though, I need IVF as both of my Fallopian tubes are blocked with scar tissue, I'll never conceive naturally. I hope I've not offended by saying this, but the amount of people who know my issues who suggest that if I relax or go on holiday then I'll conceive is ridiculous.

JsOtherHalf · 27/10/2016 21:38

We used to go to a yearly party for ivf families run by the assisted fertility clinic. The consultants, nurses, etc all attended.
There were always a few families this had happened to.

TinyTumble · 27/10/2016 21:41

I had 4 rounds of injectables (failed), IVF (successful, but m/c), FET (failed), laparoscopic surgery for hydrosalpinx and adhesions, then finally the IVF that gave us DS1.
I got pg naturally with DS2 11 months later. And 14 months after DS2 was born I conceived DD, who is now 18 months old.
My problem was hypothalamic amenorrhea (no periods, pituitary malfunction), but the IVF and successful pregnancy switched my cycle back on when ten years of various treatments couldn't.
I suspect it depends what the cause of the infertility issues is; as Rainyday has shown, where male factor is concerned, there are no doubt fewer such stories.

JsOtherHalf · 27/10/2016 21:44

Oh yes, the ' have you tried?' brigade.

A sister in law once suggested we weren't having sex at the correct times. We were about to start IVF.

Grrrr...

Nan0second · 27/10/2016 21:44

Actually it is rare compared with the number of people needing or having IVF.
The difference is that people will share the stories of their beautiful children and not the endless misery that is failed cycles and not conceiving after years of infertility.
Happy endings are brilliant but lead to the myth that all infertility can be cured by pregnancy / delivery / adoption. It's hurtful for all those where this is not the case.

Makemineacabsauv · 27/10/2016 21:46

I had Icsi for ds then when he was 6 months fell pg with ds. My fertility was fine,it was XH who had the fertility issues!

Peanutandphoenix · 27/10/2016 21:46

No that's not uncommon the hormones and drugs that they give you during IVF can sometimes help to regulate everything if you like and help you to get pregnant naturally amazing really when you think about it.

Tootsiepops · 27/10/2016 21:54

Totally not the point of this thread, but when pregnant with my IVF baby, a woman I worked with told me that I hadn't conceived naturally because I hadn't truly believed it would happen, and therefore my body was not receptive enough. She then tried to wave some wanky arse power of positive thinking book at me. She was lucky I did not ram it down her throat.

I'm hoping that my next baby will be natural conception (our diagnosis was unexplained infertility). Maybe this time my body will be cooperative

Owllady · 27/10/2016 21:58

God I wish people weren't so opinionated on other people's lives :( not you op but these other people's stories! Surely infertility is as complex as other medical problems.
Flipperskipper I hope ivf works for you x

FlipperSkipper · 27/10/2016 21:59

Owl lady, thank you! I should have said it has, I'm 22 weeks pregnant, from my 5th IVF cycle!

Owllady · 27/10/2016 22:03

That's fantastic :)

Ivf is so hard x

Mumberjack · 27/10/2016 22:14

I've heard of it happening a few times amongst people I know who had IVF for their first child...it does happen in some cases.
However it does also serve to make the other parents feel like shit when they know there's no way to conceive naturally, as there's always that one person who'll go, 'oh but it can happen, it happened with x and y...', it's the equivalent of the old chestnut 'relax and it will happen'!

NastyWoman · 27/10/2016 22:35

Happened to me. 3 lots of ivf including one miscarriage. Then a natural conception straight after the last failed ivf round which was actually IMSI (where they take even more care to find a good sperm cell than ICSI) because of male factor issues. You have to have some pretty duff sperm for them to suggest IMSI. So I think I was so bloody lucky. I don't know what changed... I suspect the vitamins that I finally got the other half to swallow? But it might just have been luck.

He's two months old today and has just had his breastfeed before bedtime. He is beautiful and happy and lovely and I feel so incredibly lucky. This time last year I was sticking needles full of IVF drugs into my tummy every night and terrified that it would never work.

I would hate my experience to make anyone feel bad though. And it certainly didn't happen because I 'just relaxed', I think I was as unhappy and as stressed as I have ever been after that last IVF failure.

NastyWoman · 27/10/2016 22:37

Also, Hurray and congratulations for Flipper!

NastyWoman · 27/10/2016 22:39

And I should have said that I absolutely agree with Nano above.

drinkyourmilk · 27/10/2016 22:45

I'm pregnant through ivf currently, and any further pregnancies will also need to be through ivf.

I've had everyone and their aunt tell me that they know of someone who fell pregnant naturally either just before they had the treatment or for subsequent babies. On the outside I smile and nod. On the inside I want to yell, kick and scream and tell them it's not always possible - and no! acupuncture /relaxing /going on holiday /positive fucking thinking will not work for me!

tigerdog · 27/10/2016 22:49

My clinic told me that 70% of women who are classed as unexplained and get pregnant through IVF go on to concieve naturally. Don't know where the consultant got that stat from, but he was adamant about it.

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