Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Do I need to go straight for IVF?

74 replies

onlygetitinmynightdress · 26/02/2023 21:34

Long story short..
I have one blocked fallopian tube and one healthy clear one.

Since I had pelvic surgery where I was diagnosed with one tubal blockage I have been told natural conception is highly likely - but I'm struggling to believe this. (Prior to this surgery I wouldn't have got pregnant anyway due to the location of my ovaries - this has now been sorted - had been trying over a year).

I'm on cycle 4 since the surgery (which I know sounds like early days) but I'm really dubious that this won't happen naturally.

Am I being unreasonable - I'm so scared I won't get pregnant naturally. My doctor has also wrote in my notes that I'm not to be referred for nhs ivf until at least a year of trying after my surgery!

Should I go straight for (private) IVF or is natural conception definitely a strong possibility? 😣

OP posts:
rattlemehearties · 26/02/2023 21:36

You've answered your own question really, you have to wait 12 months for NHS IVF anyway.

How often are you having sex? It needs to 3 times a week at least.

It feels ages when you're TTC but 4 cycles in isn't many, keep going and good luck.

Original poster
onlygetitinmynightdress · 26/02/2023 21:46

@rattlemehearties

Much more than that per week :/

I'm just so scared that it's pointless due to me only having one working tube :(

Thank you

OP posts:
pebbles3004 · 26/02/2023 21:48

Are you tracking Ovulation to know that you are trying at the right times?

Shelby2010 · 26/02/2023 21:49

Well I guess that the months when you ovulate on the side of your healthy tube then you have a ‘normal’ chance of conception. But the other months it will be a very low chance.

Private NHS is very expensive & you may need more than one attempt. I would spend the year saving up in case you do need to go private, and hopefully you will get pregnant naturally.

If you do get pregnant, I would suggest having an early scan, as tubal damage puts you at higher risk of an ectopic pregnancy.

mynameiscalypso · 26/02/2023 21:49

Conceiving with only one tube is pretty normal - I know of a couple of friends who have done it. The body tends to compensate.

Oysterbabe · 26/02/2023 21:53

My mum and sister conceived with one tube, no problems at all.

CC4712 · 26/02/2023 21:55

How old are you OP? MANY women conceive naturally with 1 tube. Many conceive after losing a tube to an ectopic for example. A close friend included who ended up with 3 under 2yrs! (twins then a singelton!)

Get healthy, exercise, go on weekends away, reduce alcohol, get fit etc but don't make TTC a stress.

Catandcustard · 26/02/2023 21:55

I lost a tube to an ectopic pregnancy and conceived again within 6 months. It's very common to conceive with only one tube so try not to panic. We did end up doing IVF eventually but only because I lost my other tube to a second ectopic and this was down to severe endometriosis.

NEmama · 26/02/2023 21:56

Don't track anything..have sex every day.

katie11111 · 26/02/2023 21:57

I had an ectopic pregnancy which ended in me losing my right fallopian tube.

I fell pregnant again twice on the second cycle each time with just the one fallopian tube.

Amazingly the first time after the ectopic I actually ovulated from the right ovary and the left fallopian tube did all the work!

Don't lose hope op. Have some faith and stay positiveFlowers

DESGUSTING · 26/02/2023 21:59

You do have possibility to fall preg!

I would track your cycles, make sure your having sex within the right time frames

OdeToBarney · 26/02/2023 22:01

I can't help on the tubal issue, but the advice is to have sex every other day throughout your cycle. Every day can actually be detrimental to sperm quality. Track ovulation too. If you did want to go straight to ivf, check out ABC IVF as a lower cost provider. There's a few threads on here. We were lucky enough to conceive dd on our first round. But ivf is tough, so I would be inclined to try for a while first. Good luck OP.

KatRee · 26/02/2023 22:06

I would follow the NHS guidelines re when to seek help - after 12 months of trying if under 35 and 6 months if over. If one tube is working I would assume that it would on average take twice as long to conceive as you really only get a chance every second month on average (I don't think we necessarily ovulate from alternate sides each month) so is likely to take a little longer even if you have no further issues

It's good you have some idea of where you stand- I was ttc much longer before I went for fertility tests and found I had one blocked tube. I was also told the other, although it appeared open may have been damaged by whatever caused the blockage, and perhaps also not functioning. As I was 37 with relatively low reserve we went straight to ivf. If there is no reason to think your other tube isn't functioning and if there are no other fertility concerns, you might want to wait

Blondeshavemorefun · 26/02/2023 22:26

Depends on your age

4mths ttc is nothing

But imo yes if you can afford ivf go for it

Tho many seem to disagree

But I spent 10yrs ttc was 32/33 and doc said don't worry. You are young. Come back year later. Etc

Then waiting list was long

Then sadly dh died and then month later we were no 1 on list as new tax year but too late then

Then met my now dh. He had kids so I lost nhs go and we did private ivf when I was 42

Mother Nature didn't play ball so paid for it

5th attempt finally worked and mini blondes is almost 6

But that's my personal experience

Rainbowincoming · 26/02/2023 22:30

The only thing that may be a problem is that your damaged tube is still there and could release fluid which can reduce your chances of getting pregnant. Often the damaged tube needs to be removed and then pregnancy is more likely so in your position I would try for a while but keep it in mind you may need the blocked tube removed x

Original poster
onlygetitinmynightdress · 26/02/2023 22:37

@Blondeshavemorefun

Oh my gosh I'm so so sorry to hear this - I can't imagine what you've been through ☹️

I'm really happy you got your baby in the end but so sorry for everything you had to go through xxxx

OP posts:
Original poster
onlygetitinmynightdress · 26/02/2023 22:38

@Rainbowincoming

I had a laparoscopy and my surgeon INSISTED the blocked tube had no reason to be removed as it wouldn't matter seeing as the other tube is healthy. I don't know what to believe anymore 😔

OP posts:
ConfusedNT · 26/02/2023 22:40

It's actually possible for the opposite ovary to pick up an egg that's been released (I only found this out the other day and it blew my mind!)

I'm sorry if I've missed it but have you said how old you are? Because the advice would probably be different at 25 vs 38 for example

Original poster
onlygetitinmynightdress · 26/02/2023 22:40

Thank you all very much for being so lovely - it has given me a bit more hope (and hopefully patience!)

I have been having sex every day throughout my fertile window as I track ovulation. I tend to start ttc when my periods ended every other day until my ovulation tests get a bit stronger then I move on to daily until they fade again. Unsure if this is too much or too little really!

OP posts:
Blondeshavemorefun · 26/02/2023 22:40

@onlygetitinmynightdress was a long time ago now and you learn to live /cope with it - you have to

How old are you

I had a blocked tube but was told wouldn't make a diff but eventually they said unexplained infertility as you should be able to get preg with one

Original poster
onlygetitinmynightdress · 26/02/2023 22:42

@Blondeshavemorefun
💖💖

Sorry, I'm 31 x

OP posts:
Original poster
onlygetitinmynightdress · 26/02/2023 22:43

@ConfusedNT

I was told this too by the surgeon!! Apparently it's rare but since finding it out I've researched and it does seem far more common than he was letting on!

I'm 31, sorry I forgot to put that in my initial post!

OP posts:
Annab1983 · 26/02/2023 22:45

I lost a tube with an ectopic pregnancy and got pregnant again naturally within a few months and had my first baby thankfully. Had ivf a few years later and it’s very tough (much more than I ever thought) so if you can give it a little more time naturally that would be the ideal.. also my remaining tube became blocked (hence the ivf) but still managed to get pregnant twice with ivf. good luck OP!

Rainbowincoming · 26/02/2023 22:49

onlygetitinmynightdress · 26/02/2023 22:38

@Rainbowincoming

I had a laparoscopy and my surgeon INSISTED the blocked tube had no reason to be removed as it wouldn't matter seeing as the other tube is healthy. I don't know what to believe anymore 😔

Hopefully the surgeon was right and it’s just blocked and not releasing any fluid. It’s just something to keep in the back of your mind if you don’t manage to conceive in the near future. Good luck though I hope it happens for you x

ConfusedNT · 26/02/2023 22:49

onlygetitinmynightdress · 26/02/2023 22:43

@ConfusedNT

I was told this too by the surgeon!! Apparently it's rare but since finding it out I've researched and it does seem far more common than he was letting on!

I'm 31, sorry I forgot to put that in my initial post!

Do you know how many free cycles of IVF you get on the NHS in your area? It used to vary I don't know if it still does

And also how long the waiting list is after you are referred

I feel like at 31 you are still young enough to wait

But I guess I would go

I only get one cycle free and I would have to wait 6 months before I get to start the IVF I would maybe consider going private

VS

I would only have to wait a few weeks and I get 3 cycles free

It wouldn't be my only consideration and like someone said IvF is hard so it's not just a monetary thing, but if you know the answers it might help you weigh up your options?

The thing is there really isn't a right or wrong answer unfortunately

Swipe left for the next trending thread