2 years TTC

[ar12345]

Hello,

I have been TTC for 2 years now with no luck what so ever. I am starting to loose hope that this will ever happen naturally for us and I just wondered if anyone conceived naturally after the 2 years TTC mark that could share their stories with me?

How long did it take you to conceive naturally and did you do anything differently that could have helped?

I'm hoping some stories of people that conceived naturally after 2 years TTC will help me to feel a little more positive about my situation.

Thank you

Hi @ar12345 how old are you? Have you had any previous pregnancies? Have you pursued investigations?

@Gardenlady543

Hi *@ar12345* how old are you? Have you had any previous pregnancies? Have you pursued investigations?

Hello,

I am 29 so is my partner. No previous pregnancies for me or my partner. We have had 2 sperm tests all fine. I have had blood tests and a Hycosy all fine. I have a slight partial bicornuate uterus which they are adamant will not stop me getting pregnant.

We have been diagnosed with unexplained infertility.

@ar12345 surely you are eligible for IVF on the NHS now?

[quote Gardenlady543]@ar12345 surely you are eligible for IVF on the NHS now? [/quote]
Yes we are on the waiting list now!

That's good news @ar12345 have you read it starts with an egg, I've heard that's a good book to advise on supplements and lifestyle changes that will help.

To get pregnant so many things have to line up, it's very much about getting lucky. There is always a chance it might happen before your cycle.

I take it when you say no luck whatsoever that you have never had a positive pregnancy test? I'm in the same position, me and my husband tried for a year and we've been having Ivf for a further year.

It's felt that embryo issues are the main reason people don't get pregnant, and Ivf seems to help with that as the variables of hitting the fertile window, the sperm meeting the egg and having an embryo that makes it to day 5 are overcome. Me and my husband were also labeled as unexplained but after a thrombophilia screen, autoantibodies, a HSG, hysteroscopy and 4 endometrial biopsies, it seems that issues with my microflora are my main issue.

@Gardenlady543

That's good news *@ar12345* have you read it starts with an egg, I've heard that's a good book to advise on supplements and lifestyle changes that will help.

To get pregnant so many things have to line up, it's very much about getting lucky. There is always a chance it might happen before your cycle.

I take it when you say no luck whatsoever that you have never had a positive pregnancy test? I'm in the same position, me and my husband tried for a year and we've been having Ivf for a further year.

It's felt that embryo issues are the main reason people don't get pregnant, and Ivf seems to help with that as the variables of hitting the fertile window, the sperm meeting the egg and having an embryo that makes it to day 5 are overcome. Me and my husband were also labeled as unexplained but after a thrombophilia screen, autoantibodies, a HSG, hysteroscopy and 4 endometrial biopsies, it seems that issues with my microflora are my main issue.

Thank you I will give that a read!!

Yes we have never had a positive test sadly!!

Would you mind telling me what micro flora is? I have never heard of this before?

@ar12345 microflora is the mix of bacteria. So in the gynaecological system lactobacillus is supposed to be the main bacteria present. This is a type of good bacteria, it produces acid and keeps the vagina at the right pH. In the uterus people with more than 90% lactobacillus are more likely to get pregnant and have an ongoing pregnancy and live birth. However we can also have dysbiotic bacteria. In my case I has absolutely no lactobacillus all the bacteria in my uterus was dysbiotic. When I got the result it felt like we had found the problem and with such a simple treatment of antibiotics and probiotics. However I had another unsuccessful transfer after it was treated, so we did another test and I still have no lactobacillus, now I just have one type of dysbiotic bacteria which is probably resistant to the antibiotics I took. So I'm on treatment again.

I think you'll have to see how you get on with the fresh cycle of IVF. They don't normally recommend tests like I've had unless there have been around 3-4 unsuccessful transfers.

[quote Gardenlady543]@ar12345 microflora is the mix of bacteria. So in the gynaecological system lactobacillus is supposed to be the main bacteria present. This is a type of good bacteria, it produces acid and keeps the vagina at the right pH. In the uterus people with more than 90% lactobacillus are more likely to get pregnant and have an ongoing pregnancy and live birth. However we can also have dysbiotic bacteria. In my case I has absolutely no lactobacillus all the bacteria in my uterus was dysbiotic. When I got the result it felt like we had found the problem and with such a simple treatment of antibiotics and probiotics. However I had another unsuccessful transfer after it was treated, so we did another test and I still have no lactobacillus, now I just have one type of dysbiotic bacteria which is probably resistant to the antibiotics I took. So I'm on treatment again.

I think you'll have to see how you get on with the fresh cycle of IVF. They don't normally recommend tests like I've had unless there have been around 3-4 unsuccessful transfers.[/quote]
Thank you. You have been very helpful! It's good to know these things. Good luck with your journey!

It could still happen for you after 2 years ttc, and there are miracle stories out there. Never happened for me and I tried everything! By the time I got to IVF, I realised it was the first time I'd ever truly been in with even a chance of a bfp (I also have unexplained infertility that I became aware of in my 20s). But it did help me to feel proactive by trying different supplements, diets, lubricants etc and gave me some hope in dark times, so it doesn't harm to try. Some of the dietary changes and supplements may have been helpful preparation for IVF anyway. It's great that you've got the ball rolling on IVF (worked for me!).

@gardenlady543 do you have hope that if you resolved your microflora issues, you would be able to conceive without IVF then? I know you have embryos frozen and perhaps you'd understandably go straight for a transfer to increase your chances. But is it the case that, in theory, IVF may not be necessary for you?

@Holskey I don't think so, the dysbiotic bacteria I have is gardnerella which is a commensal bacteria in the vagina and semen changes the pH which allows it to flourish. In addition in my case it is resistant to the first antibiotic I took and may be resistant to others.

When I saw Prof Brohsen his opinion was that there was something else going on as people with abnormal microflora still get pregnant, but I don't know, the chances are very low with 0% lactobacillus from the evidence base.

I have two friends with perfect fertility who couldn’t get pregnant until they did ivf. They got pregnant immediately with ivf and one just had her second with same embryo batch.

[quote Gardenlady543]@Holskey I don't think so, the dysbiotic bacteria I have is gardnerella which is a commensal bacteria in the vagina and semen changes the pH which allows it to flourish. In addition in my case it is resistant to the first antibiotic I took and may be resistant to others.

When I saw Prof Brohsen his opinion was that there was something else going on as people with abnormal microflora still get pregnant, but I don't know, the chances are very low with 0% lactobacillus from the evidence base.[/quote]
Thanks for answering my curiosity! (I only just saw it.) Hopefully, you don't have something else going on.

I hope not @Holskey I'm on edge waiting for the results of the NK biopsy, the first I had was normal but they go on the results of two cycles.

@ar12345 it’s been two years for us this month, OP, it certainly doesn’t feel like it’ll ever happen, and I’m already 38. I can’t imagine ever getting a BFP now.

How long until you start IVF? We’re hoping ours will be in January.

@thislittlebird

How long until you start IVF? We’re hoping ours will be in January.

Yes I feel the same. I feel like if it was going to happen naturally it would have by now. Something obviously isn't working how it is supposed to! It's so frustrating. We have just been referred and are waiting for our first appointment which we have been told will be 12 weeks I imagine IVF won't be for a while yet!xx

I'm starting IVF meds next week if I'm not pregnant (9dpo today, bfn on a cheapie). My sister in law got pregnant recently after 2 years of trying (she never had a bfp until then and now she's into her 2nd trimester. So now I'm wondering if I'm jumping the gun a bit with IVF as it's only 18 months for me and 5 months of that we had to take off after my laparoscopy. But then I'm not sure I want to try for another 6 or 12 months to find out!

Almost 2 years TTC for us too, including more than a year of being treated by IVF clinics.

@ar12345 fingers crossed it won’t be too long for you! We had to fight to get on the waiting list, lost about 8 months to cock ups with our results and a gynaecologist who thought low motility in sperm was a non-issue and sent us away. It’s all been a very stressful experience. Haven’t even had a second line, it’s incredible to think people can do this one time and it works, and here we all are with years under our belt and nothing to show for it. Crazy really.

I really don’t think it’s going to happen naturally for us naturally either. It’s beyond frustrating, I really do regret not starting earlier.

@CycleGirl20 it’s a hard call, it may well happen for you naturally but you’re moving ahead now, I suppose. I wanted to have moved to IVF months ago but that’s because it my age, not the time spent trying.

Following as I have also been trying for 2 years, would love to hear success stories or what others have done that might help. We have just been added to the waiting list for IVF with unexplained infertility. Should be top of the list in February and start treatment soon after.

Would love to know has there been any success stories on this tread ? :)

@Cloclo93

I started trying in 2019 and I am currently 24 weeks with what will hopefully be my first :)

@thislittlebird has just had a positive test :)

I'm keen to hear about others too.

Was a long old slog to get this far, really hoping it continues and is all ok! Started ttc October 2019, started ivf February 2022, positive test September 2023 and who knows if we’re done, I hope so! I’m 40 now 🙃

@Cloclo93 the IVF round I was talking about above was successful. I've now got a daughter. We're starting to plan another round for a second with our frosties and currently trying naturally. Currently 2dpo in my TWW 😅

Congratulations @Gardenlady543 (and @thislittlebird , but I already congratulated you on another thread!)