IVF babies due Summer 2025

[loulamay]

Hi - I wondered if anyone else had recently found out they were pregnant after IVF or loss? I am 4w6d today, waiting on some beta blood tests and have my first scan in just under 3 weeks.

We are very lucky to have a daughter who is 3 born from IVF and have been trying for a sibling for 2 years.

Had forgotten how utterly terrifying and anxiety-inducing (or as I also like to call it, 'knicker-watch') this first part was so if anyone else is in the same boat and wants to swap stories then that would be lovely.

Great news @Jcm1985 !!

Welcome @PsychologyGeek - we're all a bundle of nerves over here so you're in good company! Congratulations though!

I used both tests for about 10 days for progression (not going to think about how much that cost me...) and then had beta blood tests and forced myself to stop once I had those results. Still have a ton of the cheapie sticks but I'm 6w1d and I'm worried about the hook effect now and am not going to test. Just counting down to scan date.

Symptom-wise, mine kind of come and go but headaches, bit of nausea (have thrown up once so far), sore boobs and sensitive nipples, cramping, backache. Could ALL be down to the drugs though and I'm on a ton!

welcome and congrats @PsychologyGeek

I have moved onto the easy at home test strips, they were £15ish quid for a pack of about 30/40 and they are good.

Symptom wise, I did have nausea, but it seems to have gone. I have had boob pain (seems worse at night) but my most noticeable symptom has been various cramps/ twinges/ heavy sensations in my pelvis and lower back. I don't think I can blame progesterone now as I have pretty much stopped taking it.

My algorithm on Instagram has changed to lots of first trimester vids, and its full of women being nauseas, sleeping all the time, being waited on hand and foot and being a sickly mess. I barely feel any different

I did some googling last night about the risk of miscarriage with surgically retrieved sperm, and poor-quality embryos, and it said it is quite a bit higher; I should not have looked that up. 🙄

Just wondering if anyone else has experienced this?

I have been getting quite an uncomfortable and intense shooting pain in my vagina, I've been a bit concerned and checking for blood but so far nothing, I've looked around and it's referred to as 'fanny daggers', more common later in pregnancy but not unheard of early on. Still feel a bit anxious about it, but hoping its normal.

I have that too! Shooting in my pelvis and where my vagina and uterus are. Maybe it’s stretching.

I tested with a clearblue how many weeks test and it said 2-3 weeks (my embryo is 2w6d old so that’s right). I am getting some minor bleeding for the last week but my clinic just tell me to monitor it. It’s not getting worse and I’m hoping that since the tests are showing increasing hCG then it’s all ok. I’m taking 400mg progesterone pessaries twice a day rectally. I’ve heard those can make your cervix bleed even if you take them rectally.

Thanks all! Did my last test yesterday which was a cheapy boots one and now attempting to step away from the tests…

@Feliciacat - thank you, that’s a really good idea. I like the idea of just having a couple of dates that I test between now and my scan, as I think testing more frequently might just make me feel even more anxious. But we’ll see if I can stick to that! That’s great that the CB tests are showing you’re where you should be. When is your scan?

@loulamay - thank you! That’s good that you had a beta, my clinic don’t seem to routinely offer them. When is your scan? Symptom wise I sound similar to you, but equally on lots of progesterone!

@wateringcanface - thank you! That must feel good to have stopped the progesterone (particularly if you were also doing the pessaries!). I’m not too sure how long I have to keep taking them, but definitely until my first scan. Yes - I have experienced ‘fanny dangers’ (lol). Really catches you off guard!

@PsychologyGeek my scan is in two weeks time when I should be 7w2d. When did you say yours was? They’re usually around 7 weeks as that’s about the earliest they can measure a good heartbeat and see if the growth is on target.

With regard to the tests, you can maybe use cheap tests every other day just for reassurance that there’s still a line and then throw in a clearblue at 2.5 and 3.5 weeks. Once you reach the 3.5 week mark (which is 5.5 weeks of pregnancy) then testing becomes redundant as hCG levels are so far up by then that you won’t see any change day to day from at home testing. So I’m hoping I can step away from the tests in a week’s time and start relying on scans.

Morning everyone, had a bad night. Pregnancy is definitely doing something to my bowels, spent yesterday evening with the worse stomach cramps of my life, I curled up in a ball next to toilet with cold sweats and the poop shoots. I've always had mild ibs but not like that. I had no issues for days so I thought I'd go back to one of my standard lunches (something I'd usually have with no issues) which is noodles in a spicy broth. It seems confirmed now that my sensitive pregnancy stomach can't handle any level of spice, which is fine, I can cut it out, but I'm just worried how much distress that caused my body last night, it was really intense pain. I read that bowel spasms can cause your uterus to contract causing miscarriage, my pelvic pain was quite bad last night so was worried 😟

Also glad I'm not alone with the fanny daggers.

@PsychologyGeek my clinic said I could stop taking progesterone as soon as I got a positive as my body will produce it on its own, but this seems uncommon amongst clinics most seem to ask you to keep going a while.

oh @wateringcanface that sounds awful, you poor thing! Sounds like less spicy food is the way forward. Hope you're doing ok.

@PsychologyGeek seems like more and more UK clinics are not doing beta tests - I wonder why? I had IVF in South Africa with our daughter and they were standard there. My clinic here doesn't do them either so I ordered two home tests from Medichecks and just did it myself. Mostly for peace of mind.

My scan is the 25th Nov when I'll be 7w4d. 9 days and counting...

For those having spotting with the pessary applicators, my nurse said I could just insert them with my finger lower down and it wouldn't affect the absorption so I've been doing that. Has been better I think. I'm on all drugs until at least 12 weeks 😓

Also, just for interest, I've put my dates into the 'What to Expect' app and I think the info is pretty good - they break it down week by week and it's quite nice to follow 😊

@wateringcanface sorry to hear you’ve been struggling with your bowels - so much you read about early pregnancy talks about constipation so I think it’s naturally to worry if it’s the other way, but think of all the hormones and changes going on it’s no wonder our bodies all react differently. I hope you’re feeling better today. It will be a shame if you can’t have your usual foods you enjoy, but hopefully you can find some new favourites 😊

My clinic have asked me to continue progesterone until 8 weeks - they did actually give me enough with my initial medication order but I have dropped so many 🙄off the darn applicators that I have wasted about a box worths so had to put an order in for more.

Ahhhh everyone I really need to share this with all you about yesterday.
A nightmare I wish no one experience that.
Yesterday, I had a plan to test as I didn't check for the whole week Anddddd......
Early morning when I woke up to do test I found out I'm bleeding yes bleeding alot not just spotting 😔
So stressed and thought that It just end of my journey. I told my partner about it and to control my emotions I just went to work.

I had some spicy dinner before that night which I thought might be the cause.
Anyways to overcome that loss I kept myself busy at work. I went to hospital in the evening to confirm it buttttttt....
They did a scan and told my pregnancy is there 🤗

I’m very happy to hear this @BrownBlossom (though sorry for the distress before the good news). I’ve actually had very light bleeding for the past week but my clinic thinks it’s hormonal or to do with the progesterone pessaries. Bleeding isn’t always the end; I’m glad it wasn’t for you.

so happy to hear your good news @BrownBlossom ! Did they say what might have caused the bleeding? x

Thanks everyone r.e bowel drama 😂. Just going to very cautious with what I eat going forward.

@BrownBlossom what a roller coaster, I feel like everything is designed in this process to keep us anxious.

Speaking of, my boobs stopped hurting today, woke up with 0 symptoms which concerned me. But trying not to read into it. Had some pelvic twinges later in the day though.

I had a massage booked for tomorrow which I was really looking forward to, turns out they won't do people in their first trimester. 🤔

I’m at emergency gynaecology as my bleeding has got a little heavier and my symptoms are gone. They’ve done a urine sample and a blood sample and they’ll check my cervix (just in the waiting room for that). If my hCG is above 1500 then they’ll book me for a six week scan and if it’s below 1500 then they’ll require me to come back for bloods in 48 hours. They’ll let me know my results tomorrow morning.

Oh gosh how nerve wracking @Feliciacat I have everything crossed for you x

@Feliciacat thinking of you, hope everything is ok x

Aww thank you! I suppose we’ll see tomorrow. I feel like I need the results before I can decide how I feel. Fingers crossed it’s over 1500 for hCG, I’ll feel very reassured if it is. The NHS are providing a fabulous service to me today and I feel lucky I can access such good care for free.

I hope everyone else’s day is going ok!

so sorry @Feliciacat - keep us posted and sending love x

I hope you get some good news tomorrow and hCG is over 1500 @Feliciacat

Everything crossed for you @Feliciacat. Hope you’re doing ok. xx

Hope you’re doing ok @Feliciacat and fingers crossed for over 1500 tomorrow x

Ok so. I feel like I’ve been so dramatic about things. I had had bleeding for nine days though and the emergency gynaecology clinic said to come in due to the length of time it had been.

They tested my hCG and just as I was leaving after the internal exam (which revealed that my cervix is closed and all the blood is old blood) they said my results had come back…and my level is 3400 at only 5w1d! So there are no concerns currently.

They will do a scan on Wednesday just to check there’s nothing ectopic and to check the embryo hadn’t implanted too low or anything. But the hCG and cervix are very reassuring!

Thank you so much for all your support! Your nice comments meant a lot during a difficult time x

That's great @Feliciacat you definitely aren't being dramatic. I mean, i spent Friday night thinking it was the end of the road for me because I had the runs. Glad you had some reassuring news. My mum told she spotted throughout her whole second pregnancy and everything was okay