BFP through IVF. Thread to calm the nerves!

[BeHereNowx32]

Hi!
I very recently got my positive result after a FET. (This is my second child. First one conceived through a fresh cycle). Just wondered anyone in a similar position wanted to join, and help keep us calm until scan day!

I am only 4+2 weeks. Still so, so early. Can’t wait for my 7 week scan!

@ivfbeenbusy yes it was, it went well (I think). It didn't start off great because the sonographer was annoyed that they'd not booked a double slot for the twins and seemed to blame me for that (even though I definitely told the midwife who booked it that it was twins). Then the babies were lying in an awkward position so she said she wouldnt be able to do the measurements. I had to go to the loo and walk briskly for 10 mins to try and move them, it seemed to work and she did get all the measurements done in the end. I think they were all ok but I have to go back tomorrow to get scanned by the consultant because they are identical twins. So if there are any issues with size difference or anything else I guess I'll find out more then. I knew I'd be being scanned a lot but wasn't expecting two days in a row!

@RosettaR

Ha that sounds exactly like how my appointment went - midwife hadn't told them twins even though she knew at 8 week booking in and then they werent in right position/sit still for the measurements! At least they gave it another try and got them for you!
So did they say if they shared a sac/placenta?
Mine were definite different sizes but it didn't seem to bother them too much but I think it's less of an issue when they aren't identical x

@ivfbeenbusy that's funny our scan experiences were so similar. We are lucky that she gave them a chance to move! They are different sizes but not hugely (57mm vs 63mm), I'm hoping that's OK but I guess I'll find out more tomorrow. The NT measurements were really similar so hopefully that's a good sign. They are definitely sharing a placenta but separate sacs, the membrane was really clear.

Ah so MCDA twins? You'll definitely have to get used to all the scans then as I think that type have to have the most scans? Fortnightly I think whereas mine are down for monthly unless there are any major concerns. You'll also have them earlier - 36 weeks maximum I think x

So yesterday's scan not so good. The consultant got very different measurements and a much bigger size difference, and they are worried about growth restriction in the smaller twin. That twin's cord is attached to the very edge of the placenta which puts them at risk. We're going back in 2 weeks to be scanned again. I'm terrified, it's so early to be seeing this, from reading around it can suddenly get worse at any time and there's so much time for that to happen. And there's so little they can do, besides deliver them early and we've got a hugely long way to go before that's an option.

On the positive side the little one is still a decent size now, on the 47th percentile. And they look to be developing OK so far (at this very early stage).

@rosettar fingers crossed for you for your next scan

@RosettaR

Oh no! looking at my notes the size difference on mine was much bigger than yours. - what did the consultant measure them at today? It's frustrating that two different people can measure them so differently only a day apart

Did they say there is anything you can do? I read about a really high protein diet helping? X

@RosettaR that must be worrying for you. Hoping for good progress at your next scan

@RosettaR sounds like a tough day. Hoping things have improved at your next scan. x

Thanks everyone.

@ivfbeenbusy on Thursday they were 57.2 and 63.6, then on Friday 59.8 and 68.4. I make that a 10% difference then 13%. I think they're worried because of the position of the cord and how it might develop in the future as a result of that.

Are they at all worried by your size discrepancy or do they not really mind since each baby has their own placenta?

That's interesting about protein, I did read in the US they recommend like 150g protein a day with twins. Thats an insane amount, I don't know know how you can eat that much without supplementing. But then googling I also read that too much protein can lead to slow growth, that might be only if you don't eat enough carbs. So much contradictory information!

@RosettaR

At my 12 week scan mine measured 62mm and 51mm so much larger difference (11w6d based on last period) . They didn't really express any concerns at that scan. But whilst they did bring forward my due date by 5 days due to the larger one (he was measured at 12w4d) the little one measured bang on to what it should for that day

5 days later when I had a private NT scan he was suddenly 72mm and she was 60mm - so I guess around 2mm growth a day? Maybe that's what they are worried about with yours? That potentially one is really jumping ahead of the other? But your little one still has the same 2mm growth rate over the 24hours as mine?

There has always been at least 3-6 days difference in their sizes though and I think they were just happy it was consistent growth

At the private one I had at 16 weeks the size discordance was 26% (anything over 20-25% is apparently cause for concern) - they switch to measuring head circumference and abdomen after 14 weeks and the little one was measuring well over a week behind her brother but it's hard to compare against all my earlier scans as they were based on CRL length

The doctor scanning did ask a lot of questions but he said at this stage they don't worry so much when it's non identical twins, when they have a separate placenta and when they are separate genders as they almost treat them like separate pregnancies. He also seemed happy when I told him the embryos were at completely different stages when they were transferred - the one likely being the boy was classed as a fresh transfer as he had been thawed at day 3 and was hatching when he went back in and the other one was a day 6 frozen expanded blastocyst and I read that frozen can take 2-3 days longer to implant

I measured how much protein I was getting the other day and I would say on a good day I probably have about 70g - there is no way I could go to 150g!!! I'd feel so sick

@ivfbeenbusy interesting on the due date thing. My clinic 200km away and my hospital agree that mine shouldn't be changed because of the fact that he's an IVF baby.

@ValidUser

It's pretty standard to use last period date rather than IVF date up until the 12 week scan and then they usually they change the due date depending on what the baby is measuring and this takes precedence over anything else

My natural conception DD due date was moved forward about 7 days at the 12 week scan

This time because the bigger twin is measuring bigger they recalculated the due date to reflect his size x

Definitely different in my neck of the woods (West of Ireland). My LMP would also put me weeks ahead because of buserelin troubles. GP, antenatal clinic and private scan deliberately fudged my LMP dates to match EC day. That said, little fella is also measuring on track.

The letter the antenatal clinic got from the fertility clinic even contains a firm instruction not to change the EDD!

I'll have to ask my gynaecologist friends about this one.

@ivfbeenbusy the consultant wasn't sure why the measurements were so different on the Friday. She wrote on the report, suspected sIUGR but could be due to measurement error, so need to re-scan in two weeks. So I think the measurements are too different to both be right, and only another scan on a different day would be able to say. I guess that will also show how much the little one has grown over two weeks which will tell them a lot. I'm starting to obsess now about what she might say next Friday. I'm so desperate for it to be good news. I want to ask her as well what happens if the little one doesn't grow well. But I'm not sure I want to know the answer...

That's good they're fairly happy with your size difference. I guess when they've got their own placenta they've got more confidence they are both getting what they need, even if one is small. With MCDA twins apparently the key thing is measuring blood flow to the smaller twin, if that's ok then that's really encouraging, even if there is a big size difference. Size isn't everything, it's all about blood flow! So I've just got to pray the blood flow to mine remains OK.

@ValidUser my due date was recorded by the midwives by my LMP, which would make me more than two weeks further on. On my insistence they switched it to my due date per the clinic. They haven't even mentioned changing it based on the scan.

How is everyone doing this week? Anyone feeling more anxious about Covid? I don't think the new restrictions will bother me too much - I'm working from Home anyway and only go out to drop DD at school and then once a week to shop

Where is everyone up to now?

With doing the IVF we have been on the cautious side since the beginning so not much will change for us although the daily confirmed cases are alarming, I've been work from home since March to.

I'm feeling really anxious the last week or two, we have a scan next weekend and I'll just be coming up to 10 weeks I'm worried about it being a missed miscarriage, I've had no bleeding since a few weeks ago and we then had the 6 weeks scan that confirmed a heart beat and healthy pregnancy at that point some days I'm more anxious than others, I've had no morning sickness yet which is making me worry

@Ijustlikefood I’ll be 10weeks tomorrow and I’m feeling the same. I had a scan at the clinic at 7weeks which confirmed everything looked ok and I also saw the heartbeat. But over the last week I’ve lost all pregnancy symptoms and had stabbing pains lower down so I’m now also wondering if I’ve had a missed miscarriage.
Does anyone know if the pessaries would stop a miscarriage bleed at this stage?? Or am I just thinking to much into things.
Sorry to be so negative I’m just so worried and don’t know who to talk to. My clinic have discharged me now and my midwife as said they nothing we can do either way till 12weeks so to just stop worrying, which is easier said than done.
Hope everyone else is doing well xxxx

@Needtotalkivf19 @Ijustlikefood

Considering I'm 18 weeks twins I haven't had any morning sickness or even nausea so I wouldn't worry about lack of symptoms

With the stabbing pains one I was really achey and had the odd sharp pain from 10 weeks and put it down to round ligament pain/everything stretching out

I had my delayed midwife appointment today and also the flu jab - heard both heartbeats which was great and they are also in the same spot where I've been able to pick them up on my Doppler so at least I know I'm using it right

Won't see my midwife again which is strange until the babies arrive as all my appointments are at the twin clinic now

@ivfbeenbusy it’s really good to know both twins are doing well and your nearly half way there.
I bet that a strange feeling know the next time you see them is when babies arrive.
Is the twin clinic doctor led?? And do you have an appointments every two weeks from 20 weeks??
My midwife told me I won’t be having midwife led care it will be consultant led and I will have an appointment every two weeks from 24weeks has my son was born at 25weeks.I’m feeling confident they keep a close eye on thing this time, I’m just hoping I get to that point, I was shocked she was telling about things which were so far away but I suppose it should make me feel more positive.

I was thinking the same about the pains, they just my body’s way of making more room. I think I’m more worried because of my symptoms completely disappearing, I don’t need the toilet so much now, my boobs have total stopped hurting and gone back to normal (there had got really big and swollen), I had really bad sickness but it’s totally stopped and I just have this feeling something not right. I am going to book a private scan tomorrow for as soon as possible, hopefully that will put my mind at rest for at least a little while lol.
I think it more scary because it’s taken so long to get here, I’m just finding it hard and don’t know what to do to stop overthinking things.
Sorry for the long message I think I just needed to get it all out lol xx

I’ve hit 7 weeks today. Had a scan last Thursday and everything looked as it should for the dates, and even saw a heartbeat. Next scan is Friday so hoping it has continued to progress - I think there is always that lingering doubt when there have been so many hurdles to get to this point.

The nausea and tiredness have really ramped up for me in the last week. I had just started to go back to the office most days but now I’m finding that I hit a wall around 3pm and need a nap, otherwise I start to feel really sick late in the afternoon. So I’ll drop my office days back down to 1 or 2 per week and leave mid afternoon - fortunately there are hardly any other people back at the moment so easy to slip out unnoticed and catch up later in the evening once I’ve rested up a bit.

I’ve told a couple of people who I work directly with and who have known about the IVF in varying degrees of detail - people who would need to know if anything went wrong and I needed time off a short notice. I’ve cried telling both of them - I don’t think I really believe it myself yet.

Best of luck to everyone.

Hi all can I please join?
Had BFP yesterday Very nervous ATM just I know so much can go wrong and full of cold so bee up since 4am. ( not Covid am 100 percent sure) Just a snotty nose.

Have scan booked for mid October. We had two embryos put back in.

Welcome @thefishthatcouldwish and congratulations on your BFP! Hope you’re feeling better soon.

My scan at 7+2 went well, which was a relief as I’d had a bleed the night before. The doctor isn’t overly concerned, said there was a small bleed next to the placenta visible on the scan and it was most likely part of normal placental development. He does want me to drop the aspirin and the fragmin injections to every other day and take it easy for a week to be on the safe side.

I’m also tapering off the steroids over the next week too (not currently in the UK - I understand that the HFEA isn’t currently allowing them to be prescribed).

Still getting the fatigue and nausea in late afternoon but perking up in the evening if I can squeeze a nap in.

Next scan is at 9 weeks, a week on Wednesday.

How is everyone else doing?

@thefishthatcouldwish hi there, congratulations on your bfp! I'm 39w after IVF and also had a cold early on. I think your immune system naturally goes down during pregnancy plus prednisone if you take it. I also got thrush later on from progesterone pessaries but this was treated by GP and papilloma son my neck (apparently very common in pregnancy also due to low immune system). Congratulations and hope all goes well! My pregnancy was very smooth and uneventful so far.

@Needtotalkivf19 I didn't have much symptoms at all, no morning sickness. The stabbing pain sounds like round ligament stretching which can be pretty painful, but completely normal. I had a private scan at 11w to calm down my nerves before 12w scan at nhs. After that there was a long stretch to 20w scan but bump is usually growing nicely at this point and then baby moving and it's all reassuring. These early days are the most nerve wrecking. Having another test and seeing that strong line can help calm them down maybe.