What do you believe gave you a BFP?

[HopeForARainbow]

I don't know why I am writing this; hoping for some miracle maybe.

I am 36, DH 37. We have been TTC for over 7 years now. I have had two natural MCs, 1 failed IVF last year, and one IVF resulting in MC this year. The MC took 2 months to resolve which has messed up my cycles. Hopefully, it comes back to normal soon.

All my coagulation tests came back within range. AMH was 17 when measured last year. On the lower side for my age but not too bad (that's what the doc said). FSH, LH, progesterone all come back as normal. Waiting for results for karyotyping for us. Awaiting a form for some more tests.

When my GP sent me to a fertility clinic they put me straight on IVF. The gynaec there said that as I have been pregnant before they don't think anything else will help like clomid or HSG or Hysteroscopy etc.

I have hypothyroid but i take thyroid medication every morning. So it's in control. I take pre-natals and eat good (at least as much as i can). I have reduced caffeine to 1-2 cups of tea (black) a day and 1 decaff. Have coffee only once in a while. Alcohol once in a while and don't smoke. I am a vegetarian.

I know so many of you out here have been through a similar or worse journey than mine. So I wanted to see if there's anything I can do to help me get pregnant or anything you recommend to prepare for my next IVF.

Please share your story to give me some hope.

Has your DP had the sperm DNA fragmentation test? The NHS don't do it frustratingly and by their tests everything with my DH was fine but that test revealed he was basically infertile.

Once that was fixed (just required some antibiotics!), I didn't have any further miscarriages and I feel pregnant really easily (after trying for years initially).

Same as a PP, I think it was the HSG. We'd been trying for a year and nothing. All tests were fine for both of us and then I had the HSG on CD10, ovulated on CD17 and boom, pregnant. I think my tubes were cleaned out by the dye being pushed through

I tried for 4 or 5 months using ovulation strips, preseed, sticking my legs in the air. I then decided to stop trying for a while for work reasons and we had unprotected sex a couple of times because I thought it would be fine and immediately fell pregnant so I do think there’s something in the stopping worrying train of thought (although I completely appreciate that it’s much easier said than done)

Coq10 and DHA! Went from not ovulating for 6 months, to ovulating 3 weeks later and now I'm 25 weeks pregnant!

Acupuncture - both times. 10 years apart.

I stopped being a vegetarian and began eating (quite a lot of) red meat. Steak, specifically. Fell pregnant the following month after making the change.

In my 20s I was surprised it took me so long to convince, over a year. Suspect I was Iron deficient.

My dh reckons we have been fortunate to conceive quickly because he eats shed loads of walnuts with porridge for his breakfast, apparently there is some research to suggest it leads to healthy sperm? I think being an optimal weight with dd helped and having a good idea of when I was fertile I didn't use ovulation sticks but used the natural fertility method to track my periods (at that point they were regular to the day so it helped). I would also raise my legs in the air, felt very daft but who knows if that helped?

It sounds like you are doing everything you should, fingers crossed for you x

DHEA to improve egg quality. It was recommended by my fertility clinic - to take it for three months before trying IVF. I was pregnant by the second month and apparently that’s common.

Honestly? Aspirin. Only thing I did differently after suffering unexplained miscarriages was to take aspirin from the day I got the positive test. I was 'put on it' by midwife later on for pre eclampsia risk but I'd already been taking it. I'd do it again!

I’m veggie and have conceived 3 times pretty quickly so really don’t think stopping being a vegetarian and eating steak = instant conception

Also put mine down to:
Good acupuncturist with specialism in fertility
Conceive Plus
Really looking into vitamins/ herbal remedies to help regulate cycle
Timing around ovulation

@SallyCinnamonYoureMyWorld - I drink alcohol like once in a month or so ... a glass of vodka or wine. nothing more than that. plus am a vegetarian ... the only bad habit i really have is crisps & tea & chocolate. may be will leave that too

@DollyParton2 - thanks for the tips ... i have started to give up caffeine... will try conceive plus this cycle... my cycles are pretty regular...do you think angus cactus or soy isoflavones will help me?

@BeautyAndTheBump1 @pumkinpopsickle - never tried preseed. But just bought conceive plus. So will try that cycle

@Willow4987 @Fueledwithfairydustandgin - hmmm ... so many people have mentioned about taking it easy & taking a breadk

@MissSmiley - Did clinic recommended you for the test or did you push?

@firesong - i am going to show this message to DH. when i tell him this, he says i am making it up :D

@GirlCalledJames - wow... so many people in this thread have said the same thing... to take it easy and not worry. Did you changed clinics or stayed with the same one? May i ask which clinic were you with?

@Lil28 - thanks, will try the legs in the air tip.. and also taking it easy

@Sonicthehedgehogg Seriously79 - i am a bit scared of acupuncture... but have started fertility womb massage. Just had one session but it felt really great

@Teakind - well all his sperm tests have been normal. I don't know though if the fragmentation test has been done or not. Will check else will get it done privately.. thanks for the tip

@polkadotpixie - i have a call with my GP on Saturday. Will ask about HSG

@beckyyl - congratulations.. i have started taking Coq10 (ubiquinol version)

@pinkdragons - big step.. .i cannot stop being vegetarian.. but i know my haemoglobin is slightly low. So taking meds for that

@Sceptre86 - thanks for the tips

@Fruitshootloop - may i ask which clinic were you with? i have been with 2 clinics for 2 different rounds and both just said to take pre natal vitamins. i will research about dhea and see if i can just take it without any recommendation

@threediamonds - When i was recommended to MC clinic, the doc there said to take 150 mg of aspirin from the night of embryo transfer for my next IVF.

@Iknewyouwerewaitingforme - Did you have cycle issues? My cycles are pretty regular except last couple after MC. though they are coming back to normal. What vitamins / herbal remedies did you take?

@HopeForARainbow what worked for us (3 years) was a holiday break where we were countries apart, then ovulation sticks and dtd after a longer break of nothing just before the ovulation/on the day.

@HopeForARainbow it was GCRM in Glasgow. DHEA is unlicensed over here but perfectly safe and used widely elsewhere. But my problem was low AMH levels and ovarian reserve, which often goes hand in hand with poor egg quality, so that’s why it helped me.

@HopeForARainbow the consultant said it would either help me conceive naturally or make IVF more successful. Luckily the former.

@Fruitshootloop - do you know how much was your AMH?

@HopeForARainbow it was 0.6

Ah OP, that sounds rubbish.

I’m probably not going to be helpful, but I used to work in a country where a lot of people go to adopt children. There’s a sort of ‘fast track’ system, where if you stay there for a few months you’re allowed to take a child instead of having to go through years of admin at home. So that way I got to know a few couples adopting kids.

I lost count of the amount who adopted one and then found themselves pregnant. It was a definite, recognised ‘thing’, and we used to laugh about it. All the couples I met were utterly lovely and just rolled with it.

I don’t know what my message is from that because it’s a pretty radical step! I don’t want to say anything as ridiculous as ‘relax’ because that’s clearly the opposite of what you can do- but I guess it’s only when those couples stopped trying that it happened.

whoever ends up with you as their mum will be very lucky. Ignore my story and stick to wiser people. Good luck!

Being really poorly.

I’ve always had really irregular periods so wasn’t sure when I ovulated and obliviously spent months missing the mark. Then I got really ill and I was spotting/bleeding when I wasn’t due on, then I got pregnant the month after the funny period.

I just think being so poorly and stressed delayed my periods and then it kind of reset maybe? I don’t know.

In the 4 months before I conceived:

Proceive Max fertility supplements made my womb lining much thicker. This took about two months but I noticed my periods seemed heavier when previously they’d been very light.

Drastically reduced caffeine. Did some seed cycling and drank grapefruit juice for EWCM and pomegranate juice to keep my womb lining lush.

The month I conceived:

I noticed that I had had a pattern of EWCM which finished shortly before testing positive on clearblue ovulation monitor. So I started dtd on the day before EWCM started and did it every two days until a positive ovulation result. I had a strong positive on 11dpo so believe that I ovulated and implanted early.

During the 2ww, I also made a concerted effort to keep my stress levels down by doing 2 x 30 minute meditation sessions a day using the Breethe app.

Oh, I also took ubiquinol and DHA. My Amh (9.3) was low for my age so possibly that helped. Best of luck x

Hey Ladies, so sorry for not responding / updating.. Just been away taking a break during Christmas

I am in the 1st week of 2ww and works been really stressful the past 3 days :( :(

I tried the following this cycle, but also messed up a lot -
Good
--
Pregnacare pre-conception
Ubiquinol - 400 mg
Starflower / EPO - i bought from tescos a combined one
Probiotic supplement - I went for a fertility massage & the woman said my digestive system felt swollen to her and she suggested a supplement
Inositol supplement
Iron supplement as my haemoglobin is slight low from my past MC
Sleeping for hours and hours like almost 9-10 every day ... lol
lots of almonds & walnuts

Bad
----
drinking :( i had hardly drunk last year. But around Christmas just broke down :(
No reduction in caffeine
Hot chocolate
Lots of eating out

it's just wait and see for me now :)

@Raspberry681 - i may switch to proceive max from pregnacare & try seed cycling

@Curioushorse - I am open to adoption. But DH wants to try one more round of IVF. So will start planning for that now.

I started taking high strength coq10 and vit D continued with pregnacare preconception. By my third round of low dose/short cycle ivf i saw the difference. Collected 7 eggs, 6 matured, 5 to day 5 blastocyst. Best transfered now 16 weeks pregnant today. Remaining embryos frozen. My partner cut down on alcohol intake i drank decafe tea. Hope this helps

Forgot to mention i had fertility acupuncture weekly

@SantoPalo would you remember by any chance what doses of coq10 & vit D did you take?

i haven't been taking Vit D as i thought i am getting sufficient from pregnacare preconception

Castor oil pack and spearmint tablets. The spearmint lowers testosterone, my levels were high and I thought maybe that was partly to blame. The castor oil pack (Google it) using a pillow case soaker in the oil placed on stomach on days leading up to ovulation, is supposed to help the flow in that part of the body and unblock fallopian tubes or something (sorry can't quite remember as DS is 2 now)
But the month I used both, I fell pregnant. Best of luck