Pregnant after IVF

[countrypunk]

Is anyone out there pregnant after IVF? I'm on an IVF thread but don't want to keep posting about being pregnant when women there are still going through treatment and also getting BFNs.

I had my first round of IVF in November and we got 2 embryos. My first fresh transfer failed and I'm now 5+2 after our frozen transfer.

I'm feeling a bit wobbly today because my symptoms (cramping and super sore boobs) seem to have disappeared, even though I got 3+ on a digital test yesterday.

Just fancy talking to other women who are pregnant after treatment and can relate to all the emotion and worries.

[Lucy5yearsttc]

@BH2023 sorry to hear this. Keep the faith and stay strong x

[Laura23FE]

@Lucy5yearsttc I have spoke to so many friends in the past week since I had a bleed and it’s actually crazy how common it is to bleed in pregnancy, I genuinely never knew 😭

[Lucy5yearsttc]

@Laura23FE it appears to be! But as soon as you see blood you just think the worst.

[Feelslikeforever22]

Anyone still feeling really bloated/ swollen from the IVF and now pregnancy?
I had a fresh transfer on a medicated cycle and I feel like my body hasn’t had the chance to recover and go back to “normal”. I have PCOS so it’s very likely that my ovaries have continued to be stimulated by pregnancy hormones which is why I feel so swollen. My clinic also advised me not to do any exercise beyond walking atm due to concerns about ovarian torsion.
I’m expecting my body to change over time during the pregnancy but wasn’t prepared so soon. I had to try on some of my smarter clothes for work yesterday and nothing fit and if I managed to do it up, it looked like I was gonna burst out of it. It seems like I’ve probably gone up a whole or half dress size.
It’s really got me down which feels silly because this pregnancy has be so longed for and I know it’ll all be worth it in the end. But at 7 weeks, I think I look about 3 months pregnant.
I’m also just not ready to have to explain the changes in my body to people so early on in the pregnancy. (I work in entertainment so image has some significance and changes to my clothing size are noticeable.)
I have my scan on Monday and I’m hoping that seeing a heartbeat and a viable pregnancy will make me feel better about it all. Also hoping to be cleared for some slightly more vigorous exercise.

[Laur0606]

Yes I get this! I’ve been super lucky to have a natural pregnancy 4.5 years ago and now I’m pregnant from an ICSI fresh transfer. I’m a size 8-10 and did get a bump with my first pregnancy around 10 weeks last time. This time it must be the medication because by the end of the day I look like I have a proper bump and it is noticeable in my clothes. My husband says I look pregnant. There is no way it’s baby as the baby should be the size of a seed so I think the ivf meds make us a lot bigger, I’m already in maternity leggings as my own jeans and leggings are too tight!

[Laura23FE]

@Feelslikeforever22 yes the bloat is so sore and feels solid as a rock ! Never felt bloating like it before
This was my stomach last week at less than 6 weeks, it hurt to sit down !

[Feelslikeforever22]

@Laur0606 @Laura23FE
I’m hoping to feel more comfortable once I’m off the progesterone.
In the mean time, I need to make sure the things I’m snacking on are fruits and vegetables rather than crisps and hot Ross buns! 🙃

But my early scan is finally tomorrow!! Fingers crossed all is well.

[Feelslikeforever22]

*hot cross 😂

[Laura23FE]

@Feelslikeforever22 LOVE a hot cross bun haha I can’t stop eating crumpets! 🤣

[Dbop100]

I've also got my 7 week early scan tomorrow! Big day for lots of us! 🤞🤞🤞

I'm not much bigger (although I was already a wee bit overweight after Xmas) just a bit bloated from the progesterone and constant snacking because feeling nauseous ALLL DAY 🤢 But then again I had a frozen donor egg transfer so my ovaries are probably not doing much. I think you can ask them to look at them during the scan if you're worried @Feelslikeforever22 might be worth giving into some larger black leggings / tights and dresses for a week or two until you're ready to buy some proper maternity trousers - maybe seeing the scan is ok will help xx

[Feelslikeforever22]

@Dbop100 thats exciting. I hope all goes well!

I am lucky that most of my day to day clothes are elasticated or at least have a bit of give in them so I should be ok for a bit. It’s my fancier clothes that are more unforgiving which was what a found so jarring.
But I think you’re right, seeing the scan will probably make all the difference. x

[acaciabluebell]

Ugh so I stopped spotting for a few days but now it's back again. I just can't shake this anxious feeling when spotting. I wish it would stop for good. I'm 7+2 today and the spotting started after my last scan which was not even a week ago. Should I bother with the EPU? Or just hold out for a 8week private scan.

[Dbop100]

Sorry to hear that @acaciabluebell it's not nice is it. Really hard to say you must always trust your gut, but I was advised that if I do have more spotting / bleeding I don't need to come back in inbetween scheduled scan appointments. That is unless it's filling a pad in an hour and then go to A&E. How heavy is it? When was your last scan? Maybe you can speak to the EPU and make another appointment for 1 week after your last scan?x

[acaciabluebell]

Hi @Dbop100 thanks for replying. So its very very faint spotting atm, not heavy at all. All week I was having heavier brown discharge and it stopped and then came back pink so I was just worried. I felt better when it was brown. I last saw EPU when I had a reddish bleed around 5+5 and then I had my scan at 6+3 with fertility clinic so about a week ago. I was planning to get a private scan around 8 weeks (not booked yet) but thinking of calling up EPU tomorrow to see if they recommend rescanning. I know spotting is common with IVF but is it normal that it keeps coming back? That's my concern.

[Dbop100]

It's really hard to say as everyone is different. I had brown spotting on and off in week 5 and then a sudden rush of bright red blood at the beginning of week 6 and then brown spotting for a few days. I know what you mean the brown spotting is less worrying for some reason. I've been told it is normal and to expect it to come and go. I would do as you say and ask the EPU for another appt this week and see what they say, if can't hurt to ask and it's fair enough if you need the reassurance. They can only say no and then you can do a private scan instead. It's a super scary time but we can only take it one day at a time and hope it will be ok xx

[Laura23FE]

@acaciabluebell i have been spotting on and off since weds (had a big bleed 10 days ago) spoke to EPU on weds and they said unless going through a pad an hour like @Dbop100 mentioned then I don’t need to go in so I’m not stressing :)

[MsSandyToes]

Good luck for your scans today @Feelslikeforever22 and @Dbop100 let us know how you get on.

Mine is on Wednesday and I'm anxious and excited in equal measures.

[Laura23FE]

We have just had our viability scan and everything looks perfect … so happy and relieved after being so worried since I had my bleed 🥰❤️

[MsSandyToes]

@Laura23FE sorry I didn't realise you also had yours today! So pleased it went well! 🥰

[acaciabluebell]

Amazing news @Laura23FE so pleased for you 😊 you must be so relieved!

Update from me, spotting has stopped again so it seems to be an on and off thing. Trying to keep optimistic! I've also been signed off work bc of the ongoing bleeding/spotting which is a huge relief for me as I can just take it easy.

Best of luck to @Dbop100 and @Feelslikeforever22 xx

[Laura23FE]

@acaciabluebell being off work must be such a relief! thankfully I work for my dad so he's pretty easy on me and lets me work from home, your spotting sounds the same as mine, they saw a fibroid when we had the scan today but she said its nothing to worry about, not sure if it could be the reason for bleeding/spotting

[ali2021]

Best of luck to everyone getting scans today and this week! Fingers and toes crossed. I actually had an early one last Friday,@MsSandyToes and everything looked perfect! We saw and heard the heartbeat; amazing! I'll have another one on Wed with my clinic. Can't tell you how much it reassured me and put me at ease.

[Feelslikeforever22]

Hey everyone, thanks so much for the well wishes.
Everything looks good! I had started to convince myself something was wrong and that it had implanted in the wrong place or I had loads of cysts growing. Probably a defence mechanism.
She was able to locate the pregnancy straight away and the heartbeat was flickering nice and strong. Such a relief. Was very overwhelming but had to stop myself from crying because I new I wouldn’t be able to stop!
Just gonna try a stay in a happy positive mindset for as long as possible before worrying over the 12 week scan.

[ivf2022]

Amazing news @Feelslikeforever22 so happy for you!

I'm 8+2 today, had a scan last week and all looked good- we heard the heartbeat. Today all my symptoms have stopped, no nausea and I have my energy back. Been lovely to have some energy and not feel exhausted but I'm a bit worried about the symptoms stopping. Has anyone else had this?

[Dbop100]

Hey all, we just got home from our scan and all looks good. We're measuring 1 day ahead at 7+1 and heard the heartbeat which was totally surreal and magical 💕 feeling very reassured.

Also interestingly my haematoma has almost gone since last Tuesday, apparently it will have reabsorbed into me as I was expecting another big bleed before it was gone but apparently not.

The doctor asked if we wanted to do another scan at 9 weeks or just wait for the NHS scan. This one would be £240, and she suggested at that rate we would do a NIPT 10 week scan and blood test. I hadn't heard of it before. My friends have all just had the tests through the NHS after 12 weeks. I don't know if we really need it, we've spent so much money already. Something to think about I guess. 5 weeks feels like a long time to wait until the NHS scan.