Ivf pregnancy - first trimester

[gulph]

Hi lovely's

Starting a new thread for those that have gone through ivf and are in the early stages as appreciate we have different anxieties maybe to other groups.

I'm Gayle, I had a fresh transfer on Monday the 13th March and I am currently 5 weeks 4 days pregnant. First test showed 1-2 weeks, last weeks test showed 2-3 and next test due on Wednesday (clinic have recommended a test a week until early scan) early scan is on the 14th April.

My husband and I have been trying for a baby for nearly 10 years. We fell pregnant naturally 6 years ago, however after some bleeding at 8 weeks, i went for an early scan and was only dating between 5 and 6 weeks so had to go back in a further 2 weeks to check if any development and the night before, I had a miscarriage. We haven't fallen since and following some tests, it was put down to make factor infertility and ICSI and was recommended however we could not proceed (privately) with my bmi so I started the hard work to lose 5 stone in May last year and hit my target in January 2023 to start our treatment.

I feel like there have been lots of barriers in our way so far. Nhs said no, due to my weight it was a no, due to the financials it was a no so to have anything with a yes now without having a massive battle, feels strange and like it's not quite true!

Symptoms so far - sore boobs, cramping, so hungry, feeling little bits of nausea but not sure if it is my mind or it is real

Feel free to tell me about your battle and how you are feeling

@Banbi @greentreeseverywhere

@graygoose amazing news re your scan

Welcome @Jupiteer

I am SO bloated and in so much pain with trapped wind today I want to cry 😢 DH not being v sympathetic either hmph. Does anyone have any tips for helping it pass?

@graygoose Great news about the scan! Hopefully it brought some relief.

I think someone asked what a NIPT was but can’t find who to tag. NIPT = noninvasive prenatal testing. It’s a blood test that can detect some chromosomal disorders with the baby and can also detect gender. They can do it starting from 10 weeks. It’s quite pricey … I’m going to wait now for my nuchal scan (T-10days!). Will ask if I can do it privately through the hospital if they don’t offer it to me if all measurements come back low risk. Practicing the art of being patient.

@Undercoverunicorn my acupuncturist told me walnuts are really good for bloating. She suggested using a pestle and mortar to mash up around 5 with black sesame seeds and eat it like a paste. I just preferred to eat them whole.

Wish me luck ladies, I am off out tonight my 40th with a group of friends to a karaoke bar 😂🙈 it’s a great place full of fun but usually when you’ve had a few drinks - tonight will be interesting being sober and also pretending I’ve a sore mouth and that why I’m not drinking 😆

@UrbanParakeet thank you I asked yesterday what it was as I'd never heard of it before! Of course at 5 weeks tomorrow it feels there's a LONGGGG way to go yet!

Hi everyone hope everyone is doing well. Absolutely devastated hit the 5 week mark and have fresh blood. Think am having a miscarriage. Been told to just stop the blood thinners and stay in bed this weekend and have my scan brought forward for Monday or Tuesday although it will be too early to apparently see anything. Just can't believe it's happening again

Oh @Vallef I'm so sorry if that is what it is but try to stay calm and as positive as possible. These little beans have been through so much already. Really hoping for a good outcome for you 💗

@gulph thank you :( gona go for an early scan on Monday and hope for the best as there's nothing else I can do. Has there been anyone else in the group that's had blood and stringy discharge and been ok out of curiosity? Am triying to think positive because last time my numbers started out at 45 and this time my numbers were 425 on day 9 and over 1000 on day 11 and hoping that it was just a bleep and not the end :(

@Vallef I’m so sorry this has happened and completely understand how scary and stressful this can be. I hope my experience will help. At 5 week I had a bleed (maybe 3 tbsp) bright red blood. Just gushed out after some minor cramps and stopped by the next day. Had a scan 3 days later with the early pregnancy unit and they confirmed they could see a yolk and pregnancy was viable. I had another big red bleed with a big clot at 6w3d… maybe 1/4 of a cup. Had another scan a few days later and they could see a heart beat. At this time the doctor said it was a subchorionic hematoma. Second time I had no cramps and bleeding stopped by next day again. Doctor said miscarriages usually are paired with strong cramps and continuous blood. They also said if you bleed about a coffee cup full/soak through a pad then go to a&e asap.

Hope this helps. I had another scan at 9 weeks and everything was looking good. I’m currently at 11.

Hi 👋🏼
I’m hoping I can join this group as I’m on a very similar journey myself. I’ve had my first FET on Tuesday and currently am in the 2WW. I was diagnosed with PCOS and there’s no male factors involved. I’ve been pregnant twice but unfortunately the first one was a chemical pregnancy and the second one an ectopic. So it’s been quite a journey - I’m just hoping this little bean sticks!

This forum has reassured me so much already and it’s lovely to see a bunch of people actually understand the the ivf journey.

@Vallef good luck today!

Awwwww I remember the 2ww so clearly! Fingers crossed for you! Xx

@Vallef hope you got on OK today

@gulph and @Undercoverunicorn thank you! Spoke to the clinic and as the bleeding stopped I was told to stay in bed today and just go for a scan tomorrow afternoon to give it another day. Am only 5 weeks 2 day so I guess their worried il stress out if they can't find anything? So resting today and hoping for the best tomorrow now xx

@ladyge hey you must be so excited and anxious during the 2WW I think it's the worst period of the whole journey for all of us! If you like there is another thread as well ivf April 2023 going on whereby there's also other ladies on their 2ww. I found it helpful being part of both threads. This group has been invaluable support for every worry especially since everyone is more progressed weeks wise than me so am reliying on their wisdom and experience as well 😀

hi all
Can I join? I’m a bit earlier on than you all - 5w1d today. It’s my second FET this time round - my last one in Feb ended in a miscarriage. I am lucky enough to have a DS born in 2021, the result of 4 IVF rounds!
im really struggling with the anxiety - I thought I’d be more relaxed this time round but the miscarriage has really thrown me. I just can’t stop thinking about it!
@Vallef by way of reassurance, I had bleeding in both pregnancies. With my first I had two episodes of bright red bleeding 2 days apart around 5 weeks. I also had some small clots. My clinic scanned me at 5w3d and could see a pregnancy but too early to know if it was viable. They did do blood tests which showed it was progressing though. And obv turned out fine as now my son is 21months.
With my more recent pregnancy it was another bleed at 5w4d but this time it got progressively heavier with lots of clots. There was no doubt in my mind it was a miscarriage and I wasn’t at all surprised when they confirmed. This time round my (same) clinic sent me to EPU who were brilliant.
im sure everyone’s experiences are a bit different but hopefully that reassures a bit - and don’t think you have to rely on your clinic as EPU should see you if the bleeding starts again.

Hi ladies xx OTD today and finally got my first positive test on my third transfer! Delighted to find this group xx

@CR7 congratulations!!
@Vallef i have everything crossed for you that everything is ok- get as much rest as you can!

my sickness seems to have calmed down - the food aversions are still there - apparently now I am a vegetarian! But the sickness has calmed and the tender breasts/nipples have also calmed down - which is a relief however on the other side is making the anxiety go through the roof that something has gone wrong! So a second private scan book for next Monday! X

@Vallef thank you! I’ll definitely check that out! Hope you are feeling better and fingers crossed for tomorrow! Baby dust to youuu ✨✨✨✨

@gulph the 2WW is killing me. I just want to test early but i only transferred on the 2nd so I highly doubt it’s gonna give me any reassurance.

when did you guys starts to feel symptoms after your transfer? Because I can’t feel anything atm haha

@ladyge I didn't have a single symptom x

Hi @ladyge 👋 I had zero symptoms during the 2ww. Maybe I convinced myself I felt some activity going on but truthfully there’s wasn’t anything. It wasn’t until the end of the 2ww (I transferred x2 day 3 embryos so had a longer wait and I didn’t throughout) that I started to get AF symptoms. Was heartbroken and thought it was all over but turned out to be BFP. It’s so unhelpful the symptoms are exactly like AF! I have my fingers crossed for you xx

Congrats @CR7 and welcome to the group!

@BrownXeyes my sickness is getting better too but I occasionally get big waves of it instead of feeling low level hungover all day. I’m trying to hold out until my 12 week scan on the 31st but don’t know if I will last that long! Get all the reassurance scans you need.

@LottSE20 congratulations and welcome to the group!

@Vallef i had bleeding at 5w3d had a scan at 5w6d and they saw the sac and yolk but no fetal pole yet. It was reassuring there was something there and it wasn’t ectopic but I didn’t see a heartbeat until 6 weeks, which I think is more the norm. So don’t be disheartened if you don’t see anything this early, I admit I was a little after seeing posts where other ladies saw the heartbeat at 5 weeks but I think that’s relatively rare. Good luck!

Hi everyone :) Hope its okay to join - I recognise some of your names from previous IVF threads! I have a daughter born in 2020 from my first FET, my second FET ended in a chemical and this is my 3rd FET.

I'm currently 7+4 so due 22/12 - I had a scan last Wednesday and we saw the heartbeat although I was measuring 5 days behind so I've got another scan booked in on the 19th.

I'm feeling worried but I do think it could have just been a late implanter as my tests didn't get dark until a few days after they did with my daughter. The clinic have also said they don't worry about anything within 5 days difference and that everything else looks great - so I've really just got to focus on the positives.

Hope everyone is feeling okay - I've got low level nausea pretty much all the time and feel exhausted! xx

@laurapop a friend of mine said her clinic always measured slightly begin where she actually was x

Behind

@CR7 I did wonder if they were a bit cautious on the measurements. It measured 5mm which put me at 6+0, but when I had a private scan with my daughter she was 3mm and that also put me at 6+0.

So I think it's quite difficult at this stage and obviously they are so so small to begin with!

Early pregnancy after IVF is such an emotionally draining time. I remember it so well. I had ten cycles of IVF in total to have my DD and DS.
I even ended up writing a book about it, which I self published on Amazon. It's called Keep Calm and Carry on Trying 😊
Wishing you all the best with your pregnancy x