IVF pregnancies - Spring 2024

[thislittlebird]

Anyone here in a similar position? I'm feeling a bit of an odd one out on forums now where I don't feel pregnant pregnant and I don't feel infertile infertile, and thought I'd see if others were in the same, tentative situation. I don't feel like I'm ready to join the main May 2024 gang until I'm more confident this will continue.

I'm only 4 weeks 5 days :/

Hi all, for those of you that did medicated FET, have your clinic told you when to stop meds? I was advised yesterday that I could stop lubion at 7 weeks (but I negotiated to 9 😂) and then the pessaries and patches at 10 weeks. There seems to be such a difference across clinics.

@hopefulmum46 hyperemis sounds horrid, does it last all pregnancy or can it stop?

@TheBirdintheCave I feel like we can probably all appreciate that anxiety, ivf does seem to have that effect.

@Summerishere83 i was 40 in May! It really cranked up my anxiety tbh. If this fails I’ll be back there again, it’s just not nice feeling like time is working against you more than ever.

If they’re untested then I think two is fine at our age, I only didn’t because I wanted more chances to get the protocol right and I had one untested and one tested left, and you can’t transfer those together afaik.

@KG1244 I did modified natural and I have to stop Lubion (and everything else) at 12 weeks, so maybe that makes a difference?

I'm sorry for everybody who has had losses before and for the years we all have gone through to get to this point.

It sounds like we are all having similar feelings ladies. I hope this next 8 weeks is kind to us all. We deserve it❤️

I find I am pretty much ignoring the pregnancy, sometimes I'll see something about names for boys for example but I'll stop myself thinking about it. Lol. Such a headwreck!!

@KG1244 my clinic said to me last week that they would start weaning off at 8 weeks but I'm going to ask to keep going to 12 weeks if it's not harmful because we had a miscarriage at 12 weeks. And a MMC at 9.

When is everyone's scans this week? Mine is Wednesday. Xx

Would love to join too please! Thank you @thislittlebird for starting the thread.

Currently 9 weeks after three cycles and four transfers - first ever pregnancy, due end of April. Had a scan a few weeks ago and had a week or so of feeling calm, but have another next week and the nerves are starting to creep up again!

@thislittlebird I'm certainly hoping it doesn't last all pregnancy, it's really debilitating! Although it can in some cases. I'm holding out for some improvement as I reach the second trimester.

Hope all goes well with everyone's early scans. You think the two week wait is bad enough but that wait until the first scan is so much worse!

@daisychain233 im nine weeks too and also due end of April!! What is your exact due date?

@KG1244 im just on pessaries but have been told to keep taking them until 12 weeks (potentially up to 16 depending how I get on)

So I’m a little bit scared today ladies. I have just tested positive for covid and I’m so worried how it’s going to effect the baby. There’s very little knowledge / studies around catching it in early pregnancy 😳
I can contact my clinic or the EPU and let them know but I won’t be able to go in for a check up anyway because I’m contagious. It’s so stressful

@Doughnut89 I totally appreciate how having an infection would make you worry but to send some positivity your way,two of my friends had covid during their early pregnancies and both had healthy babies. Im hoping your symptoms aren't too bad?

@Doughnut89 I’m exactly nine weeks today! Due date 27 April.

Please don’t worry about Covid - it won’t have an effect. All it’s going to do is make you feel even more rotten at a time when you’re probably already feeling ill/nauseous etc. Of course do let your clinic know to see if they recommend anything in particular, but it should all be fine.

@KG1244 12 weeks for all meds for me

@thislittlebird yep, time is ticking 😐 they're untested, we only got 3 altogether from the 3 egg collections, so we wanted to increase the chances of a healthy pregnancy, the money for genetic testing we'd rather put towards another egg collection if we have to. I don't even want to think about it if this one fails, hopefully not 🤞🤞🤞

Hi @KG1244 the placenta takes over at 12 weeks, you shouldn't stop progesterone before that xx

Thanks all for your responses. My consultant said that the placenta takes over at 6-7 weeks. Interesting that each clinic says something different and also a bit unhelpful 😫

Hello! I have known @thislittlebird through infertility threads for several years now and she kindly suggested this thread to me even though my pregnancy isn’t through ivf.
In a nutshell:

• Started trying July 2019 when I was 35.
• After a year got tested, I have v low AMH therefore not eligible for NHS funded ivf.
• 1st private round a disaster in 2021, no blasts. Discovered we had male factor too.
• Shock natural pregnancy but devastatingly miscarried at 10.5 weeks.
• 2nd private round in 2022 also awful with no blasts.
• Continued working on the male factor issue and immunology testing for myself.
• Started looking at the donor eggs option although not emotionally ready to accept that route, decided to put it off until after our wedding next year.
• Aged 39 another miraculous natural conception, this time I have reached 11 weeks. Baby is due on April 14th, one week before my wedding! 🤪

That’s a very simple summary of my story over the last 4 years, obviously anyone who has had a difficult time conceiving understands the drain emotionally, physically and financially. We’ve spent over £20k on private ivf and investigations/treatment. Lost friends, felt isolated, grieved, such bitterness fear and anger…it’s all there.

I wish I could feel confident this time but when I’m so used to failure it really is SO HARD to imagine success!! Also due to losing the baby at 10.5 weeks last time, it’s going to be many more weeks before I can allow myself to trust this.

For now being tentative and cautiously daring to hope that this infertility nightmare could be at an end next April!🙏

Hi @KG1244 placenta should have taken over by 12 weeks so no idea why they'd risk it, they should just assume it takes over at 12 weeks to be on the safe side, just insist on progesterone for as long as possible.

On the other hand, has your consultant pointed out any potential downside of having too much progesterone if he's reluctant to prescribe it?

Thanks @Halsi and @daisychain233 thats made me feel a lot better about the covid. It currently just feels like a really bad cold, not exactly pleasant but manageable. I’m still probably going to isolate until I get a negative test though.
@daisychain233 I’m exactly nine weeks today too, that’s very exciting that our babies could be birthday twins

Welcome @Misty84 and congratulations on the natural pregnancy. Appreciate the anxiety you must still be going through right now but you must it must be a relief that you haven’t had to go down the donor egg route. I’m really hoping this all works out for you.

Could I ask a question to the group? Have any of you thought about when you’ll tell people? I know they say it’s safe to after the 12 weeks but I’d ideally like to hold out until 20 weeks to be on the safe side because of the troubles getting to this point. However I have a forward tilting uterus and a short torso so think I’m going to end up showing quite early 😬

@Summerishere83 he just said I don’t need it and generally people who take it up to 12 weeks are due to previous miscarriages. I’ve looked online and I think 7-8 weeks to stop lubion is quite standard according to quite a few websites.
I’m also under nhs so can’t really do anything about it.

Hi @KG1244 I thought the placenta took over around 10-12 weeks. I’m on progesterone until 16 weeks.

Thanks so much @Doughnut89. Yes a huge relief to not have an egg donor IF this works out! Not sure I would’ve ever been able to accept the prospect of not being the genetic mother and go through with it..

As for telling people, I’ve told all my friends and family EXCEPT my mum, as it crushed her when I had my MC and she’s just lost both parents very recently, I couldn’t bear to potentially put her through more heartache. I’m waiting until a minimum of 12 weeks (but prob longer) to tell her.
I’m keeping it from work for as long as possible. Firstly because I’m self employed and don’t want them to think about replacing me too soon! But mainly because I’ve been able to compartmentalise at work and never told anyone about all the ivf etc so that I can continue to be treated normally there no matter what’s going on in my private life.

It’s a very personal choice and whatever you feel most comfortable with.

@Misty84 ill be on pessaries until 10 weeks but actually have enough stockpiled until 12 weeks.

kinda regretting asking the question now and feeling a bit anxious so think I’ll leave it there.

@KG1244 Of course, don’t want you to feel anxious! I think I’m on pessaries until so late because of a previous mc like you said, don’t think it’s the standard!

Ahh congratulations @Misty84, amazing to have a natural pregnancy after all your efforts.

Please don't worry @KG1244 your doctor knows your case and I know they will make the best plan for you😊

@Doughnut89 I'm thinking the same as you, would love to not tell people until 20 weeks but if I show earlier I will tell people. I have told my mum and siblings though.

Tomorrow is the equivalent day that I miscarried with my last cycle so I'm feeling nervous AF today. I appreciate there's no logic to that!!

@MaybeBabyTwo there is definately logic to that! I hope you have a lovely relaxing day and do something nice to take your mind of it

@Halsi i find the topic of names really hard. Obviously it’s crossed my mind but it’s been 4 years of thinking of it all in the abstract and I can’t really bring myself to consider it properly in case it all ends iykwim.

I don’t have a scan until October 5th!

@daisychain233 glad the thread is useful! It’s very difficult when you’ve been in such arduous paths to this point. Are you having a ten week scan?

@Summerishere83 fingers crossed neither of us has to think about these what ifs!

@KG1244 yeah the clinics are all a bit variable in what they do, I’ve definitely heard people stopping before 12 weeks, but I’m sure they’ve decided based on your history. If you’re worried just ask them to explain why and it might be reassuring. And definitely take your stockpile if it gives you peace of mind, I’ve stockpiled stuff too since we started, just in case.

@Misty84 hello! I think you and @TheBirdintheCave have slightly similar stories to get here

@Doughnut89 im now worried about covid too. We went on the bus to a friend’s house tonight, the bus was quite grubby and I didn’t love it. Then at my friend’s I accidentally picked up her glass, filled it with water and drank from it. So obviously I’m now sweating it!

I’m also short and don’t know how long I’ll be able to get away with it all. But 20 weeks would be nice for peace of mind, in reality 12 seems more likely.

@MaybeBabyTwo 5 weeks wasn’t a good time for me, I’ve been quite anxious about getting to tomorrow. Fingers crossed for you!

I had alcohol free (0.0%) Prosecco tonight. It wasn’t great. So far the alcohol free beers I’ve had have been much more like the real thing!

@MaybeBabyTwo That makes perfect sense to be anxious. I had a chemical/ early miscarriage in a previous IUI attempt and was a wreck the first few weeks of this pregnancy. It didn’t help that I was continuously bleeding for the first two weeks and paranoid something was wrong again. I hope you’re doing okay and be kind and patient with yourselves.

@thislittlebird it’s so stressful isn’t it the co start worry you put yourself through trying to make sure everything’s okay for the baby and not wanting to risk any germs.

@Misty84 that makes sense not wanting to tell your mum yet, i bet she’ll be over the moon for you when you eventually do tell her and it’s great that you still have other people you can talk to about it.

@Halsi I’ve also told my parents and siblings. My sisters have been very supportive and helpful with tips for dealing with pregnancy symptoms.

I feel bad about how supportive my younger sister has been because she just gave birth in August and I really struggled to be there for her during her pregnancy. I’d found out about my fertility issues last summer and made the decision to start trying for a baby but had to wait for my operation. Then my younger sister and her partner decided to start trying in November and got pregnant naturally in December. It felt so easy for them whilst all this year I’ve been going through hormone treatment and multiple failed IUI attempts, a miscarriage. And I just couldn’t really bring myself to ask my sister about her pregnancy 😔

Anyway if this pregnancy does stick 🤞🤞🤞 I might try and wait until at least 16 weeks as that will then be my birthday and though it may be a bit extra, I think it would be a nice day to announce it on

@thislittlebird I think you will be OK a d hopefully ward off any germs on the bus. Everytime I get the bus or train it always seems to be gross. Why can't people keep basic hygiene lol.

How was the 0.0 prosecco? If it was any good please put up the brand!

@Doughnut89 announcing on your birthday sounds really special😊
And I'm sure you're sister is really understanding, she will know how hard that time was for you. Infertility really does suck the joy out of everything and it's not your fault you had to protect yourself.

@Doughnut89 16 weeks seems like a good time.

@Halsi the us is the worst of them, i immediately had regrets and it made me think ok I’ll drive when I go to a birthday party next month. I already don’t really want to be in the pub where it will be held, feels like you’re exposed. I’m on low dose prednisolone too, so it is only 10mg but still makes me very aware.

The 0.0% Prosecco (maybe sparkling wine?) wasn’t good imo, it was ok at best, it was the Freixenet one. The other week I tried the Kylie Minogue 0% rose sparkling wine, it was fine but a bit fruit juicey. So far my favourite zero alcohol drink is Leffe beer. I’ve got another one in the cupboard by Belle and Co.? never heard of them but I bought a few things the other week knowing we had social stuff coming up and wanted to take it with me.

@MaybeBabyTwo how did you get on yesterday with the 5 week milestone?