Waiting for 6 week scan after IVF

[Katontheforth]

Hello ladies, after 3 years TTC we finally got a positive result after starting IVF. I actually couldn’t believe it as we only ended up with one ungraded embryo to transfer. The initial high has given way to anxious waiting though. I’m 37 and risk of miscarriage in first 6 weeks is 1 in 4 or 1 in 5 with IVF so I literally can’t wait for that scan, I also have no symptoms at all. Any tips on how to survive this agonising wait? The two week wait no one talks about!

Congratulations on your pregnancy!!! It’s so hard isn’t it. IVF and then the pregnancy are just a never ending rollercoaster! Fertility tests and wait for results. Then are there enough follicles? Will they be they right size? How many eggs will be collected? How many will fertilise? How many make it to day 3? How many to day 5? Any good enough to transfer? To freeze? Am I pregnant? Will there be a heartbeat on the scan? Will the dating scan still be ok? Will be screening tests show any high risks? Will the anomaly scan be ok? Is my baby moving enough? Can I have the birth I hoped for? Will the birth go ok?

And then the real worry starts once baby is here. 😂

I have not found a way to make it easier other than to be as positive as possible. My reasoning was it may be the only time I’m ever pregnant and closest I get to experience any of it so I will try and enjoy whatever I get as much as possible. But it was bloody hard. Be kind to yourself. And remember while it is terrifying to read the stats (I did too. Later in pregnancy moved on to survival rates at every gestation… 🤦‍♀️), the odds are in your favour!

Wishing you a healthy and hopefully boring, uneventful (and if you’re super lucky) symptom free pregnancy! (I spent the first 22 weeks vomiting fifteen times a day and feeling like death. Also had a million bleeds. But baby is here and amazing and worth every single bit of it all). Xx

Hi, firstly congratulations!

I'm 7 weeks today via FET IVF, due to have my early scan this afternoon.

It's definitely nerve wracking and I think was surprised me the most in this waiting period between BFP and scan is how uncertain/weighted down I felt at times but I think that's because with IVF you are constantly living in wait mode and it's hard to adapt. Also think as much as we want it there's also a part of ourselves thinking it may not happen due to self preservation and that's still there because unfortunately we are more clued up on things that may sometimes go wrong early on.

I've posted a few times asking about how people manage and honestly such a range of answers from people not buying a thing till weeks off giving birth and others feeling more eased with each appointment.

During this 2WW I just ate aswell as I could, did have some feeling sick symptoms but not sick, went out walking and did some classes (ones I did prior to FET but at an easier pace), rested when I needed to, honestly surprised me how exhausted I was yet I think that's the comedown from all the IVF prep aswell while still adding extra hormones on top of the ones the body is producing. I have avoided actively looking at baby things, even though right up to the BFP I was looking at them hopefully every few days, yet now it feel different. There was a day when I was feeling extremely positive and saw the Halloween sale rail so allowed myself to pick up a couple of outfits but wouldn't have gone looking for the clothing section.

Also I have told limited people and the ones I have have been great at not asking much, I think it's hard enough making sense of our own feelings and questions but someone else's this early on would be hard for me.

I hope you find ways that work for you and it eases with each milestone x

@partypartypartytime thank you. I’ve actually had the exact same mantra since the embryo transfer, that I am pregnant and if this is my only time pregnant I need to enjoy it. Still can’t help but worry. Yes the waiting is never ending, but nothing compares now to knowing and just hoping that it works out. So close, yet so far!!

I am trying to remind myself that there is more chance it works then doesn’t. Thank you x

@ttcsolomumtobe thank you for your reply and congratulations!! You are very right about self preservation, although I am so done talking in what ifs. It’s exhausting!

My husband actually came back from the supermarket with a baby towel yesterday and we plan to buy a cute outfit after the 6 week scan, but nothing big. I don’t want to get carried away but do want to enjoy it, have dreamed of this for so long.

Im sort of dying to tell my mother and sister but I think I’ll wait until after that scan, coz again im sick of talking in ifs and maybes, and there is a 95% chance of success after the heartbeat scan. That’s pretty dam good odds 💕

I hope your scan goes well today 🙏

@Katontheforth during the 2WW I defo lived the Pregnant until proven otherwise motto and took my embryo transfer pics on days out, spoke to it most days and kept manifesting and telling myself how great a mum I would be when I drove along and said out loud all the things I was excited to do but when the actual BFP showed all those things felt harder because there was something and it was reality, not just a dream yet still too early to accept it but you are right, it's exhausting living in what ifs. Even today after the scan I was still saying "and if it goes to plan I will ... Xyz" so you are right about trying to enjoy the moment.

The scan went well, measuring exactly the 7 weeks and saw this little flicker of a heartbeat and very briefly the stubs of arms and legs... Was amazing but strange. My friend came with me and although she has 2 girls in their early 20s she found it fascinating to see the sac and it not being that standard baby shape.

Good luck for your scan x

@Katontheforth congratulations! Your journey sounds so similar to mine, 3 years TTC then only 1 egg to transfer after our first round of IVF. In our case, a very lucky egg and I'm now 32 weeks! I'm also 35 so not too far away from you age-wise. Are you on progesterone from the clinic by any chance?

I don't have any magic tips, but mainly I tried to keep busy during that wait for the first scan without doing too much. A walk a day helped, as I read that this promoted good blood flow to the uterus, but it was also good for my mental health as well. Maybe plan in some nice things to do at the weekend, so you have something to distract you? Otherwise, I just tried to remind myself every day that I am pregnant as I wanted to enjoy it as much as possible.

It is such a hard time though so completely understand how you feel, wishing you a very speedy couple of weeks and that all is well with your scan when it arrives!

@ttcsolomumtobe aww that’s amazing. What a huge relief. Congratulations!! Hope you can enjoy things a bit more now, it’s real, it’s happening. You are a baby mamma!!! Wooo!

@Bims2019 oh that’s great to hear. I was so worried when we only had one ungraded 5day blastocyst, but I’ve now heard lots of stories about that still working out, like yours! Congratulations!

My clinic said to stop Progesterone now after only 2 weeks on it, as my body will have taken over production. They said extended use is only really beneficial for FET. I hope so….

I’ve been getting out for walks as much as possible too and went to gym today for some low key exercise. I was training a lot before IVF so I’d like to try keep my body fit without taking any risks, it’s all a careful balancing act isn’t it.

When did you start to get symptoms? X

My first baby was also my only embryo of that round a 'poor quality early blastocyst' which turned into the most amazing little human.

@Katontheforth thank you!

That's interesting about progesterone, I was on it until 12 weeks after a fresh transfer but not sure I needed it for that long. It amazes me how different clinics can be!

Sounds like you are doing all you can, when is your scan booked in for?

To be honest I never really got any symptoms, even though I think they might have helped me to know that something was actually going on 😅 I had some cramping around implantation, then maybe a little bit on and off over the following weeks. Slightly sore boobs but nothing much at all! So please don't worry if you don't get any symptoms, you might just be one of the lucky ones 😊

My scan is booked for 1st Dec. I just informed them this morning.
I'm currently 11dp5dt
Quite concerned as I tested on Tues and dosent seem to be much line progression on todays test. Lines are still light.
Did you ladies have dark lines?

@partypartypartytime aww I love that! I really hope everything works with this little one! Also your morning sickness sounds rough!! So far I am just INSANELY bloated. Look about 4 months.

@MoonlightDreamer congratulations!! 💕 01 is quite a way off, will that be a 7 week scan? I can’t believe people with natural pregnancy have to wait 12/13 weeks. I’d be booking a private sneak peak for sure 😂 I’ve done a lot of reading and seems there are plenty of people saying they didn’t get a “dye stealer” but went on to have healthy pregnancy. I read an article from a doctor who said, pregnancy tests should be used to tell if you’re pregnant and then they shouldn’t be used to track progress.

Really hope things work out for you and your embrino 🤞

@Katontheforth it's so hard not to drive myself crazy 😄 it seems like the days are going by so slowly now and feels like I'll never reach the 1st.
I'm guessing it must be a 7 week scan. I'm really not sure how to calculate an ivf cycle

Have you any updates? My daughter has a 7 week scan next week. They did a 6 week scan this week (ivf so dates accurate) and there was no fetal pole. There was sac and yolk but both small for gestational period. We aren’t hopeful. She has no eggs on freeze as it was the only viable embryo that made it 5BB. She will have to go through the process again.

How did you scan go? My daughter could see a small gestational sac and yolk. No fetal pole. Her dates are exact at 6 weeks as ivf so it’s doesn’t look like this is a viable pregnancy. Have to wait a week just in case it is growing and just not seen yet. If no fetal pole and heartbeat next week then we have to start the process all again. She only had one viable embryo 5BB.

Hello @Tokoro I’m sorry to hear that the appointment didn’t give her that reassurance we desperately need. I have read of other people being asked to come back after a week and things have progressed, so there is some hope. Will be thinking of you.

Thankfully everything went well for us and I had a second private scan this week to check again. Been so anxious.

Really hope things turn around for your daughter. It’s so lovely you are looking into things for her. What a wonderful Mum xx