Infertility can take a terrible emotional toll on women and couples. Disappointment and heartbreak may go on for years, and by the time a patient seeks out fertility treatment their emotional reserves may be very low. Deciding to attempt IVF is a major life step, and while it brings with it a renewed sense of hope and purpose, it can be an intense experience for everyone involved. Managing the stress and the emotional rollercoaster of fertility treatment isn’t easy, but it is possible. With the right self-care and support you can thrive through this journey.
You are going to end up at Buy Buy Baby at some point with one of those scan guns in your hands setting up a registry. You are going to know more about Bugaboo and Stokke than you ever imagined. You are going to start talking about whether you like the name Olivia for a girl or Jackson for a boy.
For a long time, most fertility treatments revolved around female-factor infertility. In cases where difficulty conceiving was the result of male-factor infertility, options were limited. These days, advances in fertility medicine have widened our horizons to address many different causes of infertility in both partners. Intracystoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) was developed to pick the best sperm to place in to egg and to address common issues with sperm, such as low sperm count, poor mobility and other problems. ICSI was first used successfully in the early 1990s, and since then it has helped thousands of patients achieve their dream of becoming parents.
What I'm about to share is not recommended by doctors, but I was anxious. Plus I'm a control freak.
Fertility drugs have played a vital role in millions of successful pregnancies, and are an indispensable part of modern fertility treatment. For most patients seeking medical help with their fertility, chances are high that they will encounter one or more fertility medications over the course of their treatment. At times, these drugs are used on their own, as a non-surgical fertility treatment, or they can be used in conjunction with intrauterine insemination (IUI). They are also used as a part of in vitro fertilization (IVF).
...And the best things in life are worth waiting for. Blah blah blah.
What I am learning from the experience of using an egg donor is that you need lots of patience. I'm talking Zen Buddhist levels of patience. Golden Retriever patience. The egg donor experience is way more outside your control than IVF.
Taking your first step into fertility treatment can be equally exciting and stressful. So much hope centers on this decision, and many patients arrive at their initial appointment with years of questions and anxiety built up behind them. Your first consultation with a fertility specialist is an opportunity to start looking for some answers. So what should you expect and how can you prepare? Here is everything you need to know about getting ready for your first visit.
I couldn't sleep. I was anxious, excited and nervous.
And then the morning of the embryo transfer I had to drink a lot of water in advance. So then I had to pee. And my bladder is already weak. So there's that.
The doctor decided to perform ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection) on half of the eggs and let the rest try and “naturally" meet with Peter's sperm. Peter felt confident about this split (he said with his charm and natural charisma they'd do just fine), but I would have liked the doctor to perform ICSI on every last one of them.
Jenn:
I was thinking at best the doctor would retrieve fourteen eggs. And don't get me wrong, I would have been pleased with fourteen. But not all fertilize or make it to day five so the more the merrier. Well, lo and behold (as I was shopping at Living Spaces) I got the anticipated call, told my sales guy to "hold that thought" and I ran to a quiet place to answer.
