I have been researching and hearing about IVF for months. 5dp2dt of ICSI IVF seems like jibberish to most people, but it is clear as day to me. So clear in fact that I sometimes forget that other people don't know all of these terms by heart. Many of you reading probably do not know more about IVF than Jon and Kate Plus 8, Octomom and test tube babies. Since I am in the middle of my first IVF (I will give you an update later), I thought I would explain the process to everyone.
The cycle begins with suppression of some sort, often through the use of birth control. While this may seem sort of counterproductive, it actually works to stop your body from developing follicles. This helps to put your body on a schedule that the reproductive endocronologist (RE) can work with. After supression, you will start stimmulating your follicles. There are a variety of injectible medications that can be used for this. I used a drug called Gonal-F. It required me to give myself nightly injections to help the follicles (things in the ovaries that contain eggs) grow large than normal.
During this time, you have to go in for frequent blood work and ultrasound. This is checking to make sure your hormone levels are still in the normal level, as well as checking the size and number of follicles in each of your ovaries. The RE may find that your follicles are maturing, but you are getting close to ovulating, which isn't good if your egg retrieval isn't for a few days. In this case, the RE may have you take another daily injection to stop the follicles from ovulating. I had to take a drug called Cetrotide. That made 2 injections a day. Once your RE thinks everything is how it should be, you have to a final injection (HCG) which causes the follicles to release the mature eggs about 36 hours later.
The next step is the egg retrieval (ER). During this process, you are put under a light anesthesia and the RE will use a needle to suck all mature eggs from both ovaries. The whole thing only takes about 20 minutes. Prior to this procedure a semen sample needs to be produced so it can be ready to be mixed with the eggs.
At this point, the embryologists in the lab go to work. They put some sperm with each egg and place them in an incubator. In some cases it may be necessary for them to perform ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection). During ICSI, the sperm is injected right into the cytoplasm of the egg. After a day, the embryologist is able to see which of the eggs fertilized.
For the next two days or so, the embryos are watch closely. It is important that they are splitting evenly with little or no fragmentation. During this time, you have to take progesterone supplements, which are either available through injection or suppositories which will continue at least through the pregnancy test. Either 3 (3dt) or 5 (5dt) days after ER, it is time for the embryos to be transferred.
During the embryo transfer (ET), the best embryos are transferred via catheter into the uterus. If possible, additional embryos can be frozen for future transfers. A positive pregnancy test can be taken about 10 days after the transfer.
Hopefully this give some of you an idea of the process that some people need to take in order to have the child of their dreams.
Now for my update: I was able to have my egg retrieval this past Sunday. It was a lot earlier than I expected, but I was happy it occurred on a weekend. The procedure wasn't that bad. All I remember once I got into the operating room was "Ok Christine, I want you to take 5 deep breaths." Two breaths later I was out and then I was waking up in recovery. They were able to get 12 eggs!!! Sean and I wer both very excited.
I wasn't in that much pain afterwards. I was more uncomfortable than anything, especially when I was trying to stand up or sit down. Today is better, though I still am a little sore.
The clinic called me earlier today to let me know how many of my 12 fertilized. We were lucky enough to get 7 embryos! Hopefully our 7 possible future children are behaving themselves and growing well. We are doing a 3 day transfer on Wednesday. I have signed up for pre- and post-transfer acupuncture at the clinic to help everything along. After that I am coming home to spend two days on the couch. I am feeling a Harry Potter marathon in my future.
I will try to keep you updated, because I am sure I will need lots of distractions during the 2 week wait (time between conception and pregnancy test).
If you want to learn more about IVF or other infertility treatments, check out this site: IVF
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