Our Infertility Journey

The TL/DR

My husband and I got married in 2008 and started trying for a baby in 2009. After multiple rounds of Clomid using ovulation predictor kits and timed intercourse, we started at our fertility clinic at the end of 2012. All three of our IUIs (intrauterine inseminations) failed. Our first IVF cycle resulted in an early miscarriage. The next two IVFs failed and we decided to pursue donor eggs in another state after our doctor told us I had subpar eggs. Our first donor cycle resulted in another early miscarriage. The final donor cycle (the one right before we called it quits) gave us our daughter, in 2015.

In October of 2018, we flew back to our clinic for our first of two planned FETs and transferred one perfect blast. Unfortunately, the cycle ended in a negative pregnancy test. Our final transfer of the two remaining blasts was February 2019 and we welcomed our second daughter born in 2019. With no more embryos, our family is complete.

The (slightly) longer version

May 2009

• Started baby-making process

October 2010

• Doctor appointment with a primary care provider
• Labs for LH (14.6), FSH (6.8), TSH (2.49)
• Everything is normal. Referred to OB/GYN

November 2010

• TSH normal, but started on levothyroxine. Do I have low progesterone? 

December 2010

• 21-day progesterone level 1.97 (depressingly low)
• Started on Clomid 50mg

January 2011

• 21-day progesterone level 16.5
• Clomid is working, negative pregnancy test
• Restarted Clomid 50mg

February 2011

• Negative pregnancy test
• Increase to Clomid 100mg

March 2011

• Negative pregnancy test
• Took a break from treatments

January 2012

• Appointment with new OB/GYN
• Clomid 50mg cycle #1 using ovulation prediction tests
• HSG test done—fallopian tubes clear
• Semen analysis normal for husband

February 2012

• Negative pregnancy test. Do I want to see a specialist or continue Clomid? I decide to continue with Clomid (Moron. I should have seen the specialist.)
• Clomid 50mg cycle #2

March 2012

• Negative pregnancy test. Clomid 100mg cycle #3

April-July 2012

• Negative pregnancy test. Clomid 100mg cycle #4
• Husband’s testosterone normal, but lower
• My thyroid levels are also low, but normal

November 2012

• Finally ask for a referral to a specialist. Initial appointment made

December 2012

• Initial consult. Three rounds IUI ordered. Start on Clomid 100mg 
• First IUI canceled because of early ovulation. Trigger shot with timed intercourse instead. Started progesterone suppositories
• Negative pregnancy test

January 2013

• Clomid 150 mg. Trigger shot 1/19 
• Back-to-back IUIs 1/20 & 1/21.
• Started progesterone suppositories. Negative pregnancy test.

February 2013

• Clomid 150 mg. Trigger shot with timed intercourse 2/14
• IUI 2/15
• Started progesterone. Switched to oral progesterone five days past IUI
• Negative pregnancy test

March 2013 

• Clomid 150 mg. Scheduled conference with Dr. K for April to discuss next steps. Trigger shot 3/11
• Back-to-back IUI 3/12 and 3/13 
• Started progesterone
• Negative pregnancy test  
• Cycle day 3 blood work for FSH, LH, prolactin, E2, TSH

April 2013

• Conference with the doctor. IVF becomes official. Begin the process for scheduling IVF

May 2013

• Start birth control pills 5/17
• Nurse consultation and IVF pre-payment 5/20

June 2013

• Saline sonogram and trial transfer 6/3
• Started Lupron 6/6 
• Start stims 6/16
• U/S shows 4 mature follicles 6/24 
• U/S shows 5 mature follicles. Dr. K. says we can go ahead with retrieval anyway
• Retrieval 6/27 Fertilization report shows 10 eggs, 5 mature, 3 that fertilized, and 1 embryo on 6/29
• 3-day transfer of one 8-celled embryo 6/30

July 2013

• Positive pregnancy test 7/8/13!  
• Beta #1= 63 at 10dp3dt! 
• Beta #2= 56, chemical miscarriage 7/12. The world falls out from under me

August 2013

• AMH is 0.61. Conference with Dr. K. about IVF #2 on 8/22 

September 2013

• Start birth control pills 9/7
• Nurse consult 9/20

October 2013

• Start micro-lupron 10/6. Start stims 10/8
• U/S # 1 shows 10-15 small on left, 8 small on right 10/13 
• U/S #2 shows 5 mature follicles on left, 6 small 10/15
• U/S #3 shows 6 mature on the left, none on the right 10/17 
• 2 HCG trigger shots 12 hours apart, retrieval 10/19 
• The fertilization report shows 8 eggs, 4 mature (three are behind) with ISCI 10/21 
• The second report shows 4 embryos at the 4-celled stage and one at 3-cell (we have another?) 10/23 
• Day 6 transfer of one 12-celled embryo, the other 4 stopped growing 10/25 

November 2013

• Beta is negative 11/4
• Meeting with Dr. K.
• Fertilization report was actually two mature embryos on day 3. Three more matured the next day with rescue ICSI, discussion of next protocol with antigon protocol and steroids, discussion of possible donor eggs 11/20

December 2013

• Start birth control for IVF #3 12/10 
• Nurse consult 12/13
• Blood pressure skyrocketed—stopped steroid 12/19
• Cycle canceled due to high blood pressure 12/23. Started on blood pressure meds 12/27

February 2014

• Off blood pressure meds. Cycle on hold until May or June because of new job offer. 

April 2014

• FSH and E2 labs drawn for Attain for IVF #3 4/6

May 2014

• Baseline US, start Menopur and Follistim 5/2
• US #1 shows one mature follicle and more growing. Start Ganirelix 5/6
• US #2 shows 2 mature follicles 5/8
• US #3 shows 5 mature follicles. Intramuscular HCG trigger injection 5/10 and 5/11 
• Retrieval of 5 eggs 5/12
• The fertilization report shows only one mature egg, one embryo at 3-cell stage, and ICSI 5/14 
• Transfer of one embryo 5/15 
• Negative pregnancy test 5/26

July 2014

• Conference with Dr. K. and meet with donor coordinator at current clinic 7/23 
• Consult with Dr. G. at new clinic. Looked at donor profiles 7/30

August 2014

• Donor program psychologist appoint for the current clinic to get on donor list 8/16
• Baseline US and blood work for donor cycle for new clinic 8/22
• Saline sonogram with Dr. K. 8/26
• Egg donor is chosen and payment made 8/28

October 2014

• Traveled to new clinic. Found out all eight donor eggs fertilized 10/24
• Transfer of two embryos, one is one stage behind, other is 2 stages behind 10/29
• Found out none of the other embryos made it to freeze

November 2014

• Home from trip 11/2
• 11dp5dt faint positive home test! Cramping and pulling sensation in uterus continues 11/9
• Negative pregnancy test 11/12
• Consult with Dr. G. Cycle was determined to be another chemical pregnancy 11/13
• Blood workup for clotting disorder (PTT, B2G, F2M, FVL, HOM, LUP, PRC, PRS) 11/20

December 2014

• MTHFR lab drawn 12/10
• MTHFR came back positive—C677T single mutation 12/18
• Conference with Dr. G. about the next cycle—will start Folgaard, Lovenox, aspirin 12/29

January 2015

• Second egg donor chosen and payment made 1/13

March 2015

• Baseline US and blood work for donor cycle #2 3/4
• US and blood work (lining 8.4mm—increase to 2 estrogen patches) 3/13
• Second US and blood work (lining 9.1 and estrogen 195—need to add a fourth Estrace at night as a vaginal suppository) 3/17
• Third US and blood work (lining 9.4 and estrogen 2129!) 3/19
• Found out 6 of 8 embryos fertilized 3/21
• Transfer of two early blasts with a blast and a morula possible to freeze 3/25
• Found out two blasts and one hatching blast made it to freeze 3/26
• Home from trip 3/30
• 6dp5dt: Positive generic home pregnancy test 3/31
• And I stay pregnant!

April 2015

• Positive digital home test at 7dp5dt 4/1
• Beta #1: 564! 4/8
• Beta #2: 1224! 4/10
• Beta #3: 3655!, first OB US, saw yolk sac 4/13
• Beta #4: 10,527, saw heart rate (HR) of 111 bpm and the fetal pole at 6w0d 4/17
• 6w6d: HR 122, baby is 5.5mm measuring four days behind 4/23
• 7w6d: HR 160, baby is 14mm measuring one day behind 4/30

May 2015

• 8w5d: First OB visit and US: HR 178, baby is 19mm (.75in) measuring 8w4d, saw head bobbing! 5/6
• 10w0d: Baby is 31mm measuring 10w0d, no HR recorded. Grandma came! Baby wiggling all over! 4D US 5/15
• 11w0d: Baby is 41mm (1.6 in) measuring one day ahead, HR 167 Heard heartbeat at home 5/22
• 11w6d: Felt “bubbles” on left side: it’s baby movements! 5/28
• 12w0d: Baby is 49.7mm (1.9in) measuring 11w5d. HR 161 5/29 

June 2015

• 13w3d: Second OB visit HR 157 6/8

July 2015

• 17w5d: 3rd OB visit HR 154 7/8
• 21w0d: Anatomy scan, we have a baby girl! 7/31

August 2015

• 21w3d: 4th OB visit—Found out I have a marginal cord insertion on the placenta, but everything else is healthy with baby 8/3 

September 2015

• 25w5d: 5th OB visit—HR 148 9/2
• 27w5d: 6th OB visit—First cervical check, 1-hour glucose 102 9/16

October 2015

• 30w0d: Growth scan, Baby measuring 4 lbs! Saw her sucking amnio fluid, saw her face 10/2
• 30w4d: 7th OB visit—Saw another doc, non-stress tests ordered due to blood pressure meds 10/6
• Went to the hospital due to concerns I was leaking fluid, all tests negative, but having Braxton Hicks 3-5 minutes apart 10/11

November 2015

• Olivia is born via C-section at 36w4d on 11/18 at 7:53 a.m

We try for a second baby

FET #1

August 2018

• Phone consult with Dr. G. Plan is made for an FET in October 8/9
• Blood work for everything under the sun—hormones, antibodies, STI testing—all come back normal 8/9
• Start birth control pills 8/12
• Start Metanx (folate for MTHFR) 8/25

September 2018

• Saline infused sonogram—comes back normal 9/20
• Baseline US—comes back normal 9/21
• Last birth control pill 9/22
• Start estrogen pills (sublingual 3x a day) and 1 patch 9/26

October 2018

• Monitoring US and blood work #1—Estrogen 211, progesterone 0.1, lining 6.3, Start vaginal Estrace 2x a day 10/4
• Consent forms signed and notarized 10/6
• Monitoring US and blood work #2—Estrogen 2632, progesterone 0.1, lining 9.0 10/9
• Monitoring US and blood work #3—Estrogen 1,751, progesterone 0.086, lining 9.5, Start PIO 2cc at night 10/12
• Start Lovenox 40mg injections once a day 10/15
• Transfer of one beautiful 4AA frozen blast 10/17
• 5 Day Lab Testing—Estrogen 1,849, progesterone 21.8 (want to be at 40-50), Add in Prometrium oral caps twice a day 10/22
• Estrogen 841, progesterone 33.3. Upped PIO to 3ccs 10/25
• First visible positive on Wondfo, it was negative again that night 10/28
• Estrogen 2,304, progesterone 101.2, Beta is negative. It’s over 10/30

FET #2

January 2019

• Baseline US—comes back normal, start mock cycle. Estrogen pills and patches begin 1/3
• Monitoring US and bloodwork—Estrogen 389, progesterone 0.1, lining 9.25mm 1/10
• Monitoring US and bloodwork—Estrogen 358, progesterone 0.3, lining 11mm 1/17
• Start PIO 2mL for every day at 2:00 1/20
• Endometrial receptivity array (ERA) test at clinic across country 1/25

February 2019

• Baseline US comes back normal, start estrogen pills and patches next day 2/1
• Monitoring US and bloodwork—Estrogen 561, progesterone 0.3, lining is 9mm 2/7
• Monitoring US and bloodwork—Estrogen 419, progesterone 0.2, lining 14!! 2/14
• Start PIO 2mL for every day at 8:00 am to time out with transfer 2/16
• Transfer of two Good/Fair blasts (4AB blasts)! 2/21
• 5dpt lab testing—Estrogen 327, progesterone 47 (want to be over 30), added in vaginal estrace at night 2/25
• 8dpt lab testing—Estrogen 288.9, progesterone 40 2/28
• I stay pregnant again!

March 2019

• 12dpt lab testing—Beta 165, estrogen 1,272, progesterone 39.1, added in oral progesterone twice a day 3/5
• 14dpt lab testing—Beta 272, estrogen 2,040, progesterone 48 3/7
• 18dpt lab testing—Beta 1,178, estrogen 1,682, progesterone 34.4, added oral progesterone three times a day 3/11
• 21dpt—Beta 3,067, estrogen 2,229, progesterone 31.7, stopped vaginal Estrace and oral progesterone and added in vaginal progesterone twice daily, one yolk sac measuring 5w3d! 3/14
• 6w4d—HR 124, Baby measuring four days behind at 3.8mm, beta 11,890, estrogen 673, progesterone 40.2 3/20
• 7w4d—HR 159, Baby measuring one day ahead at 1.23cm, beta 34,021, estrogen 819, progesterone 39.7 3/27

April 2019

• 8w4d—HR 182, Baby measuring on track at 1.97cm (.77 in), estrogen 1,411, progesterone 45.6 4/3
• 9w2d—OB Nurse visit 4/8
• 9w4d—HR 163, Baby measuring two days behind, saw baby wiggling all around! 4/10
• 10w4d—HR 167, Baby measuring one day behind at 3.56cm (1.4 in), estrogen 1,861, progesterone 52 4/17
• 11w3d—In the ER with hemorrhage. Baby is fine. HR 146 measuring right on track at 1.8 in 4/23
• 12 week OB visit. Couldn’t hear FHT due to anterior placenta, so went to US—HR 161 4/25

May 2019

• 12w4d—HR 157, Baby measuring on track at 6.06 cm (2.4 in), Olivia came with to see the baby! Discovered moderate SCH 5.1 x 3.3 x 4.7 cm in the lower uterus with a portion extending retroplacentally along the leading edge of anterior placenta. 5/1
• 12w5d: Blood test shows it’s a GIRL! 5/2
• 16w3d—2nd OB visit: Finally heart HR on doppler! 5/28
• Begin shots to prevent preterm labor 5/30

June 2019

• 19w2d—Level 2 US: HR 152, weighing 11 oz, all is healthy! SCH is gone 6/17
• 20w5d— 20-week check: HR 148 6/27

July 2019

• 23w4d—In labor and delivery for leakage, everything was good! 7/13
• 24w5d—New OB! Started 100mg Labetalol BP 141/86. Stopped progesterone shots, now on vaginal progesterone daily 7/25

August 2019

• 26w4d— 26-week check, growth scan: Queso is 2.8 lbs and measuring 1 week ahead. BP is 133/83. Failed glucose test 171. Need to monitor glucose at home 8/7
• Felt hiccups for first time! 8/12
• 28w5d— 28-week check, BPP: everything looks great! BP 141/91, Labetalol increased to 200mg. 5 pounds gained so far this pregnancy (found out I had lost 5 lbs in two weeks from cutting back carbs) 8/22
• BPP looks good, but fluid levels upper limit of normal. Queso is 3 lb 10 oz 8/26

September 2019

• Queso is now head down at 32 weeks and measuring just under 5 lbs 9/16
• BPP 6/8 due to concern with movements 9/25
• High BP, need to double BP meds to 400 mg 9/26

October 2019

• 34w4d—Feeling less movements, BP 160/101 with headaches. Admitted to hospital with preeclampsia 10/1
• Emelia born via VBAC at 35w1d at 4:14 am. Admitted to NICU 10/6
• Emelia is discharged from the NICU. We’re all home as a family of four 10/16

And that’s a wrap.

Almost.

September 2022

• 9/10—I get a positive pregnancy test
• 9/28—First OB

October 2022

• 10/3 First US, heart rate 180 at 8w1d

April 2023

• Austin born via VBAC #2 at 37w1d.