5 Day Blastocyst Transfer

The gynecologist aspirated 8 follicles on the 21st of August.  They half IVF and half ICSI fertilization on which 3 were fertilized with IVF and 3 with ICSI.  It looked promising so they decided to do a 5 day transfer.

our five day old blastocyst

I had a full bladder when I arrived at the university hospital for the transfer.  We both look forward to this day!  Having to wait for more than an hour criss-crossing around the maze structure of the hospital to finally find where we were suppose to and having to sit and wait for some more was not good for my small bladder.  

The nurse called our names and we followed her into the room.  My Dutch speaking doctor checks and controls my name with my ID and that of my boyfriend, then she asked me to sit in birthing position for the transfer.  Before that she handed us a printed copy of an enlarged microscopic size blastocyst. Informed us that out of the 6 fertilized eggs, there were only 3 left of which 2 are yet to be observed.  The transfer was painless, we went home and I was technically carrying my boyfriend's baby in my womb.

Me: Now feed the pregnant!

A prescribed progesterone suppositories has to be inserted 3 times a day to help the endometrium (uterine lining) from developing and thickening which is necessary for implantation.

Us after transfer

3 +1?

3 days post transfer the hospital informed us that the last 2 embryos stopped growing and could not be placed in the freezer.  Keeping our hopes high, we said to ourselves, "Well, we only need one, right??"

8 days post blastocyst transfer, I had a nasty lower abdominal cramps.  I had dark brown spots and so I contacted my gynecologists where I had my pick-up done.  Her secretary transferred the line to another gynecologist because mine was on leave.  The male gynecologist asked when I will go for a blood test and I replied the following day.  He told me to wait and hung up on me.  I panicked because I didn't know what to do at that moment, I called the family doctor and he told me to come for a blood test.  Later that night he emailed me the blood test results and it showed negative.

I was advised to stop taking the progesterone medication and my period came.  The fertility councilor asked us if we wanted to see a psychologist for a follow-up but I refused given that we have a trusted doctor who we always go to for a chat.

What is our plan?  To try again.

Summer of Love

We went to the Normandy in France for summer.  I still have my contraceptive patch on which I am suppose to remove on the 4th of August (Monday), that way it will avoid the probability of having an embryo pick-up on a Sunday.

You have no idea what troubles we went through during our holiday!  I calculated that I will or might have my period in France and the medicine has to be kept in a cool dry place and away from direct sunlight.  So my boyfriend bought a small cheargeable cooler where we can charge it in the car during long drives and plug it in our room in case there is no mini-bar available in the rooms since we booked 4 different hotels and planned on exploring the coastal part of the region.

Us three @ Mont-Saint Michel

My boyfriend and I

I started with a 100iu of Puregon  the day after I first had my period which was the 7th.  I had my first follicle meeting on the 10th. and the gyne decided on adding 50iu since my body did not react to the previous dosage.  By this time I went for follicle meetings every other day and gave my last shot of Puregon on the 19th of August and 9:30 in the evening I had a shot of Gonapeptil.

The blastocyst pick-up took place two days later.  They aspirated 8 eggcells.  We were instructed to wait for a phone call from the University hospital in Gent, where the eggcells and the spermcells will be transported and fertilized.

Two days later, we received a phone call that they fertilized half of the eggs with ICSI (IntraCytoplasmatic Sperm Injection) and half of it with IVF (Invitro Fertilization).  3 got fertilized with ICSI procedure and 3 with IVF.  We were so happy!  We've been receiving nothing but good news this summer!

Meeting the Gyne

It is an advantage to be part of the nursing team and work in the hospital myself.  I know my way around and I, for most of the time, get the privilege of skipping long waiting lists for appointments.

Blood tests were done and before the IVF lab closes for summer I asked them if it were possible to start with the hormonal subcutaneous injections already so we will be ready for the pick up when the lab opens.  I gave them a very important reason, we wanted to get married by the next summer.  I did not lie by the way.  Our little man told me that he went out looking for a ring so his daddy could ask my hand for marriage.  Although my boyfriend still hasn't proposed (I hope he will soon, but we'll see?), my gyneacologist calculated my cycle and as it turned out, I could have my pick up at the time we both wanted to get pregnant!

How It all Begun

My boyfriend told me one day, "Let's have a baby?"  I was stunned by those words.  He was all sincere and serious like always but those words lingered in my heart for a while.

So then we go start with the baby making, well you might think it's all that easy.  Yes it might be all that easy if everything were to happen the normal way.  Sadly this rule doesn't apply to me anymore.

A short anamnesis, I had three ectopic pregnancies.  My second almost cost me my life and the last was done through IVF.

So before I start to details, this is us:

in Rome

Yes, we have a healthy growing grade-schooler and yes we are happy together, all three of us but we (even our little man) feel like we still have so much love to give and we all want a new member of the family.