Trying to Conceive Timeline and Explanation
Trying to Conceive (TTC) Timeline
01-2010 Conceived Daughter naturally after two months of trying.
10-2010 Delivered Daughter
10-2011 Period returns and start TTC for #2
07-2012 Positive Pregnancy Test
08-2012 Miscarriage 7 weeks
12-2012 IUI #1 - FAIL
01-2013 IUI #2 - FAIL
02-2013 IUI #3 - FAIL
03-2013 IUI #4 - FAIL
05-2013 IVF #1 - 6 eggs, 5 mature, 4 fertilized, 2 alive and transferred day 3 - FAIL
09-2013 IVF #2 - 7 eggs, 6 mature, 3 fertilized, 2 alive and transferred day 3 - POSITIVE ECTOPIC
10-2013 D&C and Methotrexate for Ectopic
03-2014 IVF #3 - 7 eggs, 7 mature, 7 fertilized, 5 blastocysts, all frozen due to EFT results
03-2014 Endometrial Function Test, results shows Glandular Developmental Arrest, Treatment Depot Lupron
07-2014 FET #1 - transferred 2 of 5 frozen blastocysts - FAIL
09-2014 Endometrial Receptivity Array, results normal
10-2014 FET #2 - transferred 2 of remaining 3 frozen blastocysts - FAIL
02-2012 IVF #4 - 6 eggs, 5 mature, 5 fertilized, 1 blastocysts biopsied and frozen for PGD
01-2010 Conceived Daughter naturally after two months of trying.
10-2010 Delivered Daughter
10-2011 Period returns and start TTC for #2
07-2012 Positive Pregnancy Test
08-2012 Miscarriage 7 weeks
12-2012 IUI #1 - FAIL
01-2013 IUI #2 - FAIL
02-2013 IUI #3 - FAIL
03-2013 IUI #4 - FAIL
05-2013 IVF #1 - 6 eggs, 5 mature, 4 fertilized, 2 alive and transferred day 3 - FAIL
09-2013 IVF #2 - 7 eggs, 6 mature, 3 fertilized, 2 alive and transferred day 3 - POSITIVE ECTOPIC
10-2013 D&C and Methotrexate for Ectopic
03-2014 IVF #3 - 7 eggs, 7 mature, 7 fertilized, 5 blastocysts, all frozen due to EFT results
03-2014 Endometrial Function Test, results shows Glandular Developmental Arrest, Treatment Depot Lupron
07-2014 FET #1 - transferred 2 of 5 frozen blastocysts - FAIL
09-2014 Endometrial Receptivity Array, results normal
10-2014 FET #2 - transferred 2 of remaining 3 frozen blastocysts - FAIL
02-2012 IVF #4 - 6 eggs, 5 mature, 5 fertilized, 1 blastocysts biopsied and frozen for PGD
Trying to Conceive Explanation
Our secondary infertility journey began when my daughter turned one in 2011. We were so happy to expand our family and immediately started trying to conceive another child. After nine months, in July 2012 we finally got pregnant. At 6.5 weeks we went to the doctor for our first ultrasound and heard a little heartbeat. It was worth all nine months of trying to hear that heartbeat. Just a few days later I started cramping and bleeding and we knew that the inevitable was around the corner. I went in for another ultrasound the next day which confirmed it was over, I miscarried that night.
While it was tough to go through the miscarriage, it was nothing compared to what we would continue to go through over the next three years. In September 2012 I went to a fertility specialist just to get some testing done. We decided to try an Intra Uterine Insemination (IUIs) so that my doctor could monitor my cycle and see if we should be concerned about anything. While my tests showed that I had diminished ovarian reserve and a low AMH, my doctor wasn't concerned because of my previous success. I had conceived my first child after only two months of trying and carried her full term with no issues.
We attempted 4 IUIs using Clomid to help and none were successful. At that point our doctor recommended we move onto In Vitro Fertilization (IVF). In May 2013 during for IVF #1 we collected and 6 eggs, 4 fertilized but only two made it to day 3 and both were transferred. Neither took. For IVF #2 in September 2013 we collected 7 eggs, 3 fertilized and 2 made it and were transferred at day 3. This time it worked! But the beta showed that it appeared to be a chemical pregnancy and I would miscarry soon. It ended up being an ectopic pregnancy which was confirmed with a D&C and I was given Methotrexate (a chemotherapy drug) to terminate the pregnancy in my ovary so that it wouldn't rupture putting my life in danger. I had to wait three months to try again (an agonizing amount of time in the infertility world).
For IVF #3 in March 21014 I sought a second opinion and went up to New York to the Sher Institute. There, my doctor recommended a new protocol drastically cutting the medications used to grow the eggs, therefor not compromising their quality. We did lupron for 11 days, followed by Gonal F and Menopur and we added a controversial drug called Saizen to help with egg quality (it's not FDA approved for IVF). To prep for the cycle I did three months of a gluten/dairy/soy/caffeine/alcohol free diet, herbal/vitamin supplementation, and acupuncture. What a difference. We collected 6 eggs, all fertilized and 5 made it to the blastocyst stage at day 5. All were frozen however because a uterine biopsy (called an Endometrial Function Test EFT) showed I had something called Glandular Developmental Arrest (GDA). I was put on Depot Lupron for 3 months to treat it, another agonizing three months of waiting.
Finally in July 2014 we were ready to do a Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET #1). We thawed and put in two blastocysts. Blastocysts have a better chance of implantation verses the embryos we previously put in on day 3, so we were very optimistic that this would work. It didn't. Again.
Before FET #2 we did a brand new test to look at my uterus to see if there was any other implantation issues that would be keeping my embryos from attaching. It is a new test from Spain called the Endometrial Receptivity Array (ERA). I spent two months preparing for the test. It showed that nothing was wrong. So we transferred two more blastocysts and failed again.
Most recently in February 2014 we went through our 4th IVF retrieval. My doctor put me on Ganirelex instead of Lupron and I didn't do my three month diet/supplementation routine. I did still use Gonal F, Menopur, and Saizen and figured it was the Saizen that gave us the great results the previous cycle. However this time I wasn't responding as well to the stimulating drugs right from the beginning. My doctor doubled the amount of Menopur and I ended up stimulating for 3 additional days compared to IVF #3. They retrieved 6 eggs, 5 were mature and while they all fertilized and made it to day five, only one turned into a blastocyst. The 4 other embryos lived through day 6 but never turned to blastocysts and thus were discarded as they would never be viable.
We are now prepping our last IVF, round #5 and are hoping to retrieve enough eggs and produce enough blastocysts to add to my two frozen blastocysts for Pre Genetic Screening PGD. This will allow us to know if my embryos have the appropriate number of chromosomes and thus allowing us to transfer only normal blastocysts upping our chances for success. If this does not work we will move on to donor eggs, I do however have every confidence that we are giving it our very best chance.
Our secondary infertility journey began when my daughter turned one in 2011. We were so happy to expand our family and immediately started trying to conceive another child. After nine months, in July 2012 we finally got pregnant. At 6.5 weeks we went to the doctor for our first ultrasound and heard a little heartbeat. It was worth all nine months of trying to hear that heartbeat. Just a few days later I started cramping and bleeding and we knew that the inevitable was around the corner. I went in for another ultrasound the next day which confirmed it was over, I miscarried that night.
While it was tough to go through the miscarriage, it was nothing compared to what we would continue to go through over the next three years. In September 2012 I went to a fertility specialist just to get some testing done. We decided to try an Intra Uterine Insemination (IUIs) so that my doctor could monitor my cycle and see if we should be concerned about anything. While my tests showed that I had diminished ovarian reserve and a low AMH, my doctor wasn't concerned because of my previous success. I had conceived my first child after only two months of trying and carried her full term with no issues.
We attempted 4 IUIs using Clomid to help and none were successful. At that point our doctor recommended we move onto In Vitro Fertilization (IVF). In May 2013 during for IVF #1 we collected and 6 eggs, 4 fertilized but only two made it to day 3 and both were transferred. Neither took. For IVF #2 in September 2013 we collected 7 eggs, 3 fertilized and 2 made it and were transferred at day 3. This time it worked! But the beta showed that it appeared to be a chemical pregnancy and I would miscarry soon. It ended up being an ectopic pregnancy which was confirmed with a D&C and I was given Methotrexate (a chemotherapy drug) to terminate the pregnancy in my ovary so that it wouldn't rupture putting my life in danger. I had to wait three months to try again (an agonizing amount of time in the infertility world).
For IVF #3 in March 21014 I sought a second opinion and went up to New York to the Sher Institute. There, my doctor recommended a new protocol drastically cutting the medications used to grow the eggs, therefor not compromising their quality. We did lupron for 11 days, followed by Gonal F and Menopur and we added a controversial drug called Saizen to help with egg quality (it's not FDA approved for IVF). To prep for the cycle I did three months of a gluten/dairy/soy/caffeine/alcohol free diet, herbal/vitamin supplementation, and acupuncture. What a difference. We collected 6 eggs, all fertilized and 5 made it to the blastocyst stage at day 5. All were frozen however because a uterine biopsy (called an Endometrial Function Test EFT) showed I had something called Glandular Developmental Arrest (GDA). I was put on Depot Lupron for 3 months to treat it, another agonizing three months of waiting.
Finally in July 2014 we were ready to do a Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET #1). We thawed and put in two blastocysts. Blastocysts have a better chance of implantation verses the embryos we previously put in on day 3, so we were very optimistic that this would work. It didn't. Again.
Before FET #2 we did a brand new test to look at my uterus to see if there was any other implantation issues that would be keeping my embryos from attaching. It is a new test from Spain called the Endometrial Receptivity Array (ERA). I spent two months preparing for the test. It showed that nothing was wrong. So we transferred two more blastocysts and failed again.
Most recently in February 2014 we went through our 4th IVF retrieval. My doctor put me on Ganirelex instead of Lupron and I didn't do my three month diet/supplementation routine. I did still use Gonal F, Menopur, and Saizen and figured it was the Saizen that gave us the great results the previous cycle. However this time I wasn't responding as well to the stimulating drugs right from the beginning. My doctor doubled the amount of Menopur and I ended up stimulating for 3 additional days compared to IVF #3. They retrieved 6 eggs, 5 were mature and while they all fertilized and made it to day five, only one turned into a blastocyst. The 4 other embryos lived through day 6 but never turned to blastocysts and thus were discarded as they would never be viable.
We are now prepping our last IVF, round #5 and are hoping to retrieve enough eggs and produce enough blastocysts to add to my two frozen blastocysts for Pre Genetic Screening PGD. This will allow us to know if my embryos have the appropriate number of chromosomes and thus allowing us to transfer only normal blastocysts upping our chances for success. If this does not work we will move on to donor eggs, I do however have every confidence that we are giving it our very best chance.