Hellobee

I never realized how intense seeking help for infertility was until we went to meet with a reproductive endocrinologist. Once we decided that we were going to move forward with testing to try to figure out why we’d had so much trouble getting and staying pregnant, things happened fast. My husband and I were both scheduled for various tests and procedures. And everything had to happen on a very specific timeline because all of the testing had to occur at specific times during my menstrual cycle. Of course that makes perfect sense; it just wasn’t something I had really thought of before. Suddenly I was having to miss work a few times a week and we hadn’t even begun any type of treatment yet!

The day of our appointment to find out the results of all of our various tests and exactly they meant I was extremely nervous. I was nervous that a problem had been found, but I was even more nervous that it hadn’t. I really didn’t want to walk away from that appointment without answers.

Luckily, we did get some answers. Sort of. We learned that our difficulty getting pregnant was due at least in part to my husband having sluggish, lazy sperm. All of my own tests had been fine – no blockages in my tubes, no uterine problems, no known hormonal issues.

The doctor recommended that we try a combination of clomid/hCG and intra-uterine insemination (IUI). The IUI would ensure the sluggish sperm didn’t have to work too hard, and the clomid and hCG would help make sure everything else was at its most optimal  This process would boost our chances of getting pregnant to 15-20% which are the same as a typical couple not using fertility treatments. Basically it would level the playing field. Our doctor recommended we try IUI for 3-6 months before considering it unsuccessful.

When I heard this, I had really mixed feelings. We still didn’t have any answers as far as  what might have caused my three miscarriages and I was terrified we were going to put in all of this effort to get pregnant only to lose another baby. The doctor did have a plan to hopefully address this as well though. I had taken progesterone supplements with my first successful pregnancy, so she prescribed that I begin taking them again just a few days after the procedure. Because we would know exactly when ovulation and potential conception occurred, I would be able to start progesterone much earlier. I was also to take a daily baby aspirin starting at the same time as an extra precaution.

We were given extremely specific instructions to follow during this process. The first day of my period (day 1), I was to call to schedule an appointment for a baseline ultrasound to make sure everything was in order. For the next four days I took clomid everyday. I was a little nervous about potential side effects from the clomid like crazy mood swings, but thankfully didn’t notice any.

On day 12, I went in for a mid-cycle ultrasound. At this time, they looked to see if I had any good looking follicles that were ready to ovulate. There were two mature follicles present, so we scheduled our insemination for a few days later. At this ultrasound, my doctor also told me when to take my hCG shot – this is a shot that basically triggers ovulation. I was hoping my husband would be able to give me the shot, but he was at work during the time I needed to take it so I had to do it myself. Luckily, it was not nearly as scary or difficult as I imagined.

Then all that was left was the insemination itself. After all of that workup, it was actually a bit anticlimactic. I was in and out of the doctor’s office in five minutes. Then began the waiting. Well, the waiting and the progesterone and baby aspirin.

By day 30 my period still hadn’t arrived. I felt like it was tempting fate to even take a pregnancy test, but I did. And unbelieveably, it was positive! I know that after everything we had been through trying to get pregnant, it shouldn’t be unbelievable that it had worked. I was just so used to everything related to pregnancy not working, I couldn’t believe this might have worked on the first try.

I called my doctor’s office and had a very early ultrasound and blood test that week to confirm. And with tears in my eyes, I heard his tiny heartbeat. Of course I was still scared, but given our history of miscarriages, we were able to have ultrasounds every two weeks for the rest of the first trimester which really helped ease my mind. After each appointment, I told myself that all I had to do was make it two more weeks until the next ultrasound. And then after two more weeks and two more, we were safely out of the first trimester.

And after a fairly uneventful pregnancy, last summer our second beautiful baby boy was born.

Photo by Tselem Photography

It took us six and a half years, three miscarriages, and a round of IUI , but I still consider us incredibly lucky. Because no matter how long it took us to get here, we walked away with two beautiful, healthy babies. And that is nothing less than a miracle. Every single time.