Climbing the Fertility Mountain

Results are in for our Pre-Genetic Screening Test! We got a call from the doctor to let us know that FOUR of our five embryos tested genetically normal! I am so relieved. That means we have FOUR chances for a baby! While there is still no guarantee, statistically we have around a 60% chance of successful implantation with a genetically normal embryo. Our next plan is to schedule out a transfer cycle with the onset of my next period, sometime in mid-late January.  Wishing everyone a safe and healthy holiday season! Here's a video we made in lieu of Christmas cards this year to send friends and family a little Christmas cheer! A peaceful hike in the mountains to celebrate our perfect little embryos! Love always, Em

It's now a week past my egg retrieval and FIVE embryos made it to the blastocyst stage! They have been biopsied and frozen. This means the embryologist has carefully removed a tiny amount of cells from each embryo. These removed cells are sent to a lab for testing to see which ones are genetically "normal." This is an optional step that can be done via IVF, and one that my doctor recommended due to our recurrent losses. Most early miscarriages are caused by a genetic defect, therefore the goal is to keep only the embryo(s) that are genetically normal, because they have the highest chance of continuing on to a successful pregnancy.  We have five little blastocysts frozen and ready! Not much will happen now in the upcoming month as we wait for results. My doctor wants me to wait a full menstrual cycle before transferring an embryo back inside me. This means, if all goes well, the earliest we could have a transfer would be late January/early February.  I have had some questi...

 A few days ago I went in for my egg retrieval surgery. It was a bit surreal as the outpatient surgery wing for the egg retrieval was the same place I had my D&E in 2019 when we lost Arin. Being in the same place but for a very different reason was a lot for my emotions to handle, but we made it through. And we have some good news to share! Read on for more... Exactly 36 hours prior to retrieval, I had to take what's called a "trigger shot." This gives the follicles one final boost of energy to grow those last few mms and tells the ovaries it's time to prepare for ovulation - or the release of the mature eggs. Trigger shots done! The next morning I had a final blood draw to make sure the trigger shots did their job and my hormones were at the correct levels. It's a little weird because the hormone they check for is HCG - otherwise known as the "pregnancy hormone." So, to anyone who does not know I am going through fertility treatments, the test resul...