Ok - so since I'm still awake I'll go ahead and get the obligatory introductory post over with!
Since this blog is entirely about my fertility or lack thereof, I'll limit my introductions to a short (okay, not really) history of the reproductive life of Maren:
Menstration began at the quite normal age of 12. My periods were always regular and I never had any problems or gave them much thought.
Pregnancy #1: At age 18, right after graduation, I had an unplanned pregnancy the very first (and only) time I had unprotected sex. I chose to have a surgical abortion at 6 weeks. I am not proud of this, but I am extremely glad the option was available to me. And to this day I know it was the right one. Even now. Even on the dark days when I allow myself to think about the fact that I could have a 12 year old child. It was the right decision for me at the time.
I immediately went on birth control pills, which I took religiously for almost eight years.
In 2001 I married my husband. We enjoyed life as a couple for a couple years, and in April 2003 we decided to go off bcps and try to have a baby. I had been hit big time by the baby bug. It really does exist and (for me) the switch flipped instanteously. I immediately went from someone who responded with a vague "someday" to the ever present will-you-have-kids question, to "Yes, as soon as humanly possibly!"
Pregnancy #2: I figured it might take a couple months to get back to normal since I had been on the pill for so long. I was right. I didn't get my period back until July, but as soon as it came, we got down to business. After a few months with no luck, I discovered a great online resource called Fertility Friend. I started the infamous "charting" in September and quickly noticed that my cycles were shorter than average - especially my luteal phase (the phase between ovulation and menses). Patience not being one of my best virtues, I went to see my ob/gyn about this issue in December. We had my progesterone checked and it was very low. I was told I should try Clomid, a fertility drug that would help with ovulation, at the start of my next cycle. So I did. But when I realized that my temperature was still up a few days later, I took a test and low and behond, it was POSITIVE. I was a little freaked at first because of the bleeding and because I had already taken the Clomid, but sure enough - I was pregnant.
Total months TTC #1: 6
Medical Interventions: None
My daughter, Jenna Elizabeth, was born by c-section on August 27, 2004. My pregnancy was uneventful until the end, when I developed pregnancy-induced hypertension and Jenna wouldn't budge from her frank breech positioning. Due to these complications, they decided to move the surgery up and Jenna was born almost 3 weeks early - but at a healthy 7 lb 3 oz.
Pregnancy #3: Post partum, my period did not return until July 2005 when Jenna was 11 months old due to breastfeeding. We immediately started trying to conceive our second child, as I've always wanted a big family. After my first few cycles, it was apparent that my body had gone right back to its old ways -- short cycles, short luteal phase, low progesterone. I weaned Jenna in October 2005 in hopes that would help things along, as breastfeeding can sometimes be challenging when TTC. Nothing happened still for a several more months, despite one month of Clomid. In February 2006, I started acupuncture. One month later, after a typical cycle of low progesterone (yes, I was going in monthly for checks) and a ridiculously short luteal phase, a miracle occured. I GOT PREGNANT. Just like before, my period had come just as normal -- only I was pregnant. I could not believe it had happened again.
MISCARRIAGE #1: Only this time the story didn't end well. An early ultrasound should multiple gestational sacs (possibly 3-4) that were growing abnormally. There was some concern about a molar pregnancy, so a D&C was performed on March 31, 2006 at around 8 weeks. Fortunately there was no molar pregnancy, however after many weeks of spotting and bleeding, it was determined that I had retained placental tissue in my uterine cavity and the D&C had been incomplete. I didn't want another surgery, so took 2 shots of methotrexate and finally my cycle returned -- almost 3 months after the initial surgery in March. It still didn't "feel" right, though, and I was still having a lot of abnormal spotting. So I kept badgering my obgyn for various ultrasounds until finally she said to me one day "well, it does look a little bit abnormal in there" during a saline sonogram. I decided it was time to get serious and I started seeing a specialist -a Reproductive Endocrinologist. The dreaded fertility doctor.
In October 2006 we began the usual tests - FSH, E2, semen analysis and HSG. My HSG showed some abnormal tissue on the side wall of my uterus (thank GOD I wasn't imagining things!), so I had a hysteroscopy on December 1, 2006. The doc inserted a small catheter into my uterus to remove the tissue and look around a bit. Luckily, he didn't find much and was able to remove a small amount of tissue, which he described at scar tissue. He gives me the green light to begin treatment the next cycle.
TREATMENT PHASE #1: I did one round of 100mg Clomid with a planned IUI, but did not respond well to the drugs this time around so the cycle was cancelled. I was totally bummed, and decided to move straight to injectable fertility drugs combined with insemination. We did a total of three cycles of Follistim/Ovidrel/IUI - all picture perfect, textbook cycles. Well, except for the minor detail that NONE of them ended up in pregnancy. It was, to say the very least, unbelieveably frustrating and devastating.
Which leads me to the present. Gearing up for Treatment Phase #2. The Big Guns. In-Vitro Fertilization.
I can't even believe I am saying those words and talking about myself. HOW DID THIS HAPPEN??!?!?!?!
We haven't officially started Treatment Phase #2 yet, so I won't give it a bold title. But I'm counting down the month. 2 more to go until a mid-August start date.
How do I feel about that? Well...that's for another post!
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