Our Infertility Journey

For those who are interested here is our journey to our first child being conceived:

April 2004 – Married 🙂

May 2004 – threw away the BCP, tried on our own

May 2005 to March 2006 – went to see a specialist – diagnosed with PCOS , several timed intercourse cycles, laparoscopy number 1 – stage 2 endo found & cleared (tubes were fine), 3 x Clomid cycles with AI – BFN, 2 x Gonal F injectable cycles with IUI- one cancelled and one BFN, felt like we were being pressured to go the IVF route, took a break

April 2006 to June 2006 – On a baby making break!!!

July 2006 to End 2007 – homeopathic remedies, china herbs, acupuncture, reflexology, chiropractics – all things “natural” – still no luck in our search for baby(s)

Jan/Feb 2008 – sought treatment at Vitalab, HSG xray showed possible blocked tubes, AMH levels 10.8 (totally confirming PCOS), low grade chronic infection of endometrium & “jagged” uterus shape – endometriosis suspected.

March 2008 – laparoscopy & hysteroscopy performed on the 18th March, stage 3 endometriosis excised and a septum was removed! Tubes were clear, but poor left ovary was literally stuck to my bladder…

April 2008 – Estrofem & Provera taken whilst recovering from lap & hysteroscopy, office hysteroscopy done on 07th – beautful cavity announced 🙂 BCP to down regulate ovaries in preparation for IVF #1

May 2008 – IVF # 1 – 2 beautiful embies transferred, 4 frozen = BFN, did not even make it to test day!!! Only made it to 9DP3DT *sigh*

July/August 2008 – FET, 1 x 10 cell and 2 x compacting embryo’s transferred = BFN! Again did not make test day but got a little closer – 12DP5DT *sigh*

August 2008 – January 2009 On a baby making break! Saving $$ for next treatment…

Feb / Mar 2009 – IVF # 2 – 3 Grade A blasts transferred – suffered from OHSS – BFN. Again did not make test day, spotting on 7DP5DT and full on bleeding and confirmed bloods on 9DP5DT…

April 2009 – Chromosonal bloods show we’re “normal” and technically should be able to have babies together 🙂 Yay!

May 2009 – HLA compatibility studies done

June 2009 – WAITING for darn HLA study results so we can compile our next POA… oh how I hate the waiting!!!

July/ August 2009 – HLA studies show no contra indications to conception – IVF with Intralipids suggested, scan showed what looks like an abnormality on right ovary… Laparscopy # 3 booked for 25th August – lets see what’s up inside now hey?

August 2009 – Laparoscopy # 3 performed – minimal endo cleared and ovary declared all good after all

September & October 2009 – On the pill to prepare for fresh IVF #3

November & December 2009 – Fresh IVF # 3 with Intralipid Drip performed, 4 excellent quality blasts transfered on day 5. Got through the previous fail points of early bleeding – were SURE THIS WAS IT! It technically was it, but was not viable – Chemical pregnancy confirmed.

January 2010 – My Dad passes away unexpectedly. Heart very sore but decision made to press on with our fertility plans after all…

February 2010 – GIFT aka ART treatment # 5. 9 eggs retrieved, 5 put back in left tube, 4 IVF’d – BFN!! Absolutely gutted as GIFT is supposed to be the holy grail of fertility treatment. HUGE concern as we never achieved fertilization with our left over eggs which we believe to be the reason our cycle failed.

March 2010 – August 2010 – saving money, coming to terms with Dad’s death, life in general and dealing with the ugliness inside after our failed GIFT…

September/October 2010 – “Secret” fresh IVF/ISCI #4 aka ART #6!!! Transferred 1 x 12 cell, 1 x 9 cell and 1 x 8 cell embie on Day 3 – massive bleed 7 days into wait – panic stations! Bleeding stops??? Confusion stations! What do you know??? It’s a BFP – totally surreal and unbelievable. Beta 1 = 274 (early test 3 days before scheduled test), Beta 2 = 716 (on scheduled beta test day), Beta 3 = 4938….Scan at 7 weeks shows 1 x Healthy Clam! Praise God!!!

Our son, Kade Ethan was born via emergency c-section at 18:16 on 03rd June 2011

Two years on and we have been blessed with our daughter, Gemma Grace who was miraculously naturally conceived. Gemma joined our family on the 15th January 2014 at 17h06 via c-section.

Our family is now complete and we are SO, SO blessed.