My IVF Journey ~ Part 3
Featuring Infertility, Endometriosis, MTHFR and Early Pregnancy Loss.
Start at the beginning. Part 1 here.
We had used all of the embryos and would need another full cycle of IVF with an egg retrieval. We had no way to afford this. We’d spent all our savings on the 4 previous rounds.
The hospital booked me an appointment with the Obstetric Counselling Clinic – it used to be called the recurrent miscarriage clinic. Because I had 2 misscarriages and one being at 11 weeks after seeing a heartbeat we qualified for this clinic. The fantastic consultant there ran a range of tests and discovered that we both had a gene mutation called MTHFR. This is a reasonably common gene mutation and there are about 20 different types, but we both had the same type. MTHFR (Unaffectionately knows as the motherf***r gene) is known to casue miscarriage. The solution. B vitamins. Lots of them at high doses. I was on about 6 tablets a day and had one of those big pill organisers. 6 weeks of those and we could start trying. He recommended waiting a bit longer before another full cycle of IVF.
The next cycle we got pregnant. The good old fashioned way. I took the pregnancy test and I definitely didn’t do the whole put it face down and wait 3 minutes thing, I watched like a hawk. And before my eyes I saw that line come up immediately. I look and look again in disbelief. This time I sobbed happy tears. Right there on the toilet. My husband was at work. I called the clinic and organised a blood test to confirm. A few hours later they called with the positive result. When my husband came home I gave him a little box with a onesie and the pregnancy tests (of course I took a second one). We were overjoyed.
Again the morning sickness hit hard and fast. The anxiety hit harder and faster. Then the bleeding started. Around 5 weeks. I went to the hospital. My blood results were good. Ultrasound couldn’t see much yet, but it looked as it should for 5 weeks. A long 48 hour wait for a repeat blood test and my pregnancy levels were still doubling as they should.
At 7 weeks we had our next ultrasound and could see the heartbeat. Everything was measuring and looking good. I continued bleeding. At 9 weeks we had another scan. Sitting in that waiting room felt like an eternity. Laying on that table waiting felt like longer than an eternity. Holding my breath (and my bladder) every fibre terrified of hearing ‘I’m sorry’ again. Then she turned on the sound and said here’s the heartbeat. The relief and joy was like an absolute flood washing over me. The same thing at our next scan around 13 weeks. Around this time the bleeding settled. And I started to allow myself to believe this might be real. I didn’t feel more comfortable until I started feeling movements around 17 or 18 weeks. That was the best feeling ever!
The morning sickness continued. Well, actually the hyperemesis continued. Medication helped a little but I was still vomiting multiple times a day on a good day.
Around 36 weeks the hyperemesis settled a bit.
At 40 weeks and 2 days I was able to reach down and pull my baby up onto my chest. I remember crying ‘my baby, oh my baby.’ And I finally got to hold my precious baby in my arms.
You can read Neo’s birth story here.
