The Results Are In: The Completion of IVF Round One

The final results from our first egg retrieval are in: we retrieved 14, 9 fertilized and turned to blastocysts, they were send off for genetic testing, and 2 came back chromosomally normal. While we are SO excited for those 2, as well as our IVF journey so far, we have made the decision to do one more retrieval prior to our transfer.

Let me tell you why.  

Our dream is to have a family of more than one child. At our specific office, they like to have 4 genetically normal embryos for 2 babies, to be safe. The older you get, the lower your egg count gets, and the higher risk for chromosome abnormalities. Therefore, if we transfer one now, and decide to do another 2 years + down the road when we’re ready to continue growing our family, our odds can be decreased. Knowing that there’s a chance it wouldn’t give us the results we’re hoping for, and then forever having that “what if” feeling would haunt me forever. 

It was a very heavy conversation which involved considering all of our future family goals, financial goals, and our physical and mental health along the way. 

So what does this look like for us?

Well, first of all…that we’re broke. LOL, kidding (sort of.) This second round was completely unexpected, but a family means far more to me than any material object- and the traveling can hold off for a bit while we rebalance our finances. There are some great finance options and discount programs out there if you’re able to qualify! Some employers also cover a good bit. (Not ours though.. that would make things too easy.) 

Things will actually move very quickly for us. I was already on birth control prepping for my transfer when we got our results back, so we just paused that treatment plan and my medications are being held at the pharmacy. I will be on birth control for a few more days, then I will go for my initial labs the end of this week. If everything checks out, I’ll start my shots immediately!

My protocol will be very similar to my previous one, because my doctor was happy with my results- all things considered. I will be adding a few extra supplements like a higher dose of CoQ10 and taking a DHEA supplement, but of course ALWAYS talk to your doctor to find out what your body could benefit from. 

What’s Next in Our IVF Process:

As excited as I was to more forward with my retrieval mid January, I am also feeling very at peace with our decision and the thought of being able to potentially have multiple children. I do not take this opportunity for granted, and I know that unfortunately this option is not available to everyone. Although our journey to parenthood is not as easy as we had hoped, I still feel blessed and I cannot wait to see what the future holds for us.❤️