what can people tell me about ivf?

Question

i know what it is but what is like? i have been trying for a baby for 4 years and have had an operation nothing is wrong so next is ivf? whos had it and what am i facing?

Answer 1

My first set of twins are IVF twins. I fell pregnant on the second attempt and it was so horrible to go through that if it had not been successful on that attempt, I don't know if I could have gone through it again.

You start off having a daily injection to break the connection between your brain and your ovaries. Once that has been done, you then, on top of those injections, have a further daily injection to stimulate your ovaries so that they release more eggs than they naturally would - on my second attempt, I produced 26 eggs !! You have to be scanned every couple of days so that the clinic knows when to harvest the eggs. You then have yet another injection (a painful one in the bum) which makes the eggs ready for harvesting. The harvesting is quite a painful procedure. Then, you go home (after your husband has produced a sample of sperm) and the hospital fertilise the eggs and will contact you to let you know how many, if any, are viable for implantation. When I had it done, you could have 3 embryos implanted but I think it is now only 2. If any are viable, you then go back to have them implanted (not as painful as the harvesting). Then you go home and try to relax for two weeks when you then do a pregnancy test. If it is positive, you go back to the clinic so they can scan you - yet again - to see how many babies you are having.

When I had it done, it was approx. £2000 for the procedure plus hundreds of pounds for the drugs. Taking into account the fact that I live about 30 miles north of London and had to travel to South London to the Chelsea and Westminster hospital the sum total that it cost me for each attempt was a lot of money.

In some boroughs, they fund one or two attempts at IVF, in some boroughs, they fund the drugs only and in some boroughs - like mine ! - they don't fund any part of it.

Taking everything into account - the pain, the stress, the money, when I look at my beautiful twins, it was definitely all worth it !!

When my twins were only 9 months old, I fell pregnant naturally and had another set of twins, would you believe. I thought it was something to do with the IVF but it seems that I was so tense and uptight with my desperation to have a baby the first time round that I was actually stopping myself conceiving and then, once I had the first set of twins, I completely relaxed about it all and my body was then able to conceive the second two !

Answer 2

It depends on your outlook, i managed quite well through the ivf (with ICSI) the problems with IVF are more mental than physical, talk to your GP who can refer you to a clinic, they'll give you loads of information - make sure you read it all, and you partner does too, IVF can be just as hard on the men as the women (if not more so as most wont discuss it)
you get 1/ blood tests, fertility tests, scans 2/ a long wait on the nhs - use it to get as fit as possible 3/ hormone drugs, you self inject (not that bad) 4/ egg collection - usually under sedation - bit sore for a few days after 5/ sperm collection 6/ implantation - then a preg test 2 weeks later, if pregnant another a week after that.

Answer 3

I just completed my first IVF and it was successful. It is quite a lengthy process that requires a lot of money and determination. Keep in mind that every patient is different. Each doctor makes a determination of which and how much medication each patient will receive, when and how to complete the transfer, etc.

With that in mine, in a nutshell, this is how it worked for me:

I began by taking birth control pills for 7 weeks (to regulate my period and coordinate my body with the lab's schedule). I started a nasal spray shortly before my period. (It tasted horrible.) On the third day of my period, I started visit my RE every other day. I also began my daily injectable medication. I had an ultrasound and blood work every other day and took my shots every day for 7 days. After my follicles were the right size, I went in for the retreival. I wasn't allowed to eat or drink anything the night before the procedure. The day of the retrieval I was given an IV and was put under sedation while the eggs were retrieved. My husband then gave his sperm. Two days later, I began my progesterone shots which are intramusclur shots and continue them until you get a negative pregnancy test or until you are eight weeks along. Three days later, I returned with a full bladder and the embryoes were implanted into my uterus (very uncomfortable with a full bladder). I remained at a 45 degree angle at the doctors office for 2 hours and was sent home. I spent two days on bed rest. I had to wait 12 days for the first pregnancy test, 2 more days for the second pregnancy test and 2 more weeks for the confirming ultrasound.

Its difficult decision to make but after 4 years it may be worth the time, struggle and money. If your doctor recommends it, then I say go with it. If it works, it will be worth it.

Answer 4

I have just under gone ivf, it takes about 5 to 6 wks.The first course of injections were ok, i did get a bit weepy once or twice, i then had a scan to check my womb was clear and started the next step of drugs (still continue with other drug). I found the second lot a little awkward to mix but got the hang after a few days. I then had scan to see if follicle's were producing to right size, i had to continue 2 more days with drugs. My second scan showed i was ready. I was given date to have my follicle's removed. Slightly sedated they informed me they had taken 10 eggs which went on to be fertilised, we had 6 embryo's. 2 have been frozen and i had 2 put back inside. All i had to do was sit back and wait 2 wks before we would know if i was pregnant. Thous 2wks were the longest of my life, your on a roller coaster ride?

Be as positive as you can and try not to get stressed, its hard but worth it.

I'm lucky it worked first time and the feeling after nearly 4 yrs is fantastic, just don't give hope!!!

Answer 5

My friend and her husband went through many failed attempts to conceive and after having had tests, they decided to go for IVF. The first attempt failed, and after a lot of soul-searching, they went for another attempt.

It was discovered that her cervix was slightly at the wrong angle, and the doctors believed that this may have impaired her first attempt at IVF so she had the minor op and proceeded with the treatment. She also had to sniff some powder (not what you think!!) and inject herself with hormone that stimulated the ovaries.

The eggs were taken and fertilised and then placed back into her and a few weeks later she went for a scan.

You could imagine the elation on her face when she came back into our work and cried "THERE'S TWO OF THEM".

Three years on, she and her husband are proud parents to beautiful twins - a boy and a girl.

Answer 6

My mate had it and had all the goes and they all failed. My sister had it and had a gorgeous baby and ended up getting divorced with the strain of it. I also know lots of people who have successfully had it and been happy.
It's not a nice process that's for sure, and it's a lot of pressure and strain. And the outcomes are so far removed from each other.
You could be like my hubs mum who adopted two cos she couldn't have children then had my hub as a surprise. Are you sure 4 years worth of trying isn't too much trying and maybe with a bit less trying and a bit more spontaneity it might happen?
I dunno, but before you do anything, book a holiday have a good relaxing time and a good think. My hub and I thought we couldn't have kids and used no contraception for 3 year, then we get married and wham bam a baby on the way. It took us 5 years to repeat that trick, and boy I wish we had had a good holiday and some time to ourselves!! Good luck

Answer 7

Hi
When I had it in 1987 there was only a 25% chance of success and I was one of the lucky people - it worked 1st time. If you want an honest answer, you need good support from your partner as it is quite traumatic. You will have to undergo hormone treatment to make a large amount of eggs, then you have the eggs removed, (it doesn't hurt - just uncomfortable). The eggs are fertilised in a testube using partners previously collected sperm.
You are then called in to have the fertilised eggs implanted, (doesn't hurt), then comes the worst bit waiting to see if they have taken or not. I hope this helps, as it was along time ago I don't know how much the procedure has changed.

Answer 8

I'\v never had it myself but was in a support group with women who had difficulty conceiving and all but one of them (and me) had tried it. I hate to tell you but none of them were succesfful. It's expensive and they had to liit how many times they would do it otherwise they would have run out of money. Some of them were saving to do it again.

I think what you are facing is a lot of heartbreak. I'm so sorry to say. If you try it, only try it once, otherwise it sounds like the hope and the pain you may feel will hurt you badly.

Answer 9

are you considering IVF using donor sperm? if you are, please be open-minded to what i have to say:

i'm sure your desire for a child is very great, and i'm not trying to discount that at all, but have you considered the life your child will lead? i'd like to say now, that, as the offspring of an anonymous donor, and from the opinions of many more of us (thousands in fact), this choice really might be reconsidered. we live in a constant identity struggle because most of us will never know our fathers, nor our siblings, despite our efforts. this has been a fight for us for probably over 60 years now (i say that only because the oldest of us i know is in their 60s, yet AI has been going on for over a hundred years now). on top of that, it will be a hardship for you as well if you go thru with it. please reconsider, and look further into the situation of us offspring and our struggles. and please, message me back if you would like more information, because i'd be happy to give it to you

if you're not considering donor sperm, good luck! even with this salute to you though, please keep in mind there is always adoption. there are lots of kids out there who already need love.

Answer 10

i think it's very invasive ,but well worth it, i have two beautiful grandchildren -connor-and- niamh they are ivf baby's, they will be two next month, you will get your chance and you soon forget all the trouble you have to go through to have them,we got ours first go as well. good luck to you both,keep everyone informed,