The one question that I have been asked the most since we received our big news is wondering what IVF is and what the process is.
IVF (in vitro fertilization) is a longer and more involved process than the IUI procedures. When we decide that it is the right time for us to proceed with IVF and we have the financial resources, it will be about a three month process. Once we are ready, we will be calling the doctor's office and they will schedule a bunch of tests and a water ultrasound to make sure everything is good to go with IVF. I will then be put on a month of birth control. Yes, I know that sounds strange but the birth control allows everything to get regulated and allows the doctor to take control of the process. After the month of birth control everything really gets rolling.
On average, someone going through IVF will start giving themselves 2-3 shots per day to help in the process. These medicines help stimulate the ovaries. Usually you produce one egg per month but the idea is that you try to get as many eggs as possible. These medicines help with that. They help them become as mature as possible and they also help the eggs not to be released yet. During this time there are multiple blood draws, ultrasounds, and appointments. When it is determined that the eggs are ready, an HCG shot is administered. This is the same shot I did for the IUI procedure as well.
Once the HCG shot has been administered, they will schedule an egg retrieval procedure. A needle is used to retrieve the the eggs (luckily I will be heavily sedated) and they are fertilized with sperm in a lab. The embryos will be watched in the lab for 5 days and after that then the best 1 or 2 embryos will be transferred back to my uterus.
Even though that is the most intense part with the appointments and the medications, I think the hardest part will be the two weeks following transfer. It is just a two week wait to see if the procedure worked. I am not patient and the two week wait was the hardest part of the IUI procedures.
After the two week wait we will have a blood draw that will tell us the results. If it worked and the results are positive we would then go on to have more blood tests to monitor the pregnancy and have early ultrasounds. If the results come back negative we will just move forward from there. Depending on how the first round goes we may have frozen embryos that we can use to do another transfer or we may have to start from scratch again if we don't have any frozen embryos.
Am I scared to go through all of this? Definitely! I am so scared of the side effects and the whole process in general. It is not going to be easy, but it will all be worth it for our baby. I am scared that the whole thing won't work. I am scared that we will put so much effort and finances into all of it and it will end in heartbreak. It will be devastating if it doesn't work. However, I can't focus on what may or may not happen. I just need to move forward in the direction we are being prompted to move in.
Overall, I am beyond grateful for the modern technology that we have. It was not long ago that IVF wasn't even an option. I feel so blessed and grateful that this is an option for us and this is a possibility.
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