During my infertility struggle, I have read hundreds of natural cycle IVF success stories. Those experiences gave me the strength to keep on. They were a lifesaver for me.!Now that I have a successful IVF story of my own, I want to share it with you. I truly hope it will help you cope with infertility and give you the power and be your wind in the back to continue your infertility treatment. And just so you know this is a very encouraging success pregnancy story of only one egg retrieved during IVF FROM THE FIRST TRY!
My Infertility Story
Looking back 14 years ago… btw. I`m now 39...I lost one Fallopian tube. Didn`t think much of it at the time. But, a couple of years, later on, I just couldn`t get pregnant. They say it is possible to get pregnant with one tube… but it was not the case for me.
Had several chemical pregnancies, which means I got a BFP (big fat positive), but just bled out a couple of days after. Wouldn`t even know if I hadn`t tested. As you presume I`m a bit of a POAS (pee on a stick) addict. Did everything from tracking BBT, and CM, keeping a calendar, and of course keeping my legs up haha….you gotta try it all…. 8 years ago we started the first consultation at an IVF clinic.
Here in Croatia, we do have some privileges, we have free, 100% paid by health system procedures. We have 4 IUI’s, 2 IVF treatments in a natural cycle, and 4 stimulated cycles. So, that`s great, but also there are some flaws…. most doctors treat you like a number, you wait for hours every second day, and you don’t get the answers you need (so you become an online expert like me, haha).
Anyway, not all are like that. My fertility doctor, dr.V. was the best… he had that human touch that is so important to us ladies. To me, at that delicate stage, a nice word meant the world, but a harsh word was a slap in the face I could feel for weeks. Don`t you agree?
The waiting room is always full. We all come at 8 am, about 30 to 50 of us. So you lose half a day and need to change your shift at work…not the fun part.
Getting Started with IVF – Unexplained Infertility
So we started with the general infertility testing….the blood work, hormones, spermiogram… everything was fine. Then the process of checking if my tube isn`t blocked with HSG – hysterosalpingography. Oh, that one I`ll never forget. It`s the only time in my life I was happy not to have 2 tubes. The one that I have given me enough pain. The liquid went through, but not easily. They said probably there was some little blockage, but now it`s ok.
Is HSG Always Painful?
No. When the tubes are not blocked, the procedure is painless. I tell you this from the experiences of dozens of women whom I have met during my treatment. It is painful only if tubes are blocked like mine were.
THEN, ANOTHER WAIT MOMENT…
Try for 3 Months After HSG
Of course, nothing happened in those 3 months. So, we started finally doing some business. I was 33 at that point. Dr. V. said that we`ll go with natural cycles, no meds. If I ovulate on the side with a tube, we go for insemination… If it’s the other we go for the IVF treatment.
It’s Murphy`s law that 2 MONTHS in a row I had Ovulated on the left with the tube, so we did insemination….nothing… Big fat negative (BFN). I am sure you are aware that IVF vs IUI has much better chances of success.
The main thing for me was moving on. Not to wait. Most ladies did pauses for a couple of months between procedures. Not me! It was a waste of time for me! IMPORTANT! If you are one of them… please… don`t wait… GO FOR IT! It will be worth it! Nothing good is gonna come out of waiting. Close your eyes, breathe….and go again… Maybe it sounds like I didn`t go through much… but trust me, I know what I`m saying… you`ll see it later on (in a new story).
FINALLY, a Natural Cycle IVF Treatment
What is Natural Cycle IVF?
Natural cycle IVF is in vitro fertilization, without the medications to stimulate the ovary to make multiple eggs. It is your natural ovulation tracked and one follicle retrieved (in some rare cases 2 follicles).
So, in the third cycle, we finally went through the IVF timeline in a natural cycle. From CD (cycle day) 7, during the follicular phase in the menstrual cycle, we started monitoring follicles. Luckily my cycles are short, so by day 10 my follicle reached 15mm and we did trigger that day… I can still see myself going for that first trigger shot!
THEN AGAIN THE WAIT… it’s 2 days…but decades to me.
CD 12 I went for ER ( IVF egg retrieval). I was scared…a lot. They don`t give anesthesia here in Croatia. Only for stimulated, but mostly then either.
Ladies in the waiting room told me that the most important part is when the embryologist shouts through a little window: We have a cell!
I`m looking at that hallway…its a hallway I never made it to so far. It`s one step closer to my little girl…
The egg retrieval process itself wasn’t so painful. I was just looking at that window and waiting for a sound… Now as I`m just writing about it my head started to spin… It all came back to me, and it was 6 years ago! It changes us forever. So finally I heard: We have a cell! OMG! I hugged my dr. V and went home.
Later on, I had cramps and even a fever of 37.8C°. But by the next morning, I was fine, and off to work. It was unreal to think about our little cell and what kind of a party it’s having there in the lab…
I know You all ladies from the modern world get to call in the morning and see how`s it going. Not here. We have to wait until day 3, get there, and see if it got fertilized and divided properly.
THEN THE WAIT… AGAIN... at least I believe it thought me some patience.
EMBRYO TRANSFER – ET
On the third day couple of us got there at 10 am….waiting to see… The nurse told us to stay with a full bladder if we go to ET (embryo transfer). About half an hour later she called me. She started talking like it was nothing important: ˝Now when you go for the ET…˝ – WHAAAT? I’m going? I threw myself at her like she was my sister and laughed like crazy.
In the end, only two of us were going through the embryo transfer process. I must mention that girl is still my dear friend and this whole journey led to many beautiful friendships. We waited for 3 hours. Full bladder – no way! I went to pee at least 5 times by then. I was so nervous I constantly had to pee 🙂
Anyway, finally, I got to the door for ET, and I finally went through that hallway. Felt so proud and strong. The dr showed me the picture on the big screen. it was a ball of cells… he said: We have a perfect 8cell A1 embryo! I’ll never forget those words. They even gave me a picture of it… How many of us have a picture of being a 3-day embryo? WOW!
The ET-embryo transfer process was totally painless. I had to lay there for an hour and then home. I`ve read that lying down doesn’t really help.
Can the Embryo Fall Out After Transfer?
When they put the embryo inside the uterus it’s like placing it between two slices of bread covered in jam… So, dont worry, it won’t fall out!
Interesting… But no harm is done if we do lay down a bit. Finally, something that’s not painful or frustrating. Just lying there and keeping hands on your belly full of hope and happiness.
2WW – The Two-Week Wait
AND THEN…YOU`RE GUESSING…ANOTHER WAIT…THE FAMOUS 2WW (2 WEEK WAIT)
While I was waiting for the ET felt like catching the flu or something. And while lying started coughing….later on I really got sick, with a fever and everything… Didn`t want to take any meds, just baby aspirin for fever. Didn`t know at that point that maybe that was the key to getting myself pregnant (A story for itself).
IVF Success Symptoms – Before Missed Period
3 days post-transfer I`ve gone to work. While preparing to go my mascara smelled strange. Don`t know if that’s possible that soon, it’s actually 6dpo.
8dpt (days past transfer) I believe I got my first BFP, it was the faintest line on an internet cheapie One step. As a POAS addict I’ve had many evaps so wasn’t sure, but it felt different this time…
Later on, still at 8dpt, while still working I started getting cramps on my left abdomen side. Like ovulation. The cramps got worse with time. In the end, I had to lock up the store where I’m working and had to lie down because the cramps were terrible. I just laid down and curled up. But was REALLY HAPPY ABOUT IT!! I KNEW THAT IT MEANT I’M PREGNANT! The cramping subsided by the night but was still there, located on the left.
The next day 9dpt I did a proper test with a stick and all because my DP (dear partner) was seeing nothing on a cheapie… YES, IT WAS A BIG FAT POSITIVE!! The chances of success in the IVF procedure in the natural cycle are really low. But we did it… the first try and… bingo!
I must say that my DP was a great support, that’s the important part. He actually makes a joke about everything, listens to me, and keeps me positive all the way.
So, to give hope to all of you, yes, you can make it the first try, not just any try, a rare case of an IVF treatment in the natural cycle and only one egg retrieved IVF success stories. The stats on that one were low as 20%. But with an unexplained infertility diagnosis obviously, I had problems with my tube….also thrombophilia that baby aspirin helped with. I’ll tell you about it another time.
BELLA – OUR IVF TREATMENT MIRACLE
The pregnancy went along just fine. Felt great the whole time. Worked till 20 weeks pregnant. I did develop hypothyroidism, also a story I have a lot to say… So my first love was born on MY BIRTHDAY!!! What a present I got ha?! I call her my first love, because as you can presume there is a second love… But that’s a new story. It didn’t happen from the first try, we had to do so much more…and it was heavy, but ended great.
Meet Bella and me!
Don’t give up. Be brave. You can do it. Trust me! You are not alone.
Infertility is something we need to learn so much about. If you are like me and don’t talk about it (no one knew what I was going through), you have the internet. That literally saved me. Reading … reading a lot. From research to other people’s experiences… It helps… Hope my IVF pregnancy story helps you Here you can read some great inspiring success stories.
For the ending one cutest video of her first steps. Hope it will make you smile!
If you have any questions just ask. I’ll be more than happy to help in any way that I can…
And remember…
WE ARE STRONGER THAN WE ALL THINK!
