our journey



Fall 2009 - Summer 2010 - TTC the old-fashioned way - natural cycles with charting and OPKs, all BFNs

Summer 2010 - begin acupuncture with natural cycles,
start infertility testing process

8/2010 - IUI #1 - unmedicated = BFN

10/2010 - IUI #2 - Clomid and Ovitrelle trigger = BFP
stats: beta hCG 14dpIUI =42, 18dpIUI=279, 25dpIUI = 3567, u/s #1 (5w4d) shows one gestational sac, u/s #2 at 7w3d reveals no heartbeat, measuring 7w0d dx: missed miscarriage; Cytotec at 7w4d to complete miscarriage

12/2010 - IUI #3 - Clomid and Ovitrelle trigger = BFN

1/2011 - IUI #4 - Puregon (injectable FSH) and Ovitrelle trigger = BFN

2/9/11 - hysteroscopy shows intramural fibroid that is slightly projecting into the uterus

2/2011 - IUI #5 - Puregon (injectable FSH) and Ovitrelle trigger = BFN

3/2011 - IUI #6 - Puregon (injectable FSH) and Ovitrelle trigger = BFN; long stimulation due to poor response and dropping E2

4/2011 - IVF consult, HSG take #2, more bloodwork

6/2011 - IVF transfer #1 w/ ICSI - antagonist protocol (fresh) = BFN
meds: Gonal-F, Cetrotide, Ovitrelle, oral estrogen, Endometrin
stats: 12 eggs retrieved, 8 fertilized, day 3 transfer of 10-cell B grade and 8-cell AB grade embryos, five day 3 embryos frozen

7/2011 - IVF transfer #2 - frozen = BFN
meds: oral estrogen, Endometrin, Prednisone
stats: day 3 transfer of 3 embryos (after thawing: 5-cell B grade, 6-cell B grade, 7-cell B grade)

8/2011 - IVF transfer #3 - frozen = BFN
meds: oral estrogen, Endometrin
stats: day 3 transfer of 1 embryo (only remaining embryo to survive thaw, 7-cell BC grade)

10/2011 - IVF transfer #4 w/ ICSI - antagonist protocol (fresh) = BFP (twins!)
meds: Gonal-F, Luveris, Cetrotide, oral estrogen, Endometrin, Prednisone, baby aspirin; acupuncture during stimulation and before & after embryo transfer
stats: 10 eggs retrieved, 8 fertilized, day 5 transfer of 1 early blastocyst and 1 expanded blastocyst, nothing to freeze

Pregnancy with Aminadav and Naava (ends in late loss):

11/15/11 - holy crap: +HPT! (6dp5dt);
begin estrogen pills to supplement estrogen
11/20/11 - beta 1 (11dp5dt): 308
11/22/11 - beta 2 (13dp5dt): 849
12/4/11 - first ultrasound (6w2d) - 2 heartbeats!
12/12/11 - 2nd u/s (7w3d) - SCH is discovered, but overall, things look pretty good!
12/23/11 - start bleeding bright red:( at the ER the next day, both babies still have heartbeats (thank G-d)
12/25/11 - 3rd u/s (9w2d) - both babies look good, fibroids are getting larger; discontinue estrogen
1/10/12 - appointment due to persistent cramping (11w4d) -
babies look good on u/s; cramping attributed to degenerating fibroid
1/13/12 - discontinue progesterone at 12w
1/16/12 - NT scan @ 12w3d; nuchal fold measurement of 1.3mm for both babies - low risk of Down's
1/22/12 - last RE appt @ 13w2d, released into the wild :)
2/14/12 - 1st level II scan @ 16w4d - both babes look great -
a boy and a girl!
2/14/12 - later that same day, a major bleed:( - partial abruption of Aminadav's placenta - hospitalized
2/19/12 - home from the hospital, home bedrest begins
3/4/12 - pPROM - rupture of Aminadav's sac, hospitalized and begin IV antibiotics
3/5/12- lost MP, both babies still alive, though Aminadav has literally no fluid
3/6/12 - contractions begin
3/7/12 - Aminadav and Naava born at 10:30pm, emergency D&C after delivery due to retained placenta; Aminadav is stillborn, Naava dies shortly after birth
3/9/12 - released from the hospital with empty arms; our lives will never be the same

4/2011  - Diagnostic hysteroscopy for fibroids instead shows retained placenta taking up the uterus (so that fibroids can't be seen); doppler ultrasound shows that the retained placenta has excellent blood flow. Hospitalized again and operative hysteroscopy is performed to remove placenta, then a hemorrhage after surgery brought under control with Cyclokapron and methergine. Platelet function tests are abnormal. Advised to take clotting drugs prophylactically before future procedures due to bleeding disorder. Begin high dose HRT to build lining and prevent scarring.


5-6/2011 - IVF transfer #5 w/ICSI  - antagonist protocol (fresh), eSET = chemical pregnancy @ 5w2d

meds: Gonal-F, Luveris, Cetrotide, Endometrin, oral estrogen pills, Prednisone 
stats: 10 eggs retrieved, 7 mature, 6 fertilized, day 3 transfer of one 8-cell embryo with some fragmentation. +hpt 8dp3dt, beta 1 (12dp3dt) = 138, beta 2 (14dp3dt) = 139, beta 3 (18dp3dt) = 12

pathology report of the twins' placentas finally comes back and shows clots, thrombophilia panel is normal, we move


7/2012-9/2012 - TTC naturally with charting and OPKs until our consult at a new clinic in our new city so that we can begin a new round of IVF


10/2012 - long-shot Clomid/Prednisone/Prometrium TI cycle while waiting to start a new IVF = BFP (!) at 11dpo, Prometrium until 11 weeks, current meds: Prednisone, baby ASA, 5mg folic acid, Calcium/vit D
10/31/2012 - beta HCG 146 (13dpo)
11/2/2012 - beta HCG 391 (15dpo)
11/5/2012 - beta HCG 955 (18dpo)
11/7/2012 - beta HCG 2341 (20dpo)
11/9/2012 - beta HCG 4885 (22dpo)
11/21/2012 - 1st u/s (7w) - HR 139bpm
11/29/2012 - 2nd u/s (8w) - HR 167bpm
1/3/2013 - 1st MFM appointment, NT scan, and 1st tri screening bloodwork - baby measuring 13w2d, HR 179bpm, 1:29000 odds of Trisomy 21, cervix is 3.0cm
1/17/2013 - HR 144bpm, cervix is 3.0-3.5cm, 2.8-2.9cm and a little funneling w/ fundal pressure
1/24/13 - cervix looks great! measuring 3.4cm, baby looks to be a GIRL!, quad screen drawn
6/26/13 - I give birth to healthy baby girl at 37w5d!

TTC again 3/14
5/2014 - IVF transfer #6 (attempted) - frozen - four day 3 embryos thawed and we attempt to grow to day 5 but none survive to blastocyst
meds: oral estrogen, Endometrin, Prednisone
7/2014 - IVF transfer #7 - fresh, ICSI (antagonist) = BFP - b/g twins!
meds: Gonal-F, Pergoveris, Cetrotide, oral estrogen, Endometrin, Gestone (PIO), Prednisone
stats: 10 retrieved, 5 fertilized, two 6-cell embryos with fragmentation transferred day 3, no freezing quality embryos
4/5/2015 - I give birth to healthy, term boy/girl twins! Subchorionic hematoma, low-lying placenta caused early 2nd tri bleeding, and then PTL at 31 weeks...a few hospitalizations but we make it through to the end.