Heddy, party of ___

We finally have a "real" picture of our baby(ies).  Aren't they cute?!  To me, they are the most precious things I've seen in a long time...

What we're looking at here are the two embryos that we had transfered in to my uterus.  The embryo on the left was rated "Excellent" and the one on the right was rated "Good" or "Above Average". 

Embroys A & B both have a blastocyst. A blastocyst has an inner group of cells which will become the fetus and later the newborn. 

Embryo A has an outer shell of cells called the trophoblast which will "become the membranes that nourish and protect the inner group of cells" or the placenta.  Embryo B's trophoblast is in the process of forming and would have been complete if this picture was taken later in the day.

I pray "WHEN" one or both of these embryos implants, then this will be the first picture of my baby or babies.  An embryo only a mother could love.  :)

Shot to the Thigh and Josh is to Blame, Darlin' we give IVF a BAD name!

So since I haven't written in a while, I thought I'd let you in on what's going on with us.  We have decided to try IVF (also known as in vitro) this round. 

I'm not going to get in to too much detail because it's such a personal and invasive process, but here are the basics:

IVF refers to the creation of embryos by placing sperm and eggs in a test tube or culture dish in a laboratory setting. Oocytes (eggs) must be obtained by stimulating the ovaries with FSH or hMG fertility drugs (given as daily injections) because many eggs are required to produce enough quality embryos for transfer.


During an IVF cycle, once the eggs mature, they are retrieved in a procedure termed transvaginal oocyte retrieval (surgery requiring anestesia). Patients are instructed to inject hCG approximately 36 hours prior to egg retrieval to mimic the natural cycle release of LH.  IVF oocyte (egg) retrieval is performed in an operating room under light sedation using intravenous anesthesia. The oocyte retrieval procedure involves the passage of a needle through the thin posterior wall of the vagina into the ovarian follicles and aspirating the oocytes.




Sperm (this is where Josh is needed) is processed and used to fertilize the oocytes and create embryos. These embryos are allowed to grow in the incubator for an additional 3 to 5 days (in a petri dish) before being transferred (back in to me). If blastocyst transfer is attempted, the embryos will incubated until they have differentiated into two distinct cell types, usually 5-7 days.



Once the embryos mature, the patient is scheduled for embryo transfer. The transfer procedure uses a small catheter inserted through the cervix using ultrasound guidance, which places the embryos directly into the uterus with the hope that at least one will implant in the endometrium (lining of the uterus), and result in a pregnancy.

This description is very clinical (thanks Dr. Chantilis), but this is what we're going through.  This process takes approximately 2 months from start to pregnancy test and requires a lot of medications, injections, doctor's appointments, time, energy, emotion, and money.  Josh and I are very fortunate in that we have amazing insurance and can try IVF multiple times if it doesn't work this first time, but we're praying feverishly that that won't be necessary. 

If you have any advice or words of wisdom, don't be shy... I need all the advice and encouragement I can get!  Prayers work too!  xoxo

Resources: http://www.dfwivf.com/ivf-in-vitro-fertilization.html

Hi little Nugget!