Sunday, October 29, 2006

My soapbox for the day

There is a lot of brew ha ha going on about the number of embryos doctors should transfer during IVF. Having been faced with this decision, I thought I would throw my 2 cents in.

I had a nightmare getting pregnant. Long story I will get into another time- but it was hell. On IVF try #3- I remember telling my doctor to put all 7 embryos back in- I didn't care if I ended up with the Brady Bunch. I just wanted a child(ren). We decided on 3, due to my previous failures. Was I aware of the increased chance of twins (20%) and triplets (only 5%!) - absolutely. My embryos during previous attempts looked like scrambled eggs, even though my RE during those times said they were "textbook perfect" Maybe comic book perfect, but definitely not textbook.

I remember looking on the internet for ways of financing attempt #4 when the call came.

I was pregnant. Very low positive, but positive nonetheless. My RE thought it was a singleton. Another long story for another time.

Fast forward.......

I now am the proud mother of 29.5 weeker triplets. Would I change anything- No. If I could go back and only transfer 2 embryos , would I- No. I knew what I faced, my mother has been in Peds for 20+ years. I was not jaded, nor uneducated about the risk factors. Nor did I ever consider selective reduction. I remember telling my mom that I would rather have 1 hour with them then to have to reduce, just because"there was too many". After the tumultuous pregnancy that I was having before I found out I was pregnant with triplets, I knew there was a reason for all of it.

I was fortunate that I had a wealth of knowledge surrounding me from my RE, my Perinatalogist and every other specialist in the book that I saw. True, high order pregnancies are difficult, but I think that rather than guilt REs into only putting back 1 or 2 embryos, perhaps more time should be spent getting more information into the hands of prospective parents so that they can be the ones with the final say.

4 comments:

Michele S said...

Okay first I have to weigh in on you getting rid of your maternity clothes. We had a garage sale and I sold the whole stinking plastic bin for 440. I just wanted them GONE! I found out I was pregnant with Austin 2 weeks later.

Now about REs putting too many back. I hope the day comes when IVF will be advanced enough that women won't have to endure high risk high order multiple pregnancies because they can't afford to keep cycling time and time again. We can have one at a time and insurance will pay for it. That's the way it happens in Europe. That's what I hope for us.

Joselle said...

Ahh... don't even get me started on the insurance devils! I agree- if they would spend less money approving penile implants and Viagra and more money approving ART procedures, we would be in a different scenario.

Do you want to buy my maternity clothes for $440??

BTW- I officially ordered the choo choo wagon today. ALL ABOARD!!!

Michele S said...

OMG! NO, I sold them for $40! Forty not 440!!!!!

Are you not going tomorrow? There might be a new mom. She's 25 weeks pregnant.

Joselle said...

No, I am going. I am just a bonehead who forgot to RSVP until Misti sent the email out again....