My Infertility Journey Timeline
September 2019
Actively began TTC. We weren't not trying before this, we just officially started cycle tracking at this point.
September 2019 - October 2020
My OB was not very helpful in this process. She sent me for some testing but really didn't give me any answers. She diagnosed me with PCOS and suspected Endometrosis.
October 2020
Met with our infertility clinic to get started on the process. We began all of the testing and stared a timed intercourse medicated cycle. Testing for me included endless bloodwork (over 30 tubes), saline sonogram, HSG, and genetic testing. Testing for my husband included a semen analysis and genetic testing since I was a carrier for some things. Overall everything came back normal so we didn't really have any further answers besides my PCOS & Endometrosis were causing our difficulties.
January 2021
Met with our doctor to review all of our test results and our numerous unsuccessful medicated timed intercourse cycles. She felt very good about our course of action and felt very strongly that IUI would be our best route and that we would see success.
February 2021
Had our IUI medicated cycle. It took longer than expected to get my follicles to mature but on February 27 we were scheduled for our first IUI. Since it was COVID my husband was not allowed to come into the office with me and had to wait in the car. My office was also closed on weekends so I had to drive down near Philly about an hour and a half away one way. I was so nervous about seeing a new team of doctors but they were fabulous.
March 2021
Two week wait was over and beta results were in! I had tested at home prior so I had an idea of what the results were going to be. On March 12 I got the call saying that I was pregnant! My first beta was 95, which is a little lower than they wanted to see but it still meant I was pregnant.
I continued to go for blood work frequently until my numbers rose to where they wanted them to be. It was beta hell not seeing the numbers rise as quickly as I wanted.
Beta 1 - 95, Beta 2 - 396, Beta 3 - 690, Beta 4 - 1305
On March 24 I had my first ultrasound at 5 weeks, 4 days.
My husband continued to not be able to attend ultrasounds or appointments due to COVID.
April 2021 - October 2021
I had the pregnancy from hell! I never felt safe and had the worst anxiety leading up to every single appointment. I threw up every single day, even with a daily medication to avoid it.
At my 32 week appointment, my worst fears came true. The doctor didn't like what he heard on the Doppler. I was immediately sent to another room to begin an NST. You know something is not good when the doctor AND nurse remain in the room the entire time. They kept saying "How do you feel right now", when I said fine they were shocked. They informed me I was having "beautiful contractions for someone they would like to see in labor" every two minutes like clockwork. INSTANT PANIC ATTACK. I was sent immediately to the hospital. While there they did a cervix check, and I was 2 cm dilated. I was given a much longer NST for over an hour and given my first dose of a steriod shot. They let me go home for the night and gave me a mile long list of if this happens, then do this. We came back the following day for another NST and my second steroid shot. The next few weeks were absolute chaos and will be shared in my birth story!
