The joys of fertility

I have decided to post about the process of invitro. And I am saying the very beginnings as we haven't even started the actual invitro process yet!

WOMEN:

Step 1: Typically they will start by taking your hormone levels on a random day.

Step 2: If hormones are fine, they will do an HSG test which tests to see if your fallopian tubes are open or if there's a blockage.

Step 3: If nothing is wrong there, it's time to start ultrasounds! You will call the doctor on the 1st day of your period. On day 3 you'll go to the office, get blood drawn, and get a uteran ultrasound to check the process of your eggs.

You will go back on day 12, 14, 21, and 27 (or whatever days the doctor says) and get blood drawn and do the ultrasound each time.

Step 4: You go to the doctor and get your cervix filled with fluid to see if there's a hole in it (I guess).

*For me, my estrogen level is low in the beginning, my LSH is low in the middle and my progesterone is low in the latter stage of my process. Apparently this is easily fixed with pills. Good news right? Typically...

MEN:

Step 1: You will go to the doctor and get blood drawn. For some reason these tests take a couple weeks to get results. So you'll wait...

Step 2: You'll go to the doctor and give them a semen sample in a very awkward room...

Step 3: If your levels are normal, you'll move on to step 4. If all looks well, the woman will take her drugs and you will go from there.

Step 4: So your levels are normal but your semen analysis wasn't. Now you are going to go to a Urologist and talk about getting a testicular biopsy done. The biopsy will help them know if you have any active sperm in your testes. Apparently 50% of men who have low sperm counts can have a great sperm level hiding in their testes.

Step 5: If you have sperm hiding, you will get the sperm taken out somehow and frozen for future times.

Step 6: If you don't have sperm hiding, you can use a sperm donor or adopt or not have kids. *Most of these steps for us are done. It has taken 4 months so far with waiting for appointments and everything. I feel like it's taking FOR-E-VER but 4 months really isn't that long granted it's been about 4 years since we started trying to have kids. So here's to waiting....