Since we’ve been struggling to get pregnant for over a year now, we had some testing done. I did mention it a little in this post: Being One in Eight is Heartbreaking.
Image: Fertility Answers
Dan had a semen analysis done, and I had an HSG. A semen analysis is what you would expect, they have you bring in a semen sample, then analyze it. An HSG is an invasive test to check for any blockages in my system. They insert a tube through my cervix, then push a dye through so that it fills my uterus and spills out of my Fallopian tubes into my abdominal cavity. Blockages or an oddly shaped uterus can both be detected using this test.
Thankfully, my uterus is normal, and both of my Fallopian tubes allowed the dye to pass though into my abdominal cavity. The test was extremely uncomfortable, but not as bad as I expected – I wouldn’t go so far as to say it was painful, but it was uncomfortable.
The semen analysis also was totally normal. They check count (concentration and total count in sample), motility, and how many of the cells are motile. They do also check for a percentage of normal cells. The reference ranges given were minimums. Dan’s numbers were all significantly higher than the reference ranges! At least we know that all of that is working!
With both tests being normal, we talked about the next steps, since I’m still not pregnant.
First, she explained what can and cannot be controlled. For those of you that don’t know, I’ll give you a quick rundown of everything that has to happen to get pregnant:
- egg needs to mature and be released during ovulation
- the Fallopian tube has to pick the egg up and send it towards the uterus
- sperm has to make it from the vagina into the Fallopian tube where the egg should be
- sperm has to penetrate the egg – fertilize it
- the fertilized egg has to start dividing and continue its trip to the uterus
- the uterine lining has to get nice and thick while the egg is coming
- fertilized egg implants into the uterine lining, continues dividing and starts producing hCG – this is when you’re officially pregnant
- hormone levels are high enough to disrupt the cycle, and the uterine lining is not shed (you do not get your period)
- then it has to continue to grow and divide and turn into a new human being
As you can see, there’s a lot of steps to getting pregnant. All that my OB/GYN can control is the eggs maturing, eggs being released, and the uterine lining staying thick and fluffy. No one can control my Fallopian tubes picking up the eggs and sending them on their way.
For this cycle, we’re going to try progesterone. Progesterone pills help to increase the thickness of the uterine lining and encourage implantation. If I do not get pregnant this month, we’re trying Clomid and progesterone. Clomid encourages multiple eggs to mature, which increases the chance of them making it into the tubes for fertilization (and yes, it increases the chance of twins by about 8%).
Here’s hoping that the progesterone will be all I need! But, hopefully, I’ll be pregnant in the next 3 cycles, or else I’m going to be going back to my doctor to try different things.
Please pray/wish/hope that I’ll get pregnant soon, this has been a frustrating journey so far!
Finding Life's Silver Sun 
What does Baby B mean?
Saw your post on Instagram and came to read. Hoping the supplement helps 🙂
I hadn’t realized quite how much you yearned for a baby or how hard it’s been. I’m so sorry about that.
Until it happens, maybe you could spend a little time doing some of the fun things that are harder with kids in tow? Like running off to a cosy B&B for a weekend or visiting a cool European city for a week?
While I was traveling, I thought you guys would really like Ireland. The west coast is stunning. You could do a short tour if you don’t want to deal with as many details or rent a car and drive around the area. Maybe a change of locale would help? (It would be a romantic setting with no other associations.)
If not Ireland, maybe Iceland in the late fall/ early winter? It’s supposed to be really romantic/ has longer nights at that time and you could see the Northern Lights 🙂 Both locations often have good flight deals and I’d be happy to help plan! Even if it didn’t help you make a baby, at least it would be a source of fun new memories. 🙂
I really do think you’ll have kids one day. Until then, please remember that your family loves you, always and forever ❤ ❤ ❤
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Baby B = Baby Bulfer
The problem with travelling when dealing with infertility is the money thing… We already don’t have much money, and infertility is all out-of-pocket for 90% of it. The tests were several hundred dollars, but thankfully the meds have been covered so far. However, if we need further intervention, it’s all out-of-pocket. (Average IUI is about $5k, and average IVF is about $10-20k, per attempt.)
Travelling would be awesome, but with Dan in grad school, having just finally replaced his car, and all my current medical expenses (and any new ones)… It’s not in the cards 😢 I also get bad side effects from the meds that keep me from really being able to do the little bit of work I was capable of.
But, I do know someone that just went to Italy with their 9 month old… So, it’s definitely still possible to travel with littles! Ireland has been a top travel destination of mine for a long time, so it’ll happen someday!
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I wish you the best! And I REALLY hope you don’t have to do Clomid…I did three cycles and it was such a nightmare I refuse to ever do it again (and my husband is in 100% agreement there!) Plus it didn’t work for me anyway, even on a dose that was super high. That was 3 years ago and I’m still not pregnant. Hopefully the progesterone does the trick for you! 💙💞
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What side effects did you get from the Clomid? The main one I’ve heard about is ovarian pain, but I have no idea what to expect on it.
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Oh boy, haha. I went into these violent rages and had the worst mood swings ever. (I even kicked a hole in our laundry room door.) I developed an eye problem called scotoma that still has some lingering effects. And I wound up with 4 large ovarian cysts. But the mood swings only lasted for the 5 days a month I was taking it.
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Oh geez. Yikes! I’ll make sure to warn Dan if I have to take it. That sounds atrociois 😬
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It was atrocious! It’s a running joke among those taking Clomid to rent their husbands a hotel room for the duration, haha! Or at least train him to sleep with one eye open. 😆
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Oh geez 😬 I have pretty bad mood swings in general! Maybe I should be the one to rent the hotel room 😂😂😂
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Wow, thanks for all this info. I had no idea about all the steps to getting pregnant. I’m so glad your HSG and your partner’s semen analysis both came back normal but so sorry you’re still not pregnant. I really hope the progesterone and possibly Clomid will help.
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It’s a LOT of steps 😬 I forgot to mention the egg is only viable for 12-24 hours (it starts to deteriorate after that time). So that makes things even more tricky!
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