My husband and I wanted to start a family right after our wedding in October in 2010. So 2011 I came off the pill and we tried. I fell pregnant and was so happy that our journey seemed an easy one. Boy was I wrong.
The night before my 12 week scan I had lots of blood and went to the ER where an ultrasound was done and the baby was there but no heartbeat or at the size it should be. The next day the OB confirmed it and booked me in for a D&C.
In 2012 a year after my miscarriage and a year of trying we fell pregnant again, and found out at 12 weeks on my husband’s birthday that we had miscarried. The OB booked us in for another D&C and it was then found we had a issue and had to see a scientist with IVF. I was diagnosed with a balanced translocation and given slim to no chance of successfully carrying a child without IVF.
In April 2013 I went for my first egg collection getting a total of 2 PGD tested embryos and had two failed transfers. I then again went for another egg collection where we got 3 PGD embryos. I suffered bad OHSS and had to wait a whole month to do another transfer which was successful. I gave birth in 2014 to a beautiful daughter, where I suffered an infected c section and spent months healing. I suffered from post natal depression and struggled.
In 2016 we decided to try for another child. The two remaining embryos were transferred and both cycles failed. I then did another egg collection only getting 1 PGD tested embryo, which was transferred with no success.
We tried a different approach and tried IVF instead of ICSI, where all 20 embryos didn’t fertilize and we lost them all. I went for another egg collection and received 3 PGD embryos. I was also were tested for a range of other things and found I had elevated Natural Killer Cells and went on a protocol to help with this and had one transferred.
I finally got a positive test but the HCG level was low and was found to be ectopic and I had to have my left tube removed. I then transferred the remaining 2 embryos with no success. I went for another egg collection in December 2017 and got 7 PGD tested embryos and have had another 2 transfers with no success. I turned 30 in January.
I am lucky enough to have a 4 year old daughter, but still struggle with trying for another child. And am getting help for my health around this hard and painful journey.
By, Crystal
