OB/GYN & Fertility Doctor Shares Her Story Going Through IVF: What She Learned & Her Complications

[@vikkicarpenter5080]

I appreciate your guys transparency. It’s helped us feel less alone. This is very stressful and having you guys as a resource has been a game changer.

[@LauraAnn1980]

Tomorrow is my first transferversary with my 4 month old baby girl. I remember everything you guys are going through so, so acutely. I did the every 3rd day PIO and it wasn't too terrible......I'm a nurse and I trained hubby well lol! It's so weird to be just a regular pregnant patient after all the super close monitoring with IVF. It makes the whole journey of pregnancy a little more anxiety provoking. I don't think I took a breath and really allow myself to believe it was really real until I got to about 26 weeks. At that point I knew her survival chances would be good if anything went wrong. You are so right in needing that support team there for you. Essential! I ended up with placenta previa which I know is higher risk in IVF pregnancies. I had a planned c section at 37 weeks which.......is a whole other story LOL. My baby girl was 100% worth every minute of every appointment, every penny we spent, every shot that I took, and every tear I shed and I would do it again for her.

[@fieemully]

Matchies! my anniver was on the 10th - baby girl just turned 4 months! induced emergency C at 37 too.

[@AlexandraVincent]

I’m so thankful for your channel. In April, when we first had our IVF consult I literally scoured the internet for tips and tricks and everything, not knowing when/if I would even get to transfer. Fast forward to egg retrieval and we ended up with 6 embryos. That’s when I found your channel. I was looking up things about transfers and meds and the whole thing. Having you (and Mac Dingle, too) help me through was huge. The med tutorials, the explanations. All of it. I had my first beta Monday and I’m officially pregnant! Second was this morning so I’m waiting on numbers. I was getting positives as early as last Thursday though. Nobody knows what this is like unless they go through it too and it was great to feel like we were in this together. I’m so happy for you guys and cece too

[@thehonestvet7633]

As a fellow IVF mom: thank you for sharing your journey in such a genuine way. It means a lot💗

[@SkiRacerMinnesota]

Are there studies on the long term effects of doing IVF? Does the large amount of hormones involved cause any reproductive cancers?

[@RC-zm2xm]

Oh my goodness. Congratulations on your pregnancy for baby no.2. That's amazing news. Super happy it worked out for you guys! 🥳👶

[@oliviannadi334]

Congratulations on baby #2! I have been following your journey over the past year and I’m so happy for your growing family!!!

[@rachell2168]

Thanks for sharing your journey with us. It's so brave and gives us so much courage. We really appreciate it.

[@drleewhite]

Thanks for sharing your story. We did the whole embryo creation part of IVF only to discover big challenges getting the uterine lining ready to receive an embryo transfer. We’re also both physicians and it was a big reality check - unpredictability and challenges at every step of the way. Would love to see you do a video on a guide to IVF and what patients can expect along the way.

[@fldhkybnva]

Thanks so much for this video! I’m a fellow doctor (pathology) and start stims tonight! I’m so hopeful and appreciate you sharing everything that you do. It really helps especially hearing it from the side of a medical professional.

[@claudiajade624]

Thankyou for being so open and sharing this journey. I missed the announcement last week, so many Congratulations! 😊🥳💜

[@sarar4901]

Thanks so much for sharing your story. We're approaching the end of our workup and testing and not finding answers so far, so hearing IVF demystified is so helpful.

[@KLKosi123]

Progesterone in oil tip - warm the syringe up with a heating pad to thin out the oil (but you want the oil warm, not HOT). Dart the needle in quickly but press the oil in slowly. Then, hold the heating pad to the injection site for a good 20-30 minutes. It doesn’t make it painless but it does decrease the likelihood of muscle knots and such.

[@jennaom1]

Maybe I’m an anomaly, but the hormones from IVF made me feel great. I think, being on the PCOS spectrum, my weird hormones may often have a mild negative effect on my mood. Any kind of of corrective hormone therapy (spironolactone for acne, oral contraceptives, estradiol to prime for egg retrieval, IVF stim itself) has always made me feel so positive and energized. It’s probably different for everyone. So glad things have worked out for you! I hope things continue to go well.

[@kewlcass]

I'm with you. As a fellow cyster any of those good hormones boosts my mood and energy. Then the drop when flow comes is really a low point for me.

[@bryc5926]

This is so lovely to read 🙏🏽❤️

[@angeladorio8761]

Thank you so much for sharing your experience so honestly and openly! Your videos on injectable meds are the best, wish we had them last year! And you're right about PiO shots, I'm currently 9 months pregnant with our miracle baby and my butt still hurts! Had to do 12 weeks of those. IVF is really hard and having a good medical team means a lot. I had some complications after my first retrieval, but didn't want to go to the ER (because of all the bad things I heard about it) and my IVF doctor ignored me for three days (Easter weekend, how lucky). The most important thing I learned going through years of fertility treatments, IUIs and two IVF cycles is SPEAK UP FOR YOURSELF REGARDLESS OF CIRCUMSTANCES. It's super heard but absolutely necessary, and you become so proud of yourself once you learn how to do it. I'm so sorry that Sarah had this rare complication, glad it's all good now! You guys are truly a power couple and all your videos are such a great resource for me, I'm very thankful 😀. So happy that your transfer worked!! Congratulations 🎊 that's awesome! Wishing you all the best for this new adventure!

[@Gianina451]

Congratulations, if you still doing the progesterone shots, ask your nurse for the one that is less painful, there are two types. I don't remember the names but it was done with a different formula, same effectiveness, the type of oil was the difference. I tried both, so it was a big difference for me. I used to heat up the area first and heat up the progesterone in a heating pad for a little bit and it worked much better.

[@AYearWithoutInternet]

So happy it was successful!! Can't wait to continue following your journey 🥰

[@patricia7206]

Congratulations !!! Thank you for sharing your story ❤ feels good to have some honest conversation about IVF and fertility. Did you chose to test your embrios? And being fertility specialist, what made you choose fresh embrio transfer instead instead frozen embrio transfer ?

[@rebeccazeman9309]

🤣🤣🤣 I love your response his "complaint" of no help for the seman analysis. I rolled my eyes when my husband said that too!

[@Timiren]

Our first transfer was negative. Our clinic goes with home tests and I must say we were devastated. Some miscomunnication with the clinic didn't help. Not having enough support was very very hard. Our second transfer worked though! BFP. I am at 25 weeks.

[@anniecchigoziee7591]

And here I am hating myself for been 4 month pregnant while I have a 10 month old....should I be grateful (although its natural) but I guess I have to keep watching you guys to learn more about ivf...good luck to you both (am praying for you both) love from africa

[@michellegleason7259]

Congratulations guys! Love all of your info and insight about these topics ❤

[@g.g9158]

With my first transfer I hated the progesterone shots. I ended up doing some on my own. Then my son developed a complication that is sometimes associated with progesterone. With my 2nd transfer I used the progesterone tabs for a few days then stopped all together. My 2nd son was born in March without the complication that my first had. I am so lucky as I only had two embroys and both worked

[@jenna5488]

Thank you so much for sharing this. It means a lot. My next step is IVF and this makes me feel more comfortable and knowledgeable.

[@moraakiage823]

Congratulations my doctors I can’t wait to follow your journey, praying for you both!!

[@candicewiggins166]

I hated the progesterone oil, it took me 3 months to get over the soreness and worst part was my transfer didn't take and I had that reminder with me. women who do IVF and do it multiple times are heros.

[@Super123ok]

I am so happy that I found your channel. Thank you for sharing your journey. We had our first IVF treatment two years ago. 30 eggs were retrieved at the age of 39… Had fresh transfer then OHSS while learning that i was pregnant with twins. Unfortunately had a miscarriage in wk10. We decided to give it another try this year - went to a different IVF clinic, found the clinical team we liked. Had 18 eggs retrieved 6 weeks ago, no OHSS, feeling good and we are looking forward to the transfer soon 😊

[@bryc5926]

Out of the 30 originally retrieved how many were good embryos, did you manage to freeze any? Just curious xx

[@Super123ok]

@@bryc5926 hi there, 16/18 were good if i remember correctly but didn’t get pregnant. Our last try in a different clinic back in 2022 worked out well! Our daughter is now 13 months. Good luck with it!

[@jennyakers4811]

Love you guys and all your informative content. Thank you for sharing the reality of it all and all your knowledge! 👏👏❤️ Congratulations on your pregnancy!!

[@KarinaFaro]

So excited for you guys! ♥

[@christelleelkhoury247]

Congratulations on baby number 2! Love watching ur videos

[@DoctorKatherine]

Love your channel, guys. ❤ Congrats on the baby. Could you go into the medical ethics of IVF a bit, in particular the creation and freezing of unused embryos and what to do with them later? Did you wrestle with that decision? What is your spiritual background and did that play into the decision at all? By the way, I am a pharmacist. Thanks guys!

[@AlyssaL22]

🤣 when you were talking about the shots it was so relatable. I do NOT miss the PIO omg. But once you get through that first trimester really, I haven't even thought about the shots in so long and I am still pregnant haha. So while it sucks at the time it WILL pass and someday you won't even think about it anymore. So good luck and hang in there to anybody going through the process! Celebrate all the little wins.

[@els9559]

Thank you for sharing! Ive loved your series. It'll help so many people🙌

[@haleycastro1316]

I'm so happy you're pregnant!! All worth it!

[@worldpatient]

Congratulations!!! I’m so happy for you guys!!!

[@Daymickey]

6:00 that’s so funny because my husband and I like to say we have “a soccer team in the fridge” in regards to our embryos lol

[@persinette7363]

I’ve never had an IVF, I’m just here because I’m interested in all things fertility and I enjoy your content. Congrats on baby #2. Listening to all of this makes me so grateful for both of my natural pregnancies, I didn’t realize how many people struggled with (secondary) infertility even at relatively young age.

[@deenacollins892]

Hi, did you have any side effects or concerns while taking the birth control pills before starting IVF? Do you think it helped the stim meds work better and ultimately retrieve more eggs?

[@anurupaborbaruah5939]

Thank you for sharing your ivf journey. I would like to know if you were breastfeeding your first child while taking ivf meds? Is breastfeeding safe for the baby during the ivf cycle?

[@melissapausinga1784]

Congratulations ❤ so happy for you. How far along are you now?

[@rodannieoneill9201]

So happy for you both!

[@Adri22221]

Congratulations Doctors!

[@Daymickey]

I was able to switch from PIO shots to progesterone pills for my last transfer cycle, which was successful (36 weeks pregnant). Does your clinic allow that option? It was SO SO much better than the shots.

[@elizabethmansieh6672]

I did IVF 🫶 this year as well and I I am now nine weeks pregnant with twins but I had bleeding in the beginning of my pregnancy at six weeks and at eight weeks I had 2 small subchorionic hemorrhage is on each placenta but now I’m not bleeding anymore do you have any thoughts on why I may have had a subchorionic hemorrhage is it more common in twin pregnancies?

[@georginakenna2428]

I had the same with my singleton pregnancy back in 2020. Research shows its just more common with ivf patients, when I had my re assurance scans the doctors all said it was common in pregnancy and they just monitor if you continue to bleed. I bleed on 2 or 3 occasions, quite heavily but it eventually shrank and have a healthy 15 month old now. Plenty of rest is key, take care x

[@adrienneweisner5263]

Congrats docs!!!

[@pinkblossom9856]

Thank you so much for sharing 🌹 Can you possibly recommend a good pregnancy cook book?

[@iamtheicycle]

You both are so wonderful! Congratulations ❤

[@yaniwet]

I don’t understand why Americans do progesterone in oil. In Argentina we don’t have that, we do vaginal capsules 2-3 times a day and it’s like applying a tampon, it’s great.

[@karethe8635]

I was wondering the same thing, we also have the capsules in Norway where i live. We also don't get put under anesthesia during egg removal, just get a local sedative. I thought it was very painful, wish i could have slept through! It would be interesting to hear their perspective on the differences, but i guess there are so many that it might be difficult to do a video like that.

[@shirelelishevalipkowitz2997]

How did you juggle your monitoring appointments while also juggling life with a toddler?

[@meghangossett3091]

What made you decide to do fresh versus frozen? Just curious that's not usually suggested much any more

[@ndegecarol4455]

Congratulations Doctors 🎊 👏

[@janarezabkova7395]

Thank you for sharing it all! I am just wondering about the effects of covid on the sperm count. I have heard about it so many times but I can't find any good data about it. Could you refer me to it, please?

[@MsSavvyChic]

Yes, I really appreciate them sharing about the impact of Covid on fertility and think a video on this would be great and could really help people be more aware and take Covid prevention more seriously.

[@fieemully]

Oh wow! Very similar to what happened to me after my retrieval. I somewhat knew about it. They told me it happened- they had to pierce something to get to my eggs. The pain is unreal. Only solution is time and sitting elevated. Last august.

[@fieemully]

I also want to add I am SO HAPPY and grateful for you. I was watching all your pregnancy vids when I was going through IVF and early stages this time last year. I kept wishing for an IVF series to help me out - I’m sorry you had to go through all of that but your videos on IVF will be answered prayers to some soon to be mama out there.

[@graceali-grap9919]

Did you talk in any of your videos about if you were able to bank embryos for later?

[@torigardner3258]

❤ your videos and have been watching since baby 1! My MIL and FIL are chain smokers and refuse to get tdap or flu vaccines. What are some precautions I can take eg hand washing before holding, and how long should I be taking them eg until 6months?

[@dlwlsdus]

Congrats!!!! Love you both

[@sayandpawOF]

Does Medicare cover for IVF?

[@imathumb]

u guys are so cute, that was the most hilariously underwhelming pregnancy announcement...the whole video i'm thinking...so they're pregnant?? 😅 can imagine the whole tedious process has taken a lot of the spontaneous joy out of it though. hopefully it only gets better from here, congratulations!! 💖

[@allisonlarson2716]

They announced during their early pregnancy testing video!

[@martinavanb4908]

Congratulations 🎉❤️🌸 It seems in Europe progesterone in a form of vag suppositories are preferred. I’m so glad I’ve never had to do PIO injection during my 4 Ivf cycles!!! I don’t think my husband would be able to do it 😜😖😱

[@georginakenna2428]

We also used suppositories, messy but not painful. Can't imagine the injections in muscle

[@MaraPandolfo]

So different!! I had the PIO shots the first time I did it, but second time it was only suppositories which are SO much better!!! I cannot overstate the difference. If you can do suppositories, definitely do that instead. First cycle, husband gave my shots every morning and butt hurt for like 4 months later. Ugh!

[@agneskramer3766]

Congratulations!

[@meluvfriends]

HAHAHHAHAHAHA OH MY GOD. I was not expecting that. I dont think Ive ever heard such an eloquent doctor say the word dick. Its so nice to feel like yall are real people lol! Man alive I laughed sooooo hard.

[@jumana9999]

Is it also important to check FSH and AMH?

[@KateMaureen14]

Now I'm curious what happens to eggs that don't get used. Can they be donated?

[@SparklePipsi]

I need those socks 😂 Congrats you two!!

[@asmaranazeer1162]

Hi there,,... i have a question kindly consider to reply this.. actually my first pregnancy was pretty good everything went well and baby was delivered by c section... now its been 9 months .. we decided to try for second baby even though i had irregular periods but somehow i concieved this month & had positive pregancy test on 17 sept. But unluckily i spotted bleeding on 20 sept. that did not stopped my doctor prescribed only douphaston tablets.. i has sever cramps and pain in lower abdomen and lower back... with bleeding i think it is moscarriage... i am in so much depression that i have not shared it with family.. i want to know why it happened i m not over weight or careless person but still it happened and i am worried about my fertility and getting pregnant again.. please help me.. my age is 32

[@selamasmare4063]

Congratulations ❤

[@samanthah2226]

I remember my first pregnancy it was all I thought about everyday, hours spent researching and daydreaming about little one. My second pregnancy I had time especially in the beginning where I would forget I was pregnant unless I was actively vomiting. I guess luckily that happens all the way through my pregnancies as a helpful reminder. Lol

[@amandajmags]

Question! I heard you guys say you started trying for baby #2 at six months postpartum. My baby is currently 5 months but I’ve looked it up and it says to wait 12-18 months. I’m healthy and didn’t have any complications..can I try sooner?

[@LittleJoSleep]

They did a really helpful video about that, actually. Scroll back and watch it!

[@kellybulloch]

How far along are you & when is your due date?!

[@jamokabrooks2676]

Congratulations

[@PW17042]

Congratulations! When are you due?

[@linnsoltwedel]

Did you treat yourself thru this in any way?

[@MRC647]

Why did you choose fresh transfer? How should one make that decision. It's very empathetic of you to break the news in a non dramatic way!

[@azuresora]

Sounds like its been crazy for you guys! Hang in there!

[@emiliaessentials]

Can you use IVF if you don't have a problem with conceiving, just to choose the sex of baby?? How much is it??

[@Anna-qz6xw]

Glad it’s illegal in many countries so that people do not do it for such dumb reasons.

[@malou2038]

How much for the ivf

[@Anna-qz6xw]

Around 30K for 1 round if I’m not mistaken

[@Anna-qz6xw]

But they would only disclose prices after you have (spend money) on the initial consultation with the specialist. then they sent us the brochure with some vague pricing just to get an idea lol

[@thebreakdownartist9260]

I'm having fun with blood-thinning shots 😖the things we go though for babies 😅

[@vidyasundaram864]

. No judgment to anyone, But isn’t the recommendation to wait at least a year after a baby to try again? I understand that sometimes accidents happen but I believe I read several Meta-analysis and my own Ob GYN stated this. I am also a physician But in a different specialty. I truly think that healthcare providers do make the worst patients and we don’t follo our own rules that we tell our patients. But each to his own and congratulations on your pregnancy!

[@TheDoctorsBjorkman]

There is some nice data on this and we have discussed previously - optimal timing, risks of getting pregnant early after a prior pregnancy and also risks with delaying a significant amount of time. Hopefully this helps! kzbin.info/www/bejne/eX7GanaVfquKq6c

[@Irina_M1989]

If a woman goes through a stimulation cycle and her eggs are retrieved and frozen and then in months, the woman wants to create an embryo with these frozen eggs. Does a woman need to go through stimulation again for implantation?

[@melissagroce2660]

So if you aren't at a clinic and they don't have a room for you...they didn't tell my husband he had time to bring it from home. Apparently the car isn't a fun spot 😂. My poor husband I busted his balls a lot about the samples. It seemed to help him get less shy about it. Also, pio shots felt like constant Tdap shots. I can confirm having just had a Tdap shot 😂

[@catinabox3048]

At least with Tdap shots you can trust that the person giving the shot has the experience and expertise to do it right. My biggest fear about home injections is of wobbling, zigzagging, etc. that might cause more pain and injury than needed. The longer the needle, the more room for error. Fortunately, my clinic is known to default to modified natural transfers and only supplement progesterone if and when it's needed. Fingers crossed I won't have to do any intramuscular injections at home.

[@Jooliecn]

The socks are funny. The Universe is a dick. LOL. Appreciate the honest account of your own journey on the other side as a patient.

[@finlayamber8380]

As another healthcare professional, we truly are the worst patients 😂

[@jumana9999]

Is there another way to do this? Like why is the invasive stuff are on women not the men? They are strong they can take it too😢

[@Stereochemistry]

The universe is a dick!! Soooo appropriate for an egg retrieval! Could have used a pair of those socks several times in my life! However since 2021 it's been quite the opposite for me so I'll pass :) (typing this with a long long looooong awaited newborn glued onto my chest)

[@Midori4life]

I'm so scared of needles...

[@fungus7851]

It’s so irritating that the woman has to do everything even when it’s male factor issue.

[@Anna-qz6xw]

I would just wait a little esp. if the issue was due to recent COVID infection. Plus if she was breastfeeding through some of the 6 months they tried. But it’s just me. I’m pregnant naturally now at 40y.o. and our first baby is 19 months old. I’m so afraid of IVF. In my home country, two celebrities got terminal brain cancer right after or during being pregnant with IVF baby.

[@Soft_lynnB]

❤❤

[@corgimom5626]

I personally think it is extreme to jump To IVF after 6 months. It is incredibly expensive, unreliable..

[@ctcamara]

😊

[@rachelmctague5921]

“For God so LOVED the world that He gave His One and Only Son, that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. “ - John 3:16 ❤️

[@theresastrenge5933]

“Using embryos,”…children are gifts not commodities.

[@jetawho]

Congratulations!!!

[@chcnsac]

Congratulations!

[@justbykass7540]

Congratulations!!!