I have seen a couple of posts asking questions about the IVF process. I thought I would post my personal experience with IVF so that everyone who chooses will better understand what to expect and what the experience is like from my point of view.

Here is my personal experience...... 28 years old, first IVF cycle, infertility due to husband's low sperm motility. IVF is our only option.

The entire process I take "Prima Care" prenatal vitamins, one in the morning, and one at night

1. Feb 3 - Begin taking birth control pills to get my cycle with my doctor's IVF schedule

2. Go to the IVF "training class" and take my meds. Learn how to mix the medications and inject myself with Lupron. Whoever will be giving your injections must attend the class with you. My husband and I also completed several legal documents such as "who would take possession of our frozen embryos upon divorce, death, etc. Lots of questions.

3. Feb. 22- Begin taking Lupron injections to supress my ovaries and keep from ovulating. Small shot I give myself in the morning, doesn't hurt a bit. No side effects for me

4. Begin taking Repronex intramuscular injections to stimulate my follicle growth for about 11 days. These shots I use a 27 guage needle in the hip and they do not hurt at all. Just sore hips. . . no other side effects.

5. Both husband and I begin taking an antibotic twice a day while taking the Repronex for 12 days to prevent infection. This pill made both of us feel nauseated all the time.

6. I take a Diflucan tablet on day 3 of repronex to prevent a yeast infection

7. Visit the doctor about 5 times during this process for ultrasounds and bloodwork. (They check to see if you are developing follicles and if your estrogen level is increasing)

8. Once your follicles are mature (reach 18mm), you will take an HCG trigger shot to cause ovulation in 36 hours. This shot is also intramuscular in the hip with a 27 guage needle. Didn't hurt a bit. The last few days I have felt a bit "bloated" and "icky" feeling with all of these fertility drugs.

9. Egg retreival is scheduled 36 hours after the HCG trigger shot. Your follicles will be "floating around" in your uterus at this time and they will insert a vaginal wand and take out each follicle individually with a needle. I will put under general anethesia and the surgery will take about 1.5 hours.

10. I am currently at this phase (my egg retreival is tommorrow) I have over 20 eggs to retreive!! My husband will have give his "stuff" right after my retreival is over.

11. After the retreival I begin taking two other pills, one every six hours and one every 12 hours. I also begin taking Delostrogen and Progestone intramuscular injections every night. (These injections keep my estrogen levels up and prevent miscarriage) You don't want your estrogen level to crash after you quit taking the Repronex.

12. I wait 3 to 5 days, depending on how the embryos develop.

13. On the day of embryo transfer I take one pill exactly two hours before the transfer. I take a valium with me to take during the transfer process since I will not be put to sleep. Must sign papers at this stage to determine how many embryos to transfer into me.

14. Bed rest for 5 days (very strict) I can sit up to eat and only get up to go to the bathroom. Even showering is not recommended.

15. Bloodwork 5 days after that to check estrogen levels.

16. Pregnancy test 2 weeks after that.

17. If pregnant, ultrasound 6 weeks after implantation to determine how many babies I am having.

18. If pregnant, continued monitoring with the specialist. I will be released to my OBGYN of choice after the first trimester.

The entire process began on Feb. 3
with the birth control pills and will end with around April 3rd when I find out if I am pregnant or not.

Please be in prayer for us. If I get pregnant, our babies will be due around Christmas Day. I can't think of a better Christmas gift!!