Conference moira::parenting_v3

    
    Definitely want to share good thoughts with your friend -- sometimes
    its truely difficult to keep your head up and an optimistic glint
    in your eye, but it certainly makes you feel good when you've got
    it, and that's what I hope for her - courage and a happy beginning!
    
    Monica
    

The hormone tested for in pregnancy tests is hCG which is only
produced by an implanted, fertilized egg.  I don't know exactly
what hormones they give someone going through IVF or GIFT, but
I would suspect that they are FSH, LH (hormones which stimulate
the ovary to produce an egg) and progesterone which builds up
the uterine lining.  

Typical disclaimer:  I'm no medical expert!

And, of course, good thoughts go out...

The hormones given in conjunction with GIFT and IVF are HCG, so you can't
take a pregnancy test early or at home and expect accurate results.  That's
one of the reasons that they do 2 blood tests 3 days apart when they check
to see if you're pregnant after a GIFT cycle.  If the first test, which is
done 2 weeks to the day after the procedure, comes out positive, they do
another blood test 3 days later to confirm the results and check to see
that the hormone numbers are going up.

I wish your friend the best of luck.  Tell her to keep her spirits up, and
that when I had my GIFT cycle done (I only did one), I was absolutely 
positive that it had not worked because I got all the usual cramps a few
days before my period should have started.  I went for the blood test as
scheduled just because I was supposed to, but I was positive that it had
not worked.  Turns out that the cramps I felt were the eggs implanting.
I now have twins thanks to GIFT, and I didn't even want to try GIFT.

If she wants to talk to someone who's been through it, she's welcome to
call me anytime.

Regards,
Cathy

re .0:

Just a nit, but there's no freezing of embryos with GIFT.  With GIFT,
fertilization takes place in the fallopian tubes.

Re. .4

That's not exactly true.  If they harvest more eggs than they plan to
put back during a GIFT procedure (in my case, that would have been anything
over 4, but I only made 3), they do what they call a 'mini-IVF' where they
get another sample from the husband and put that sperm with the extra eggs
in a petrie dish to try to get them to fertilize. Then they freeze the
embryos that are formed, if any.  These can later be implanted in an IVF
procedure, which is what I suspect the basenoter's friend had done and
not another GIFT, at a later date.  It saves the woman from having to
go through all the hormone shots and egg retrieval again.  It is quite
common to do this for women that make a lot of eggs during their cycle.

    Exactly.... I knew what I wanted to say... but for some reason it
    didn't come out....

    In November they GIFTed 3 eggs.... nothing happened!

    They IVFed 3 more, all three fertilized.  All were frozen, but only one
    made it through the freezing and thawing process!

    Total harvest was 6 normal health eggs!

    We keep hoping that the one who survived was hearty enough to implant!

    Thanks for helping me clear this up!

    M-L

    Well.... after all this... the answer is NO this month!  We are all
    very disappointed!

    She will go through the harvesting again, either next month or the
    following month... and hopefully it will happen then!

    Thanks for your good thoughts..... I'm sure they will help when the
    time is right!

    Update:  she went in this past Monday..... 9 this time!  I have not
    spoken to her yet, she sent a message via the net! (My office has
    moved to another facility)

    I am going to call tomorrow to see how she is feeling!  Her worst fear
    is that ALL 9 will take.... I realize (and so does she) that that would
    be a rare instance... but the fear is still there!!!!

    I will keep you all informed of the outcome... the next 2 weeks are the
    "hold our breath time".

    Thanks all, and keep the good vibes flowing!!!

    M-L

They put back all 9 eggs, or they harvested 9 and put back some smaller
number?  Standard procedure at most places is to put back 4, with higher
numbers (usually 6) used if there are particular problems.  I've never
known anyone to put back more than that.  And my doctor said that if I had
made enough eggs so they could have put back 6, we should be prepared for
a discussion on selected termination to reduce the number of babies and give
them better chances of survival.  If they really did put back all 9, which
I'm finding tough to believe, I expect her doctor to have had a similar 
conversation with her prior to the procedure.

I'll be thinking of her and wishing her luck. Let us know what happens.

    Here is the latest update!

    They harvested AND put back all 9 eggs!  4 on one side, and 5 on the
    other!

    At exactly 2 weeks she went in for a blood test... it came back
    positive... but with all the meds she was on, it could have been false. 
    They wanted to do another one in 3 days, if she was pregnant the count
    would triple....

    

    it quadrupled!

    Meaning...... more than one!

    To say the least, they were thrilled.... but scared too!  

    She went in yesterday for her first ultra-sound.... it showed very
    healthy, beating little hearts..... 

    Oh how many????  (ain't I terrible??? to make you wait???)

    


    they are seeing double......... TWINS!!!!!!

    YIPPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    All looks GREAT right now!!!!

    Thanks all for your positive thoughts.....

    Now hurry up Dec. 1..... (or sooner with twins... her birthday is
    DEC.6, and her husbands is Nov. 14.... how nice)

    Will you offer my good wishes and congratulations to your friends.
    
    
    Bernie

    Congratulations to your friends!! I have twins from GIFT, and always
    thought that was such an appropriate acronym.  May she have a very
    healthy pregnancy.

    Now we need your POSITIVE energy.... more than ever!!!
    
    She is home in bed today!  All she told the other sec'y was that she
    was having difficulties today!!!!  She was fine when I saw her
    yesterday afternoon!!!!
    
    I am so worried... I can barely work!  I don't want to call... if she
    is sleeping, I don't want to wake her!!!!
    
    I'll keep you all informed as I know more!
    
    M-L