IVF Journey: Third IVF day 65

This is my IVF diary. My husband and I have been trying to have a baby for four years now, and have a diagnosis of 'unexplained infertility'. We have finally reached the top of the waiting list for IVF - a form of assisted conception. I'm blogging about what happens as it happens, as a kind of therapy for me and as an awareness raising exercise of what IVF is all about.

Well in the end I returned to Edinburgh for a few days at least, as my Mum preferred to whip off the band aid and try getting on with being by herself. She’s an amazing woman, my Mum.

So, although I didn’t have an appointment any more, I rocked up at the IVF clinic this morning for a blood test (known elsewhere as a beta). I explained that things were complicated because I was recently bereaved, and they squeezed me in.

The husband drove me to the hospital and came in with me, for moral support.

It wasn’t straightforward of course, as I’m not good with the veins. I directed the nurse to the best one but she preferred to try another. Which didn’t work (oh really?!) and she had to bring in another nurse. The second nurse got a little bit out of the vein I had recommended and she said that was enough.

The nurse asked if I’d done a home test and I said yes, two, and that they were positive. She looked confused by me, and said she tried to judge how people were taking the news that they were probably pregnant and that she couldn’t tell with me. I explained that my Dad had died, and then she understood. I think I probably did look a little vacant or bewildered.

The nurse explained that the blood would be tested for levels of HCG and that they were looking for a measure of over 50 to confirm a pregnancy.

I phoned in at lunchtime for the result.

It was engaged.

I tried again.

And the nurse confirmed. Yes, I am pregnant. I am thoroughly pregnant. My HCG level was 543. This was pronounced ‘a healthy level’. Muuuuuuuch more than 50!

I am absolutely delighted. But full-on excitement will come later when this isn’t mixed up with the grieving.

So now I have to up my dose of HRT from three tablets a day to four. Actually I have done this already since the positive test on Sunday as the nurse gave me a heads up that I could do that if I got a positive home test after Saturday. I also have to keep taking the progesterone suppositories. The nurse said I remain on this cocktail ‘until day 49.’ From what point this is being counted I don’t know, I’ll just keep taking them until they tell me to stop.

The next step will be a scan at seven weeks and we have a date for that (20th November). They do them earlier with IVF pregnancies than they do with natural pregnancies, and they do them at the clinic, but I think after that they release you to a midwife to join the normals for the 12 week scan and what comes after.