We got our results back today from the 1st trimester screen. For Down Syndrome, our adjusted risk factor is 1:1500. For the other trisomies, 1:5000. These are good ratios and we don't need to get an amnio done! Yay! We still have another blood test in a couple weeks that will check other markers as well as a detailed ultrasound that will check for chromosomal abnormalities at ~week 20 - but for now, we are looking great!
Also I got my progesterone level checked today as usual and my level rose despite my progesterone dosage being decreased! This is great. So I have one more full week of further decreasing shot dosages, then one more week of every other day shots. On May 10th, I'm DONE with the shots!!!:))))) Yay!!
Monday, April 29, 2013
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
NT scan today
We had our Nuchal Translucency scan today. The scan is a type of ultrasound that measures the thickness of fluid at the back of the neck (aka 'the nuchal fold'). Cutoff values vary but generally, measurements higher than 2.5-3mm are markers for chromosomal abnormalities such as Down Syndrome and Trisomy 18. The NT scan will only detect a certain percentage of abnormalities on it's own - but when done as a part of 1st semester and 2nd semester screening (which are just blood tests: the first I did today and looks at the level of hCG and PAPP-A at 11-14 weeks; the second test is done at 16 weeks and tests levels of hCG, AFP, inhibin A, and estriol 3), it will detect about 90% of pregnancies where the baby has Down Syndrome or Trisomy 18. It will also detect about 80% of babies with an open neural tube defect. This is great because while I do have a relatively low risk of 1:465 of abnormalities, I am not getting any younger. Since I am 34, I want to know my individual risk (not just based on my age) without having to go through invasive testing like CVS or amniocentesis, both of which have risks of miscarriage. The result of the test is not a simple 'positive' or 'negative' - rather, it is a ratio of the likelihood of having a baby with an abnormality. If the ratio is high, we can be more certain our baby is okay. If the ratio is low, then we can see if we want to go on to an amnio and get a more definitive result. I will find out what our ratio is on Monday. At 16 weeks I'll get bloodwork again and they'll give me the final ratio.
Our NT scan went well! Baby was resting but would occasionally hop around. It was moving it's arms and legs around too. It kept touching it's face like it was thinking or wiping it's brow:) The measurements of the nuchal fold ranged from 1.5-2.1mm - normal range, especially with baby's crown to rump length (CRL). The allowable measurement for the nuchal fold increases with increased CRL. Our baby is measuring 13w2d today too. This is also a good sign as sometimes slow growth rate can be a marker of problems too. Baby is nearly a week ahead! Again, doesn't change my due date - that's just how the baby is growing right now. They usually slow down in the 2nd trimester. Here are a couple pics (the 2nd pic is where baby was touching it's face:)
Our NT scan went well! Baby was resting but would occasionally hop around. It was moving it's arms and legs around too. It kept touching it's face like it was thinking or wiping it's brow:) The measurements of the nuchal fold ranged from 1.5-2.1mm - normal range, especially with baby's crown to rump length (CRL). The allowable measurement for the nuchal fold increases with increased CRL. Our baby is measuring 13w2d today too. This is also a good sign as sometimes slow growth rate can be a marker of problems too. Baby is nearly a week ahead! Again, doesn't change my due date - that's just how the baby is growing right now. They usually slow down in the 2nd trimester. Here are a couple pics (the 2nd pic is where baby was touching it's face:)
Monday, April 22, 2013
Today's progesterone level
I had my progesterone level checked this morning and my level is way back up to 57. Yay! They are having me decrease my dose from 1.5cc to 1.0cc and retest the level again next Monday. The nurse was so sympathetic when talking to me today though. She said "I know honey, it's almost over". Ugh! I hope so. My butt is so lumpy and swollen from all the needles, I'm going to need a butt transplant once this is all over! We'll see what my level is next week.
We have our nuchal translucency scan tomorrow afternoon. I'm not too worried about it. I don't know if I'm being naïve but I just feel like the test will come back fine. My fingers are still crossed though. Excited to see the baby again and hope we get some more good pictures. Baby is still doing good - I've gotten out the Doppler only every other day since Thursday so I'm getting better (Heh heh!). The heart rate is down to about 150-160 which is exactly what is should be doing. The bpm initially shoots up to 170-180 at around 8-9 weeks and then decreases as it nears the 1st trimester. It gets lower after that but levels out at a rate that is still much higher than the mother's own heart rate.
I also scheduled our gender scan for the 16 week mark on May 18th! Sooooo excited for that one:) We could wait to get it done at our OB's office at 20 weeks, but I want to know as soon as possible so we are going to a private ultrasound clinic. If the baby doesn't cooperate or if it is still too early, we can reschedule for free. I REALLY don't care if it's a boy or girl either way, but I just want to start referring to it as a 'he' or 'she' rather than 'it' and we can start picking names. Plus once we know, then we can start planning out the nursery décor. Fun stuff! My hubby is so excited he has already cleaned out the room that we're planning to use. He is on vacation this week and I got home today to see that he cleared out everything that once was in that room (including the contents of the closet)! LOL!
We have our nuchal translucency scan tomorrow afternoon. I'm not too worried about it. I don't know if I'm being naïve but I just feel like the test will come back fine. My fingers are still crossed though. Excited to see the baby again and hope we get some more good pictures. Baby is still doing good - I've gotten out the Doppler only every other day since Thursday so I'm getting better (Heh heh!). The heart rate is down to about 150-160 which is exactly what is should be doing. The bpm initially shoots up to 170-180 at around 8-9 weeks and then decreases as it nears the 1st trimester. It gets lower after that but levels out at a rate that is still much higher than the mother's own heart rate.
I also scheduled our gender scan for the 16 week mark on May 18th! Sooooo excited for that one:) We could wait to get it done at our OB's office at 20 weeks, but I want to know as soon as possible so we are going to a private ultrasound clinic. If the baby doesn't cooperate or if it is still too early, we can reschedule for free. I REALLY don't care if it's a boy or girl either way, but I just want to start referring to it as a 'he' or 'she' rather than 'it' and we can start picking names. Plus once we know, then we can start planning out the nursery décor. Fun stuff! My hubby is so excited he has already cleaned out the room that we're planning to use. He is on vacation this week and I got home today to see that he cleared out everything that once was in that room (including the contents of the closet)! LOL!
12 week belly pic
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Low progesterone level
I'm 11w4d today and things are going pretty well! However I got my progesterone level checked on Monday (I get weekly progesterone checks as directed by my RE) and it came back pretty low at just 22. It's still a safe level, but my levels are dropping at a rate that they don't like to see. 2 weeks ago it was in the 50s and they reduced my progesterone dose down to 0.7cc shots every night. Last week it was 32. They told me to continue with 0.7cc. But Monday it dropped again so they are more than doubling my dose back up to 1.5cc! UGH!! I am told that this is all pretty normal but it still makes me uneasy. They are currently trying to wean me off of the progesterone-in-oil shots (PIO) and it's sort of a trial and error type thing so they are telling me that the low level is seen quite frequently. Once they increase the doses, the levels pop right back up again. I thought I was getting so close to being done with these shots though! The nurse I talked to said that usually women who had a Lupron trigger go off of the shots around 14-15 weeks. That's 3-4 more weeks! UUUUGGHHHH! Anyway, whatever lets me keep my baby, I'll be fine with!
The process of weaning occurs over several weeks where they gradually reduce my dose until my levels stabilize - then they reduce more until eventually I don't need the shots anymore. Right after egg retrieval and embryo transfer, women undergoing IVF don't make enough progesterone to support a pregnancy due to the fertility drugs and surgical procedures. In a normal menstrual cycle, usually one egg is released from a mature follicle during ovulation. The follicle sticks around forming a cyst-like structure called the corpus luteum that produces progesterone. This is what keeps the uterine lining from shedding if an embryo implants into the uterine wall. If implantation does not occur, the corpus luteum fades away, progesterone levels drop which triggers the uterus to release it's lining - resulting in a period. In IVF our eggs are surgically removed from the follicles which prevents a corpus luteum from forming and producing enough progesterone. Plus, with women given a lupron trigger (which is what I received) their ovaries are totally shut down which results in absolutely no progesterone being produced. With women who take the normal hCG trigger, some progesterone is still able to be produced because the ovaries aren't completely shut down - it's definitely not enough progesterone, but it's something. So we are either given progesterone suppositories or shots to keep our levels high enough so the uterus maintains it's lining and thus produces a healthy pregnancy. At some point close to the end of the first trimester, the placenta takes over progesterone production and usually progesterone support can be stopped. I am 1.5 weeks away from the end of the 1st trimester so theoretically my placenta should be ready to take over soon. But with women who had the lupron trigger, extra care needs to be taken to ensure that the placenta will be able to produce a level high enough so we may be on supplements for a bit longer. We'll see what my levels are next Monday but I'm definitely feeling the effects of the higher dose. Evil progesterone! I am so bloated today that I look like I'm 5 mos preggo! Glad I don't have to get a belly pic taken today - we'll see what it looks like on Saturday though. It may be worse!!
So the Doppler has been coming out daily since this progesterone stuff has been making me a bit uneasy. I found baby really easily Monday and today but yesterday was really tough and I got pretty freaked out! Turns out baby was hanging out on the right side instead of it's usual left side. I guess it just decided to go for a swim or something;) I didn't realize they could move that far though. Well, it took me 20 nerve-wreaking minutes, but I did find baby yesterday and was able to breathe a sigh of relief! Everyday baby's heartbeat was right on track, still between 160-170. So all I can do is assume everything in there is going great! I am just so thankful that I am getting my levels checked weekly. I think they are checking them so often because like I said above, I had the Lupron trigger. I don't know if women who had the regular hCG shot get monitored this closely.
The process of weaning occurs over several weeks where they gradually reduce my dose until my levels stabilize - then they reduce more until eventually I don't need the shots anymore. Right after egg retrieval and embryo transfer, women undergoing IVF don't make enough progesterone to support a pregnancy due to the fertility drugs and surgical procedures. In a normal menstrual cycle, usually one egg is released from a mature follicle during ovulation. The follicle sticks around forming a cyst-like structure called the corpus luteum that produces progesterone. This is what keeps the uterine lining from shedding if an embryo implants into the uterine wall. If implantation does not occur, the corpus luteum fades away, progesterone levels drop which triggers the uterus to release it's lining - resulting in a period. In IVF our eggs are surgically removed from the follicles which prevents a corpus luteum from forming and producing enough progesterone. Plus, with women given a lupron trigger (which is what I received) their ovaries are totally shut down which results in absolutely no progesterone being produced. With women who take the normal hCG trigger, some progesterone is still able to be produced because the ovaries aren't completely shut down - it's definitely not enough progesterone, but it's something. So we are either given progesterone suppositories or shots to keep our levels high enough so the uterus maintains it's lining and thus produces a healthy pregnancy. At some point close to the end of the first trimester, the placenta takes over progesterone production and usually progesterone support can be stopped. I am 1.5 weeks away from the end of the 1st trimester so theoretically my placenta should be ready to take over soon. But with women who had the lupron trigger, extra care needs to be taken to ensure that the placenta will be able to produce a level high enough so we may be on supplements for a bit longer. We'll see what my levels are next Monday but I'm definitely feeling the effects of the higher dose. Evil progesterone! I am so bloated today that I look like I'm 5 mos preggo! Glad I don't have to get a belly pic taken today - we'll see what it looks like on Saturday though. It may be worse!!
So the Doppler has been coming out daily since this progesterone stuff has been making me a bit uneasy. I found baby really easily Monday and today but yesterday was really tough and I got pretty freaked out! Turns out baby was hanging out on the right side instead of it's usual left side. I guess it just decided to go for a swim or something;) I didn't realize they could move that far though. Well, it took me 20 nerve-wreaking minutes, but I did find baby yesterday and was able to breathe a sigh of relief! Everyday baby's heartbeat was right on track, still between 160-170. So all I can do is assume everything in there is going great! I am just so thankful that I am getting my levels checked weekly. I think they are checking them so often because like I said above, I had the Lupron trigger. I don't know if women who had the regular hCG shot get monitored this closely.
11 week belly pic
Ugh! Getting really bloated! Nearly popping outta my pants on this one:(
FYI - I've been a slacker getting these posted! Even though I've been posting these pics on odd days (today I'm 11w4d) the pics are all taken at XXweeks0days (ie: Saturdays for me). Maybe this Saturday I'll actually post the pic after we take it;)
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