Episode 001: This Is Us
Welcome to What The Fertility! For each episode, we will include show notes and highlights on our blog. For our first episode, buckle up… it ends up being 1:30 hours! For our guest, we are clocking in at 45 minute episodes so feel free to break this one in two parts.
PART I - AMANDA’S STORY
In the first half of the episode, Amanda shares her story of trying to conceive. She talks about the long journey it took to get that first positive pregnancy test, her autoimmune diagnosis, miscarriage, rounds of IVF, and lastly embryo adoption. Amanda breaks down the journey that led her to adopting embryos and that ultimately led to her healthy boy, who was born November of this year.
Below is a timeline of Amanda’s journey as well as her protocol for both rounds of IVF.
During this time Amanda read “It Starts with an Egg” and was following a gluten free and dairy free diet. As well as no caffeine, no alcohol, acupuncture weekly and taking DHEA, COQ10, baby aspirin, vitamin D and a prenatal vitamin.
Amanda’s Journey
2018 started TTC
AMH levels checked due to lupus diagnosis- January 2020 (AMH was 0.3)
1st positive pregnancy test- February 2020
Miscarriage - March 2020
OB referred Amanda to Reproductive Endocrinologist and retested AMH hormone- May 2020
IVF Cycle 1- 5 eggs, 3 fertilized, 2 embryos, 0 PGS healthy embryos
-450 Gonal F
-Diluted HCG 40
-HCG 100
-Ganirelex Acetate 250
-Trigger: Lupron
September 2020
IVF Cycle 2- 8 eggs, 6 fertilized, 3 embryos, 0 PGS healthy embryos
-Supplements: DHEA, COQ10, Baby aspirin, Vitamin D, prenatal vitamins
-Priming: Testosterone Cream
-Medications: Clomid 100mg, Gonal F 225mg, Omnitrope 25mg, HCG 60 units, Ganirelix, Trigger- Lupron and HCG
December 2020
Started the process of Embryo Adoption- December 2020
Adoption finalized (adopted 3 PGS tested embryos)- January 2021
Prepped for transfer- February 2021
1st Transfer with adopted embryo - March 2021
Positive pregnancy test and rising beta numbers- March 2021
Amanda was diagnosed with unexplained infertility and has gone through extensive testing. Both Amanda and Chris were tested to see if they were carriers of any genetic disorders however, both came back normal despite having all embryos each round of IVF come back abnormal. This is what led Amanda to look into other options. Embryo adoption allowed Amanda to still carry a baby while having a healthy child. Amanda and Chris welcomed their healthy baby boy November 2021 and have 2 healthy embryos currently frozen in Michigan waiting to be transferred in the years to come!
PART II - Catherine’s Story
In the second half of the episode, Catherine shares her two year experience of recurrent pregnancy loss. She goes into details of all six of her pregnancies as well as her families next steps. Below is a highlight of what Catherine’s journey has looked like so far.
Catherine’s Pregnancy Timeline
February 2020 started TTC
Pregnancy #1 - May 2020
Miscarriage #1 - June 2020; 8 weeks
Pregnancy #2 - July 2020
Miscarriage #2 - July 2020; Chemical 5 weeks
Pregnancy #3 - August 2020
Miscarriage #3 - October 2020; Blighted Ovum 10 weeks
Pregnancy #4 - November 2020
Miscarriage #4 - December 2020; 8 Weeks - Lost Fetal Heart Tones
Pregnancy #5 - June 2021
Miscarriage #5 - July 2021; Chemical 5 weeks
Started IVF - July 2021
Pregnancy #6 - November 2021; IVF Transfer
Miscarriage #6 - November 2021; Chemical 4 weeks
Applied for Newborn Adoption - December 2021!!
Catherine & her husband have unexplained reoccurent loss and no other diagnosis. Two of the six pregnancies were tested for genetic abnormalities and both came back chromosomally normal. Catherine has gone through all of the following testing (& honestly probably more..)
TSH, LH, FSH, T3/T4, AMH, AFC
Lupus Panel, Factor V Clotting Disorder
PTT/aPTT Panel
Anticardiolipin Clotting Panel
3D Ultrasound & Hysteroscopy
Genetic Carrier Screenings (Natera)
Karyotyping
Sperm Analysis (twice!)
HSG & SHG
Beta-2 Glycoprotien
ERA, EMMA, & ALICE
PGT Testing
During these last two years Catherine has adjusted her diet (which was already VERY clean, added in Ubinquinol, Vitamin D, Krill Oil, Prenatal with Folate, Baby Aspirin, and Progesterone Suppositories 3 dpo.) Her RE still gives them greater than a 92% success rate at a live birth. Catherine & her husband plan to go through one more round of IVF to bank some embryos for a potential sibling to their hopeful adoptive first born! During their next round they will be taking an autoimmune approach utilizing Intralipids, extended prednisone, lovenox, and possibly lupron. She cannot wait to share more of her IVF and adoption story with everyone!
See you in the episode!
xo Catherine & Amanda
