#5 Stages of IVF

[softpine]

rambling about my brainstorming process for frozen pines in novel form, thought maybe someone would be interested in hearing it too :)

i considered having finn be the same age as caroline and co. so that the adults would have a more solid connection to finn's side of the plot later, but that never would have worked because if finn had met them while he was alive he would have gotten along with them like a house on fire... he never would've been lonely enough for the story to work. beth would take him under her wing because you know she loves a violent little spitfire, caroline would murder his parents (okay maybe not but she would definitely help him run away), and finn would start a shitty garage band with danny. the end.

so instead i decided that caroline, beth, and danny would be 5-6 years older than finn, so they were never attending the same school at the same time, but they were close enough in age that they felt the societal effects after his murder. i need asa's story to take place during the early 2000s because smart phones solve too many issues too quickly and i'm sick of it. anyway, the way it works out is that asa is born right after finn dies. so there's a bit of extra cosmic weirdness happening there. that means asa is born in the mid-80s so it makes sense why he and his family are treated so badly by the rest of the town, because like his mom was a biracial pregnant teenager whose boyfriend left her and shacked up with a woman... for simplicity's sake i'm having danny live in LA, so from the outside looking in, it seems like he's not involved in asa's life. danny is not very successful in his career in this iteration so he doesn't have the money to keep traveling back and forth like he does in frozen pines.

also, i'm majorly simplifying the camellia family situation (sadly isa is going to have to be a man because we simply can't have a lesbian couple in the 60s having a baby from IVF...) but stevie is still asa's cousin and she's still trans but this is 2001 so it takes many more years to get there and the journey is just different. i'm still trying to decide if i want asa to be the only POV character (aside from the prologue which is finn, but that's the only time we're getting finn's POV) so things will change depending on whether we're seeing her solely from asa's point of view or not. i'm still very early stages so idk yet. but either way, at the start of the book when they're all 17, she's still going by jett and using he/him etc. i keep messing up and writing stevie and i don't notice for multiple paragraphs 😭 it feels bad but i think it will be worth it because her side of the story will feel more poignant with a slow burn

basically i'm trying to make this as realistic as possible while still not having the queer characters be miserable all the time, but also not having their only plot motivation be 'being queer' because even though i obviously am appreciative of how far we've come with media, i hate how so much queer media boils down to being good representation these days. i find it so boring and limiting and also impossible to achieve that standard because everyone has a different idea of "good" representation.

anyway, it helps that caroline & beth are serving as a beacon of acceptance for the other queer characters - like, of course asa is more likely to come out as gay at a younger age when he knows his parents will accept him, and of course stevie is going to be more likely to find out that transitioning is even an option when she has already has a built in support system (especially because cara & beth lived in big cities where the scene is totally different and they can share that knowledge with her). so there are still going to be feel-good moments, just not in the same unrealistic, wish-fulfillment way that i used to write frozen pines. not that i have any regrets; i needed to see a more accepting world and i had a lot of fun sharing it with you all.

oh, also i scrapped the idea of them living in a small coastal town because stephen king has thoroughly cornered that market lmao and the only reason i wanted to do that anyway was because i loved brindleton bay so much. but now i get to choose whatever i want so i'm sticking with what i know and they're going to live in the midwest. so i can still get some of those small town corn field no grocery store for miles kind of vibes while also being conveniently close to a medium size city.

if anyone remembers me saying i might have to merge elaine and jada into one character to make them both more relevant... i've decided not to do that. but the only way i can make this work is by giving elaine a special ability too, so she's got alisa's power and alisa is no more. i thought about making stevie be the only one without an ability so we could get the "normal outsider" perspective, but ultimately i decided she needs to have one too or the group feels too disconnected. SOOO what we're working with now is: asa can see ghosts, jada can see deaths before they happen, elaine can see thoughts/memories of whoever she touches, and stevie can see the past but only in her dreams. i like that they're all sight-based and related to memories (ghosts are just another type of memory if you think about it). it puts in contrast finn's complete inability to see his own past. plus it gives the friends a reason to stick together and an explanation for their abilities -- they all appeared at the same time, when they witnessed aileen's death.

now that i'm writing this all out, i'm feeling like i need to have rotating POVs..... i just don't think i can accomplish all of this backstory and still have it feel meaningful without getting it from all sides. hm.

[randomfoggytiger]

UPDATED: Scully's Abduction, Emily Sim, and the Lost Scully Baby

SOLVING SCULLY'S ABDUCTION DATES

The answer to the question of when Scully was returned differs here and there. Sometime after 11/2/94 and on or before 11/11/94 seems to be the consensus: themareks posits November 2nd, xfilestimeline.net guesses in-between the 2nd and 11th, and epguides stands by the 11th as both One Breath's airdate and Scully's reappearance.

But how long was Scully gone?

Mulder states in Emily: "She [Scully] was missing for four weeks. That's documented in the file." And to further back up that abduction timeline, Mulder later finds a medical paperwork in the nursing home containing Scully's full name next to a hard-to-miss date: 13/10/94.

**UPDATE**: I have been informed that not only was Scully kidnapped on August 8th (Duane Barry) but also that Chris Carter acknowledged the fault in his timeline. If that be the case, Scully was likely abducted from August 8th to November 2nd - 11th. November 11th as a return date makes the most sense, unless one believes the Consortium would return her the same day Emily was born.

The documented 13/10 on Scully's paperwork, then, takes place two months after her abduction; and would seem to be the date her ova were extracted (unless Scully hadn't been tagged in the Project's system, yet; which is unlikely.)

On a side note: What a monumentally cruel move, to have her ova extracted on Mulder's birthday. (I'll bet it was Carl Spender's doing.)

WAS SCULLY IMPREGNATED DURING HER ABDUCTION?

Mulder's filed report contains another tidbit he never shared with his partner: it states (as read aloud by the official overseeing Emily's custody case) that Scully was "subjected to a series of experiments where... they extracted her ova."

The episode divulges the 'how's a few scenes later: abductees or unwitting volunteers were put into "beauty sleep" by the Syndicate doctors before being injected with a series of enhanced drugs to stimulate ovulation for extraction. Essentially, the women were put through a process similar to the early stages of IVF treatments, for far more nefarious purposes.

**UPDATE**: After the extracted ova were combined with suitable sperm or cloned with alien DNA, they were either grown in tubes or jars or vats of liquid. In Emily's case, she was used as a two-fold vehicle: hybridization, and elderly reproductive research (hence, the eight retiree women in Dr. Calderon's control group.) While her conception-- sometime post 10/13-- and birth-- 11/2-- occurred while Scully was still missing, we are told in Season 5 that it was Anna Fugazzi, one of the control group women, that gave birth to her; and that statement is backed up with proof of how and why. Which would make sense, since Scully was extensively tested after her return (Mulder later states that medical exams can prove she hasn't given birth.)

NURSING HOME MOTHERS

As is the end result of man playing God, the Syndicate pushed the bounds of their "science" by dabbling with the unconscionable: they darkened the doors of nursing homes, developed hosts for their hybrid babies by "stimulating" the reproductive abilities of older women through "beauty sleep." These women were the perfect targets, either too confused or uninformed to fully articulate what was happening to them; and Dr. Calderon and his cohorts banked on repeating their experimental process until death claimed their patients in natural or unnatural ways. (Unfortunately for Dr. Calderon, his aspirations were cut short when Mulder threatened exposure.)

THE ROANOKE SCULLY

What's even worse?

While investigating the nursing home, Mulder not only finds the aforementioned paperwork listing Scully's full name and possible abduction date but also a corresponding fetus, alive and kicking, in its own little container of green fluid.

This, too, was Scully's child; and it, too, was likely killed or discarded as medical waste during the Consortium's coverup.

"NATURAL", CLONE, OR HYBRID?

Though not entirely explained in Emily (or after), the fetuses grew at unimaginably rapid rates from conception to "birth" in a month's time; but the cost of accelerated growth sacrificed their health, causing the babies born to be dependent on consistent injections of their mysterious gestation fluid in order to survive.

What were those babies, then? Clones? Hybrids? Fully human?

**UPDATE**: Emily Sim was explicitly stated to be a clone, created under Dr. Calderon's branch of Syndicate-backed research. Unlike Dr. Parenting, who specialized in studying "purer" alien babies, Calderon was attempting-- like the rest of his overlords-- to combine human genetics with alien physiology to better combat Colonization.

What about the Scully fetus? Well, it, too, was already developed (probably rapidly grown) in a tube of origin; it, too, was about to be implanted in the retiree women; and it, too, subsisted on the same green liquid that kept Emily alive. In short: it was part of the same hybrid program as the Sim girl.

CONCLUSIONS

Not only was Scully never pregnant but she was also never abducted more than once, making her an anomaly even amongst the other MUFON women.

She was abducted only because she was a threat to the Project-- CSM's comment in Sleepless prove that to be the case-- and was returned only to die (i.e. CSM handing her over so she could have an "honorable" end near her loved ones.) Unlike the other MUFON women, who were returned healthy enough to survives and became return abductees, Scully was supposed to be a dead-end one-off. (But, as always, CSM kept changing the Syndicate's plans based on him whims: hence, her abduction; hence, her return; hence his offer to cure her cancer; hence, his power-tripping road trip.) In short, she was considered disposable waste by a cabal who viewed other humans as means to an end.

Emily, too, was ultimately doomed to die after the Consortium or Dr. Calderon tired of his experiments; and if it hadn't been for Melissa Scully's ghostly interference, Emily Sim would have been torn from her parents the minute they stopped towing the line and raised elsewhere as a lab rat-- unloved and, again, tossed aside when deemed no longer necessary.

Finally, there's still one Scully child unaccounted for.

Existence begun and ended in obscurity, it was likely squirreled away or destroyed along with any remaining evidence of Dr. Calderon's work-- a cut loose end from a man no longer needed by his overlords.

However, the thought that Mulder was the only person other than its merciless creators to behold this tiny fetus is one best pondered on a dark, lonely night when in the mood for either melancholy or heart failure.

Thank you for reading~

Enjoy!

[mayasdeluca]

Could you rate Marina scenes but only.from s7.

Ik it wasnt perfect and kinda rushed but we had so many cute stuff

Sorry for the delay! This took some time and I'm still not sure of my ranking because some of these were tough. We did get some great scenes despite them ultimately doing Marina dirty in Season 7 IMO. A lot of stuff brushed under the rug/put in wordless montages that was really frustrating after waiting so long for certain storylines to wrap up and come to fruition but this is how I would rank them.

This would be my top 5 and then the rest under the cut:

7x04: truth or scared scene. so good. finally got to hear them express their fears to one another. (crazy how they all ended up becoming reality during the season) and then of course the cuddling scene at the end and carina sleeping in maya’s neck like we all knew she did <3 lovely to see and bonus that it was directed by Stefania.

2. 7x05: in maya’s bunk. top tier. everything about this scene is perfect. carina waiting for maya while wearing her sfd clothes. liam there. maya freaking out when she sees carina’s bloody shirt. carina having to tell maya she can’t get pregnant and maya immediately wanting to fix it and suggesting her eggs. maya finally speaking italian to her wife. i’m so glad we got this and in the 100th episode makes it even more meaningful <3

3. 7x10: we’re pregnant. two babies. i love this scene even if i wish we got more of an initial reaction to them finally seeing each other after all the wildfire stress. but the payoff of carina finally getting to tell maya she’s pregnant was beautiful and so special. the spinning kiss parallel to their proposal scene felt meaningful also. they finally had their moment <3

4. 7x09: i’d rather focus on my hot wife. 10/10 great scene. the foreshadowing of this is definitely evil but it's probably the sexiest thing we got of the season and didn't disappoint. Danielle and Stefania truly delivered as they always do when getting the material.

5. 7x01: Hi little Liam. We’d like to be your moms. I love this scene. Maya being the one to suggest adoption, saying they can still have their plans to get pregnant, listing all the reasons it makes sense for them. Carina being so happy and the way Maya looks at her at the end as Carina is looking at Liam and Liam looking up at both of them. I’ll always wish we got more of the beginning stages of Marina bringing Liam home from the hospital/introducing him to the team etc. but this scene was really good. The start of them finally becoming moms <3

Now the rest. I don't know if the 7x09 cliffhanger technically counts because they don't interact in it but I have to shout it out/put it close to the top because it's still so beautifully done and intertwined both of them together in such an amazing way. Just such a shame that they didn't pay it off that well.

6. 7x09: scene in kitchen. mutual i love you’s finally, the ultrasound picture on the fridge, maya wearing the jacket she wore when they first met. another great scene that gave us so many good things.

7. 7x05: FaceTime maya carina liam. super cute. we got probie and babe and maya in her class A’s. 

8. 7x08: opening montage scene of ivf process/embryo transfer. loved this scene, glad we got to see some of it on tv for once that just involved the two of them. i think out of all their wordless montage scenes in the season, this is the one that actually made sense to be a montage but some of us were so frustrated with them already having a lot of those scenes already that we wished there was dialogue. but i think it was nice seeing the process being done, the way they were looking at each other with complete heart eyes, maya holding carina’s hand every step of the way and then carina explaining things to maya on the ultrasound photo. and i love that it was the first scene of the episode. and then the transition to them at the clinic and maya being all protective of carina moving heavy things? 10/10

9. 7x07: scene in the beginning with liam is adorable. maya testing carina for her meeting about the lawsuit, maya and liam both crying and carina comforting them both. all it was missing was a kiss of some sort, don’t know why they didn’t add that. also carina calling herself mommy felt wrong

10. 7x04: getting locked out of the house. peak comedy. carina saying she wants to fight. love seeing them bicker like an old married couple lol "i’m married to maya bishop, of course my car is locked"

11. 7x06: at the clinic. maya being all smitten at the idea of carina being pregnant. i’m so glad we at least got this since we never got to see maya around a pregnant carina…we were so robbed of that

12. 7x08: over protective maya about the embryo transfer at the clinic and wanting carina to take it easy…adorable. the little bits we got of her being that way since we didn’t get to see it while carina was actually pregnant but i love that carina also reassures her she’s fine and still capable of doing things.

13. 7x09: in the tent, worried wives and ‘see you at home’ short but sweet

14. 7x09: texting scene. lasagna mention. super cute and bonus carina/liam cuteness 

15. 7x06: joe’s bar. annoyed they cut the kiss which was a theme this season but i really liked this scene. maya being a cute yapper while carina amusingly listens to her wife and them talking about mason and their parents and bringing it back to them having their own kids. carina telling maya she’s going to be a good mom…it was just a cute married domestic scene at their place.

16. 7x01: talking about getting house. Carina saying ‘your apartment’ stings even if I get she’s saying it because of the bad memories. seeing Carina with Liam in the beginning and Maya saying she did everything she could to save his bio mom was cute. our house. our home. this scene is cute but the fact that they didn’t just let them kiss properly is annoying and then we got the awkward angle instead. 

17. 7x08: in the lounge talking about liam and the bio dad. love how carina leans into maya’s chest and maya kisses the top of her head. wish it wasn’t so quick but it was a nice scene

18. 7x02: Carina getting sued: Maya being supportive of Carina from the jump was cute and the little touches throughout the scene was so them. and Maya basically making sure everything was taken care of and leading the way once they got the call to get Liam? my heart

19. 7x04: discussing attachment parenting and their different styles. i found this scene to be very interesting and to hear maya's POV of why she felt the way she did and it made sense for her stance to be what it was while carina felt the opposite. thought it was nice to hear them talk about it in a healthy way despite them disagreeing.

20. 7x04: the fight in liam’s room. lots of mixed feelings with this scene. i know people think Carina always pushes Maya too hard but i also think she should be able to talk about the tough things with her wife at times. it shouldn’t just be a ‘therapy’ thing when Carina is just trying to figure out where Maya is coming from. it’s also interesting to me how Maya always goes to bring up Carina’s father whenever she gets confronted with something by Carina, i wish that was something that was addressed. i also understand Maya is still working on herself and so getting defensive and walking out is still something she does and i don’t blame her for that. but part of me does wish we would have gotten to see them grow from this as it was already a step in the right direction after the fighting in season 3 (and we all know how maya handled that) but to finally get to see them ‘fight’ and discuss something without Maya walking away. 

21. 7x08: marina walking into the engagement party and telling the team about being on track to adopt liam. glad we got this moment and the team being happy for them. 

22. 7x02: Marina Clinic Scenes (I’m just grouping them altogether as one since they weren’t technically alone for any of them but still had some moments) love the look Carina gives Maya when she says “That’s what I said” about never having kids. Carina helping Maya with her gown, seeing them work together to figure out the illness the woman had, it was nice seeing them work together in that element like that (though i still think it was a missed opportunity for them to deal with a contagious situation and one of them catching something/worrying about liam but there was already a lot going on plus the suing situation at the end)

23. 7x04: Maya with the drill in the beginning. Carina with liam was adorable but it felt a little forced that Carina just couldn’t get a diaper herself lol

24. 7x07: end scene. having the box hit Maya’s boobs so they can’t kiss? stupid and unnecessary. only good things were the hand holding and amore mio. the double standards between all the couples sex scenes were trash as we’ve all said. 

25. 7x10: the flash forwards. idk if these count but they were fine. Maya’s showing them both giving birth was unexpected but i am glad we got the vision of carina giving birth to their baby. Carina’s only showing some weirdly placed photoshoot was underwhelming though.

26. 7x02: bringing Liam to the station…the fact that this was just a wordless montage really upsets me. I think this moment deserved way more. I get that it was Jack’s moment/episode but Marina had been waiting for this for so long and we deserved to see them excited and having the team excited with dialogue that they were finally bringing their baby home with them. 

27. 7x03: montage scene(s) - if these even count…I think we all know how ridiculous it was that this it the only content they got in the Pride episode and while it was sweet seeing the three of them in their new home and getting to dance and have their moment as a family…they deserved so much better and so much more. 

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Walter Einenkel at Daily Kos:

Illinois Sen. Tammy Duckworth took Donald Trump to the cleaners during her speech at Tuesday night’s Democratic National Convention. Duckworth, a veteran who lost both legs in the Iraq War, went straight at Donald Trump for nearly five minutes straight.

[...]

“So let me say to every would-be parent: I see you. I'm with you,” Duckworth said. “And together in November, we'll send a message to old cadet bone spurs: Stay out of our doctors offices! And while you're at it, out of the Oval Office too!” The crowd loved that. “My struggle with infertility was more painful than any wound I earned on the battlefield,” Duckworth continued. “So how dare a convicted felon like Donald Trump treat women! Seeking health care like they're the ones breaking the law? How dare JD Vance criticize childless women on cable news, then vote against legislation that would have actually helped Americans to start families? “How dare the GOP endanger the dreams of countless veterans whose combat wounds prevent them from having kids without IVF? Punishing our heroes for their willingness to serve. It's simple, every American deserves the right to be called Mommy or Daddy without being treated like a criminal. Kamala Harris believes that. So let's make some history.”

Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth delivered a blistering rebuke to Cadet Bone Spurs and gave a robust defense of IVF last night on the DNC stage in Chicago. #DNC2024 #DemConvention

[tom--22--felton]

Repost from @bristololdvic1766 - Louise Brown, the world’s first IVF baby, popped into rehearsals to visit the cast of #AChildofScience.

 

Louise (@louisejoybrown), a proud Bristolian, spoke with the cast and shared her excitement for the show in her hometown ahead of its world premiere. 

The production tells the incredible story of the creation of IVF by pioneers Patrick Steptoe (played by #JamieGlover), Robert Edwards (played by @t22felton), and Jean Purdy (played by @megkbellamy), along with the brave women who made it possible. 

 

Don’t miss Louise at the Stage Talk on Wed 26 Jun when she will be joined by writer Gareth Farr. Head to our website to book your spot.

 

📸 @joncraig_photos

 

📆 5 Jun – 6 Jul 

📍 Bristol Old Vic Theatre 

🎟️ Tickets from £10 (plus concessions)

 

 #IVF #BristolOldVic #AChildOfScience #WorldPremiere

[chaoskirin]

Hey, I just want to talk about the Alabama ruling that frozen embryos are children, and why this shows a distinct lack of science education and why the ruling is bullshit. (and also how the ruling is designed to harm women/"keep women in line.")

Frozen embryos are not children. Blastocysts (the stage at which an embryo is frozen) has about 100 cells and is about 5 days old at the time of freezing. The cells are undifferentiated, which are also called "stem cells." This means that the cells CAN (and if implanted, will differentiate) into the systems that will eventually lead to a full organism. Right now, the blastocyst does not have a heart, lungs, brain, or any other organ. It's alive in the sense that individual cells are alive, but there is no consciousness. It's not human. The cells will rapidly divide, but so do epithelial cells. So do cancer cells. If you wouldn't consider a liver tumor a child, you cannot consider a blastocyst a child.

This ruling is designed to "keep women in line." Currently, anyone with a uterus can have an IVF procedure in order to have a child without having heterosexual sex. Anyone capable can undergo an IVF procedure to be a surrogate for a gay relationship, or a relationship in which neither person can undergo "natural" pregnancy. A single cis woman, or even a trans man, who has no desire to be in a relationship can also undergo IVF to become a single parent. The ruling that blastocysts are children means that clinics will close (because if blastocysts in cold storage die, the clinic then becomes responsible) and these categories of people will no longer be able to have children. This forces heterosexual relationships in which an AFAB woman is beholden (or at least attached) to a cis man to have children.

The only argument being made is solely religious, and solely based on bad interpretation of scripture. The bible says nothing about terminating pregnancy, and the entire abortion debate is about control.

[nerdragenewvegas]

This is so totally not to do with fallout but I wanted to talk about this personal thing and maybe i dunno? See if anyone can provide advice? Vent??? (under the cut, CW: prescription drug dependency, opiates, ketamine, drug rehab and detox, pregnancy, IVF, infertility, family planning, reproductive health.)

Right so getting personal here but I've hit a point where I cannot afford to put off having kids anymore. I have always, always wanted to be a parent, but I have the triple whammy of PCOS, adenomyosis and endometriosis and my husband and I have been trying to get pregnant since... I've lost track, but it was before we even got married. I'd say we're closing in on around 4 or 5 years now and we've been together for 8 years.

We've been to several fertility specialists and my issue is that I just don't ovulate like I should. Everything else is fine -- thankfully my uterine tissue is fine despite the adeno, and we've surgically got my endo under control, but PCOS means I just don't drop eggs like I'm meant to. (Although, recently, I've like, shed weight thanks to my new ADHD medication which has overcome my insulin resistance and I ovulated last month! So who knows?)

Anyway, all this to say that I'm running out of time now and we're going to start the IVF process next year. Thankfully my odds are extremely good and (touch wood) we're likely to get lucky quickly. IVF is invasive and expensive and I am terrified but I figure I'm gonna go through birth eventually, right? May as well get scared early and get used to it. (When I say IVF is invasive I mean we went through a cycle once before and it was so traumatising to me despite everything going fine that it inspired me to write Embryology, which is a body-horror fic lmao.)

However,

These medical conditions also cause me a lot of pain. Like, a lot, chronically. I have been in pain since I was 12 and started getting periods and I've been on opiates (legally and under medical supervision) for well, well over a decade. They're awesome, they have improved my quality of life drastically. I'm able to walk my dog, go to the grocery store, hold down a job and go to the gym every second day -- which I couldn't without them.

I don't abuse my opiates. I see my doctor once a month and see a pain management specialist annually to evaluate my pain and the best way to treat it and how I'm going, which is required before you can get the kind of prescription I have in my country (this is also overseen by the government, who provide my doctor with a permit after assessments that allow them to prescribe me) I have never had a dose increase and they're totally happy with my use. I am 100% aware that opiates are scary and dangerous and cause a lot of heartache for people but I assure you that in my case it is responsibly managed and safe.

The issue, though, is that I'm getting pregnant (hopefully) next year. This means that before I undergo my first IVF cycle, I have to go off opiates. Psychologically, I'm fine with this. I want a baby more than I want opiates, and thankfully, it's almost guaranteed that pregnancy will actually stop my pain as endo and adeno pain has, as we've seen in studies, always responded well to pregnancy for the duration of it.

But physically? I have an opiate dependency. This is the physical response to withdrawal of a drug, and it happens with any drug. (There's a lot of things that your body with develop a chemical reliance on in some way that aren't drugs, too!) It's nothing to be ashamed of and I'm not ashamed of it at all.

There's no way around it, even if I am not psychologically dependant on opiates and have no history of abuse or misuse, my body is a different story and I am going to have to go through a detox stage. In a lot of parts of the world including the western world, this is done through a weening process or by swapping whatever opiate a person is using to a more controlled substance like Suboxone (which I am avoiding) and then weening off the 'safer,' controlled, replacement opiate instead.

This would suck. If you've never had opiate withdrawls, imagine you have the worst flu ever -- no cough or fever, but you feel like you have a fever. You get a runny nose and sore throat, you get congested, your eyes start to burn, your skin starts to sting, your joints hurt. You sweat through your clothes and sheets at night and during the day you feel like you have a fever even if you don't have one. Oh, and the shitting. You don't stop shitting. It starts as run of the mill diahhoreah and then turns into water. You eat, get debilitating stomach and digestive tract pain as the food works its way through you and then it comes out two hours later as water. It's never ending. You shit oil after a while. If you didn't have TMJ beforehand, withdrawals will give you TMJ. Your teeth will hurt and, to top it off, opiate withdrawals cause insomnia. Even once you pass out from exhaustion from shitting for 8 hours straight, you will wake up every five minutes and go into a cycle of 'wake up,' 'stay awake for give minutes,' 'pass out from exhaustion again,' 'wake up five minutes later.' You cannot sit still. It is pure agony.

This would take months. I would be physically unwell the whole time, being that sick for that long would probably fuck with my mental health, and even once it's out of my system -- a lot of the time, your brain matter never forgets opiates. You can be fine for years and then see something and your neurons will involuntarily fire off and your opioid receptors will start SCREAMING for opiates.

However, I'm really, extremely lucky and ketamine treatment is being offered in my country for detox and rehabilitation from opiates!

This means that instead of the agonizing weening process that can take months and even years in cases worse than mine, I spend a week in hospital under medical supervision with a constant drip of ketamine until I've fully detoxed. Ketamine is actually a really incredible drug when it comes to medical uses (I already have a prescription for something called a troche, which is a microdose that you dissolve in your mouth. I use it for when I have a cyst burst and need immediate pain relief while my other medication kicks in.) It's not just used as an analgesic or anaesthetic anymore and you've probably read about it being used to treat PTSD or treatment resistant depression. (I can definitely attest that my mood as someone with bipolar disorder and PTSD has been the most stable it's ever been since starting to use it, which is a side bonus.)

There's a lot of studies and evidence that ketamine actually re-sets or re-wires your brain's pathways, which is why opioid infusions are used for chronic neuropathic pain a lot. The idea is that a long and low dose of ketamine is delivered with a pump at regular intervals around the clock so you basically spend a full week or so having your brain's pathways re-programmed and your opiate receptors renovated.

This means that I'll both be made comfortable during withdrawal (ketamine is shown to lessen the neuropathic and painful withdrawal symptoms, but as I'm in a hospital with nurses who are specifically trained to handle withdrawal cases, I'll also be given supporting medication for the diarrhea, restlessness etc) but it'll give my brain somewhat of a clean slate, meaning I should (fingers crossed) be able to live the rest of my life without feeling random cravings.

The biggest benefit to this is that it should re-wire my brain's pain pathways (which are worn the fuck out from feeling pain for decades -- think of it like having an ass groove in a couch and picking up the cushion and beating the shit out of it until the groove is gone,) meaning that my body may feel my usual pain as lesser and that regular pain medication like ibuprofen or tylenol (panadol for us Australians) will have a far better chance of working as well on my brain as opiates do, just without the buzz.

So it's a slam dunk win and I'm absolutely taking it, but a week on ketamine is still scary. During infusions, they start you on a microdose and then work your dosage up until they work out what your limit is before you venture into a k-hole and then reduce it to the highest level they can give you without sending you to space, but it's still going to be enough that I will experience some psychedelic effects and hallucinations.

I'll be safe and cared for but given that I do have some trauma I'm a little frightened. My specialist has warned me that it might bring that up in ways I won't expect and I might get a bit distressed at times and even feel a little mentally freaked out -- which is all normal because I'm on fucking ketamine duh -- but that's still a terrifying prospect, to have to do that for an entire week.

My long term plan is that once I have this baby, I'm getting a hysterectomy as we're pretty confident that most of my pain comes from my adenomyosis, which should make it manageable afterwards, even without opiates. I have something of a light at the end of the tunnel and it's, hopefully opiate free, and that sounds nice. Not that I have a problem with opiates -- honestly, if I could stay on them forever I would because they let me live a life and I love that peace of mind knowing it's there if I get hit with debilitating pain again. But the stigma and judgement around it and the way unfamiliar doctors and nurses treat me when they find out I take opiates (even with a prescription and all that supervision and all those safety checks!) is just awful, and the way people choose to see me because of legal medication I take -- I'm refused treatment for unrelated things so often because doctors see that on my medication list and assume I'm drug seeking. HUGE CN HERE for pregnancy loss - I miscarried in a hospital waiting room once after waiting in there for 6 hours without being seen because the triage nurse decided that I was trying to get more opiates and didn't even put my details in the system, meaning that no one was ever going to come see me anyway! I want to get off them and be free of that judgement and be treated like a human being again!

But I dunno. I guess I'm just scared that I'm gonna go through like, a trauma trip for a week and then just wind up back on opiates in two years and have to keep living a life where I'm treated as less deserving of respect or dignity because of something that's just... well, it's wrong to treat people like that, even if they do abuse their medication or use street opiates, anyway. The medical system is just callous and cruel.

Anyway, the reading I've done suggests bringing comforting things to do or watch during your stay, and I know I'm looking 12 months ahead (which is the plan at the moment) but I'm trying to figure out what that is in case I want to save for something like a new laptop or even a steam deck to play comfort games (simple stuff like stardew valley, easy, calm things) and watch easy viewing stuff?? idk. This is weird.

[crimswnred]

HC’s of how your LIs would react to finding out she’s pregnant? For the girls let’s say they’ve been trying for ages through IVF/donors.

LOVE LOVE LOVEEEE

thanks for the question!! from your ask I gathered you mean MC and LI have been trying to have a baby, right?!

with that in mind, I'll be doing my favourite LIs that I think would love to have a child 💕 if you have any specific LI in mind, pls send me an ask.

as always, please look under the cut 👇

☆ SEASON 1

JAKE

when you finally get that positive result you're not only overflowing with happiness but also are planning to make a special announcement for daddy. there's tiny little baby shoes in a surprise box, there's cameras recording and there's MOST DEFINITELY tears. Jake can't contain his happiness and he's crying as soon as he spots the tiny shoes. then, he's swirling you around. it's just a very very happy moment.

TIM

when he sees the test and looks at you searching for confirmation — because let's face it, Tim doesn't know how a pregnancy test works — he is screaming and kissing you. also, he IMMEDIATELY calls his mom to share the news. maybe even facetiming her while he cries like a baby. he's the happiest man in the world and is already thinking of names.

TALIA

I'm a little torn between whether or not she wants to have children and I don't have any recollection if that's talked about during S1 but I'm doing it anyway.

she just can't believe it. she looks at you, then she looks at the test and then she looks at you again in complete shock. not too long after, she's crying and hugging you and just keeping you close. it's been a long time coming and she's just so, so, happy. the moment isn't loud, it's intimate. just between the two of you.

☆ SEASON 2

BOBBY

oh, man. I believe Bobby is a very family centred guy, that's why the perfect announcement would be when your families are reunited. picture the whole fam in the living room! you get up, everyone is paying attention and you announce it. Bobby gasps, then grabs you, then twirls you and then gets all worried because can he do that if you're pregnant? you're laughing all the time, even when he starts crying. the fam is looking at you guys adoringly and I can see a lot of pictures being taken (and a lot of questions being asked as well)

NOAH

you sit Noah down on the bed, grabs his hands and tells him the news. the big smile on his face and the twinkle in his eyes leave you with no doubt: he IS the one. he waste no time on touching your belly and kissing you tenderly. the moment is simple but it's also private, intimate and very special. it gets you so emotional that you can't help but cry and he also sheds a tear.

☆ SEASON 3

AJ

she's immediately jumping around, hugging you, screaming, kissing you. it's a big party as soon as she hears the word 'pregnant', there's no need to see the test. she's calling everyone, the news are spreading like wildfire and you don't even try to stop her because you don't remember ever seeing AJ that happy. the same night, she's following every baby related profile she can find.

NICKY

this man is on his knees kissing your belly from the moment you show him the test. of course, he still wants to be 100% sure and take a blood test, but when I say he is absolutely BEYOND HAPPY when he sees the lines. talks directly to the baby about how he just can't wait to see them 💕

☆ SEASON 4

BRUNO

DEAR GOD. this man will go through every stage of happiness in 5 seconds. he'll be sooooo shocked at first, asking you a BILLION times if you're sure. once you confirm to him that YES you're fucking sure, he will then cry, hug you, kiss you, repeat his wedding vows, call his mama, talk to the baby, then proceed to act like you're 8 months pregnant even though you're barely a month. already thinking of a bunch of dad jokes.

YOUCEF

I really think Youcef would be soooooo emotional. he's crying in a way you've never seen him cry before and suddenly the feeling of his touch is way more soft and tender. It's a vere honest moment between you, and he demonstrates soooo much love. I really think that being a dad is a major thing for him and he couldn't be happier to share this moment with you.

📌 headcanons masterlist.

[islandpcosjourney]

Faith, Hope, Love

16th August 2023

I bought this new leather-bound refillable notebook for my new job when I started working with the Scottish Bible Society in June. Never did I think how much I would look at the three simple words on its cover and for it to be a daily reminder of God’s grace – the need to be reminded of his ultimate control over our world.

Faith – I have plenty of that. 

Hope – I can find plenty of that too.

Love – I definitely have plenty of that, receiving it and giving it.

We have finally navigated through all of the bureaucracy associated with the pre-IVF process, where you haven’t quite started but you technically have and still don’t know what’s ahead of you. 

I have written previously about my ups and downs relating to this process. I may have even mentioned my religion in relation to my anxiety about even starting this process. Well, we are well passed that stage now. We were referred, we waited, we have been tested and further tested, waited, and waited some more and now we have consented and have been given our start month – September. Now, all that means is that with the start of my September period, I go in for a scan on Day 3 to see if my body will allow them to start intervening on my behalf. In other words, checking to see that I don’t have any unwanted cysts lying around anywhere, that my endometrial layer is thick enough and that I am healthy enough to start pumping myself full of chemicals to get my ovaries working in full-blown Hulk mode 💚 It also means we will then be signing a child welfare form which is basically a contract between us and the HFEA to check/agree that we will be suitable parents. Kevin will have to be formally identified as "himself", in person, so that they can go ahead to use his fresh or frozen swimmers to be combined with whatever eggs they harvest out of me weeks later. I will also be taught how to self-inject subcutaneously for up to 10-12 days – oh the joys! I certainly can’t wait for that fun! They will also test me for blood-borne viruses.

So, what I meant by all of that was, we’ve been given a start month but that still doesn’t guarantee anything. It’s a bit like when Kevin is due home on crew change day. It is never certain that he will definitely be making his way home that day, until he’s physically off the ship and on dry land. Until that moment, absolutely anything can happen, and it has in the past. So, until that Day 3 appointment when all papers are signed and my body is given the all-clear to start being manipulated, your guess is as good as mine as to what the preceding month will look like 😉 However, I do now have a clearer picture of what it POTENTIALLY might look like. I am on a short (antagonist) protocol as I have a 5% risk of developing OHSS.

Day 1 – First day of period

Day 3 – Baseline scan & Ovaleap injections start (Follicle Stimulating Hormone)

Day 8 – Ganirelex injections start (ovarian down regulation)

Day 10 – Follicle scan to determine size of follicles – looking to find 3 follicles or more that are 17mm in size. If not, I continue hormone injection protocol and have a repeat scan in another 2 days’ time. Repeat scan every 2 days until follicles have grown enough.

From here on in, everything is dependent on how I am responding to the hormones to determine the next steps. Basically you can only go from one appointment to the next.

So, essentially from Day 10, you take each day as it comes.

Once I take the trigger injection (for eggs to reach final level of maturity), egg retrieval happens 36hrs later. So this could be as early as Day 12 or Day 14, basically around the usual time you’d expect to ovulate. So my plan is to be down at my Mum’s in Edinburgh from Day 10 of my cycle onwards as its from then when I’m either going to be back & forth to Dundee for scans every couple of days or preparing for egg collection straight away, depending on how I respond to the hormones. It’s worth noting here that the number of follicles growing does not equal the number of eggs collected. Sometimes there are no eggs within the follicles, sometimes there are several. IT IS SO MUCH TO TAKE IN! Pardon me if I repeat myself several times but I’m using this writing opportunity to process all that I have been told over the phone, over video consults and written down in letters, gathering together all the info to make it clear and concise for me to understand – you’d be surprised how unclear the whole process actually is! You have to figure out their wording for everything. I’ve been so “caught out” by expressions in the past. Like reading “Day 5 of Gonadotrophin injections” and working out that that means Day 8 of your cycle (because you start the injections on Day 3) and that having scans on Day 8 and Day 10 of your Ovarian stimulation (stims) means Day 10 and Day 12 of your cycle – one can see how it can all be confusing and that the way they measure everything is a new language to us. I perhaps need to get on board with their way of measuring, and I’m sure I will, but for now, my way to understand it is to compare it to my usual way of measuring my cycle, from Day 1 of my first bleed, as I’m used to.

It’s nothing I’m going to worry about though. I have been doing that and have had some very dark days about it all (ones where, if anyone had been around, they’d have been quite literally picking me up off the floor to hold me in the messy state I was in). Those days are, for the moment, being kept in check. We’ve been given a treatment diary where every important date will be filled in as we go along but knowing ahead of time that there’s a high probability of back & forth every couple of days from Day 10 onwards goes a long way to help us plan that I need to leave the island around Day 9 and expect not to be returning for a fortnight at least.

Initially, after my AMH test found I had a high egg reserve, I was told in an early document to expect a frozen transfer, that a fresh transfer would be unlikely as my body would be overloaded and needing a rest, so in my head I was only considering the time required to get from the baseline scan to egg collection. Beyond that would’ve been a couple months later when my body was then ready for an embryo transfer. However, I now know from my consultant that there’s only a 5% risk of OHSS and therefore I need to be preparing for a FRESH embryo transfer as standard, so that means that I need to account for another 5-day waiting window after the egg collection day to expect to be back in for a fresh transfer under sedation, possibly as soon as Day 17 onwards and then allow a number of days rest afterwards. But, if my ovaries become swollen to 8-9cm or blood estroegan is high or I’m symptomatic or collection retrieves more then 25 eggs – all eggs will be frozen. So, in theory the whole process could be as short as 3wks or up to 4wks long and this is the window that I am working to when I am working out whether or not it is advisable to go ahead to start in September, in the month leading up to the biggest week of the Gaelic calendar – the Royal National Mòd 😂

We started trying when we were 29 & I’m now about to turn 36. Time is not on our side, only God is in control of that, but time is not to be wasted as we only have 4 years left before our NHS funding and our own personal clock runs out – once we turn 40, we’ve agreed to let it all go and live our life in the fate that God has given us. Until then, we’re prepared to fight with all the energy we are blessed with.

We’re of course focusing on doing everything we can to help, but more importantly we’re focusing on our relationship & being us in a broken world where we are forced down this rabbit hole in search of the family we so desperately want. I lost myself in the past 7yrs and I will never get those moments back again. They haven’t been wasted, no. I found meaning in the pandemic where I finally got the chance to focus on my health. We’ve been back & forth with ideas of adoption, fostering and facing a child-less life. 

I’ve realised that for 12yrs since being told I may never have children, it’s ruled my life. All I ever wanted was to be a mum. I always talked about being a mum & having my own children, as many would at a young age, never possibly thinking that it might not be an option. To me, the innocent version of me, not being a mum wasn’t an option and to some extent I must regain that level of Faith & Hope. How I wish I could erase the information that I know and be that innocent girl who believes wholeheartedly that she WILL be a mum. No ifs, just no question about it. But above it all, above the waiting, the hoping, the letting go and letting God take over, or as I now have to think about it in some respects, letting the scientists take over (all the while praying that God’s will works within them to the best of their ability, whether they’re God-fearing or not – this is something I am requesting people to pray for - for the staff who’s care we will be under, who’s mortal hands will be guided by Him, to carry out his will) above all of that, is Love. Love that no matter what happens, is ever present and unconditional between us. We have spent years fighting our case, pleading our cause, kicking ourselves, being at our lowest and reaching the height and the depths we never thought we’d reach. But still, we love each other, no matter what, with or without a child. We used to dream of a house filled with children’s laughter but now, and we have not downgraded our dream, we dream only of 2 little lines on a pregnancy test. That is the step 1 we dream about. To us, that would be a dream come true, even just to get to that step. If I’ve learnt nothing from my health journey, of trying to regulate my menstrual cycles and get my weight down, it’s that yes you must have a long-term ultimate goal BUT in order to get there, you must have the tiny, achievable goals. We are well aware that my PCOS makes me 40% more likely to miscarry so we are fully aware that a positive pregnancy test does not equal a baby, or as the ACU unit call it, a live birth. Our NHS funding lasts until there is a “live birth”. As morbid as it sounds, that could even mean a baby born that dies of complications only hours after birth, complications which are even higher because of it being an IVF pregnancy. But to get back to the point, we pray for each tiny milestone along the way. At each and every stage, complications can arise but we can use them as a stepping stone to be grateful for.

Day 3 scan – get green light to start.

Hormone injections (stims) – at home in Lewis hopefully.

Day 8 & Day 10 of stims scans.

Trigger injection – at Mum’s in Edinburgh

Egg collection - under sedation & recovery period

Fertilisation - 70% success rate is normal expectation.

Blastocyst stage (125 cell-stage fertilised egg)

Best quality blastocyst identified for fresh transfer & any remaining good quality embryos sent into cryopreservation.

Embryo transfer - under sedation & recovery period

Pregnancy test - either it is a positive test, and we pray for the next stage for a viable pregnancy to continue (scan 2-3wks after test) or we’re back to square one again…..

Possible complications of each stage:

Headaches

Mood changes

Hot flushes

Night sweats

Nausea

Tiredness

Allergic reactions

Localised tenderness or injection site reactions

Weight gain

Abdominal pain

Diarrhoea

Breast tenderness

Ovarian cyst formation

Vaginal spotting

Vaginal irritation

Skin rashes

Shortness of breath

Risk of reduced response to drugs – cycle abandoned.

Risk of no eggs being collected – cycle abandoned.

Negative pregnancy test – move on to frozen transfers (if embryos are available) or next cycle.

Just remember, while this is an exciting prospect to finally be starting, the process itself is not exciting and there are no guarantees about a positive outcome, in fact, we have been given the stats of a 25% chance of success. While many people remind me, in a positive way, that 25% is still a good chance, try to think of it from the other way around as if you were dealing with the risk factors of agreeing to a surgery. If you were being told you only had a 25% chance of surviving that surgery, would you feel just as excited? Of course you’d hold on to the hope of that chance but you’d put your affairs in order because experience tells you that the number 75 is much bigger than 25 🤷🏻‍♀️

Being open, honest, raw & just plain & simply Me is the only way I know how to navigate this cruel journey. Kevin and I are very grateful for your support and understanding as we delve into a new world of anxiety & hormonal mood swings where he may fear for his life 😂😂😂😂😂

Faith, Hope & Love are important elements in this rollercoaster ride we’re on. Please pray that our Faith is deepened by progressing with treatment. Please pray that the Hope we have now remains strong throughout and doesn’t falter. Please also pray that the Love we have for each other develops our bond as a couple; supports us as we fall and need help; guides us to deal with each situation as we face it, wraps us up in everlasting trust and most of all, Love the God who is putting us through this pain.

Only he knows why we are going through this. 

Only he knows how to get us safely to the other side.

Only he has the power to grant us a miracle, in his name, Amen.

[aasthafertilitycentre]

Journey to Parenthood: Mastering IVF Success in Jaipur

What is IVF?

In vitro fertilization, commonly known as IVF, is a medical procedure that assists with conception by fertilizing an egg with sperm outside the body in a controlled laboratory environment. The resulting embryo is then transferred to the uterus. IVF has revolutionized fertility treatments, offering hope to countless individuals and couples.

Why Consider an IVF Specialist in Jaipur?

Jaipur has emerged as a hub for cutting-edge fertility treatments, combining modern medical technologies with personalized care. An IVF specialist in Jaipur is equipped with the knowledge, skills, and tools to address various fertility challenges effectively. The city's fertility clinics are known for their advanced facilities and high success rates, making it an ideal destination for IVF.

Key Factors Affecting IVF Success

Several factors influence the success of IVF treatments. Understanding these can help patients make informed decisions and improve their chances of achieving parenthood.

1. Age:

Age is one of the most significant factors affecting fertility. Women under 35 tend to have higher success rates with IVF compared to older women. However, advancements in fertility preservation techniques, such as egg freezing, have extended reproductive possibilities.

2. Underlying Health Conditions:

Conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis, or uterine abnormalities can impact fertility. An IVF specialist in Jaipur conducts comprehensive evaluations to address these issues before starting treatment.

3. Lifestyle Factors:

Healthy lifestyle choices play a crucial role in IVF success. Maintaining a balanced diet, exercising regularly, and avoiding smoking and excessive alcohol consumption are vital.

4. Quality of Embryos and Sperm:

The quality of the egg, sperm, and embryo significantly affects the outcome of IVF. Advanced techniques, such as preimplantation genetic testing, are available in Jaipur to ensure optimal embryo selection.

The IVF Process Explained

The IVF journey involves several carefully orchestrated steps. Here’s what to expect:

1. Ovarian Stimulation:

Medications are administered to stimulate the ovaries to produce multiple eggs. Regular monitoring through ultrasounds and blood tests ensures optimal egg development.

2. Egg Retrieval:

Once the eggs are mature, they are collected through a minimally invasive procedure. The process is usually performed under sedation.

3. Fertilization:

In the laboratory, eggs are fertilized with sperm to create embryos. Techniques like intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) may be used to enhance fertilization rates.

4. Embryo Transfer:

Healthy embryos are selected and transferred into the uterus. This step is critical and is performed with precision to maximize implantation chances.

5. Pregnancy Testing:

Approximately two weeks after the embryo transfer, a pregnancy test is conducted to determine the success of the cycle.

Advanced Techniques to Enhance IVF Success

An IVF specialist in Jaipur may recommend advanced techniques to improve outcomes, including:

1. Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET):

In some cases, embryos are frozen and transferred in a subsequent cycle. FET allows for better preparation of the uterine lining, increasing implantation chances.

2. Assisted Hatching:

This technique involves creating a small opening in the embryo’s outer shell to facilitate implantation.

3. Blastocyst Transfer:

Transferring embryos at the blastocyst stage (5-6 days old) often results in higher success rates compared to earlier stages.

4. Preimplantation Genetic Testing (PGT):

PGT screens embryos for genetic abnormalities, ensuring only healthy embryos are transferred.

Emotional and Psychological Support

The IVF journey can be emotionally demanding. Many IVF specialists in Jaipur emphasize the importance of mental health and provide counseling services to support patients through the process. Joining support groups or connecting with others undergoing similar experiences can also be beneficial.

Choosing the Right IVF Specialist in Jaipur

Selecting an IVF specialist is a crucial step in your journey. Here are some factors to consider:

Experience and Expertise: Look for a specialist with a proven track record in successful IVF treatments.

Advanced Technology: Ensure the clinic is equipped with modern technologies and facilities.

Patient-Centric Care: Personalized attention and clear communication are essential for a positive experience.

Transparency: A good specialist provides detailed information about the procedures, costs, and success rates.

Lifestyle Tips to Boost IVF Success

While medical expertise is vital, patients can also take proactive steps to enhance their chances of success:

Eat Fertility-Boosting Foods: Include foods rich in antioxidants, folate, and omega-3 fatty acids.

Manage Stress: Practice relaxation techniques like yoga or meditation to reduce stress levels.

Stay Active: Moderate exercise improves overall health and hormonal balance.

Prioritize Sleep: Adequate rest is essential for physical and emotional well-being.

Conclusion

The journey to parenthood through IVF is a blend of hope, determination, and advanced medical care. An IVF specialist in Jaipur can guide you through this transformative experience with expertise and compassion. With state-of-the-art facilities and a holistic approach, Jaipur has become a preferred destination for couples seeking IVF treatment.

Whether you are just beginning your fertility journey or exploring advanced options, remember that success often lies in persistence and the right support system. By choosing an experienced IVF specialist in Jaipur and taking proactive steps, you can turn your dream of parenthood into reality.

[wecareivfsurrogacy]

Understanding the IVF Cycle Schedule: A Step-by-Step Guide

The In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) process is a highly structured and meticulously planned journey designed to maximize the chances of conception. An IVF cycle schedule outlines the step-by-step procedures, medications, and monitoring involved, ensuring the process runs smoothly and efficiently. Here’s a comprehensive look at the IVF cycle schedule and what it entails.

What is an IVF Cycle Schedule?

An IVF cycle schedule is a detailed timeline that guides patients through the stages of the IVF process. It is customized based on individual factors, such as age, fertility health, and hormonal levels, ensuring the best possible outcome for each patient.

Key Stages of the IVF Cycle Schedule

Initial Consultation and Assessment Before starting the cycle, patients undergo a thorough consultation and assessment. This includes fertility testing, ultrasounds, and blood work to evaluate reproductive health and determine the most appropriate treatment protocol.

Ovarian Stimulation (Day 1–14)

The cycle begins with ovarian stimulation, where medications (gonadotropins) are prescribed to stimulate the ovaries to produce multiple eggs.

Regular monitoring through ultrasounds and blood tests tracks follicle growth and hormone levels to ensure optimal response.

Trigger Shot (Day 12–14) Once the follicles reach the desired size, a trigger shot of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) or a similar hormone is administered to mature the eggs in preparation for retrieval.

Egg Retrieval (Day 14–16)

Egg retrieval is a minimally invasive procedure performed under sedation. Using an ultrasound-guided needle, the mature eggs are gently collected from the ovaries.

Patients can usually go home the same day and resume normal activities within a day or two.

Fertilization and Embryo Development (Day 16–20)

The retrieved eggs are fertilized with sperm in a laboratory setting to create embryos.

The embryos are monitored for development over the next 3 to 5 days, after which the healthiest ones are selected for transfer.

Embryo Transfer (Day 20–23)

The selected embryo(s) are transferred into the uterus using a thin catheter.

This procedure is painless and requires no anesthesia. Patients are usually advised to rest afterward.

Luteal Phase Support and Pregnancy Test (Day 24-Onward)

After the transfer, patients are prescribed hormonal medications, such as progesterone, to support the uterine lining and aid implantation.

A blood test is conducted about two weeks after the transfer to confirm pregnancy.

Why is the IVF Cycle Schedule Important?

The IVF schedule ensures precise timing for each stage, from medication administration to egg retrieval and embryo transfer. This precision is crucial for the success of the treatment, as it aligns medical procedures with the body’s natural reproductive processes.

Tips for Managing the IVF Cycle Schedule

Stay Organized: Use calendars, alarms, or apps to track medication timings and appointments.

Communicate with Your Clinic: Keep in touch with your fertility team to address any concerns or clarify instructions.

Practice Self-Care: Manage stress through relaxation techniques, proper nutrition, and emotional support.

Conclusion

The IVF cycle schedule is the backbone of a successful IVF journey, providing a roadmap for every step of the process. By understanding and adhering to this schedule, patients can navigate their IVF treatment with confidence, knowing they are on the path to achieving their dream of parenthood.

[asmeeivfcentre]

Best Fetal Medicine Centre in Jaipur - Asmee IVF Centre

When it comes to seeking the best fetal medicine care in Jaipur, Asmee IVF Centre stands out as a top choice for many expecting parents. Offering a blend of advanced technology, experienced specialists, and compassionate care, Asmee IVF Centre provides a range of services designed to ensure the health and well-being of both mother and baby throughout the pregnancy journey.

Why Choose Asmee IVF Centre for Fetal Medicine?

1. Experienced and Highly Qualified Specialists: At Asmee IVF Centre, the fetal medicine department is led by highly trained and experienced doctors who specialize in maternal and fetal care. Their expertise in the field allows them to handle high-risk pregnancies, monitor fetal development, and ensure the best possible outcomes for both mother and child.

3. Personalized Care: Asmee IVF Centre takes a personalized approach to care, understanding that each pregnancy is unique. The team works closely with expecting mothers, providing tailored treatment plans and constant support. They ensure that all concerns are addressed, and every step of the pregnancy is carefully monitored.

4. Success in IVF and Fetal Medicine: Apart from its excellence in fetal medicine, Asmee IVF Centre is renowned for its success in in-vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments. The centre has helped countless couples achieve successful pregnancies, including those with complex medical histories or fertility challenges. This level of expertise extends to fetal care, ensuring the best outcomes for both IVF and natural pregnancies.

5. Holistic Approach to Maternal Health: The centre focuses not only on the health of the baby but also on the well-being of the mother. From nutritional counseling to managing pregnancy-related issues like nausea, gestational diabetes, and hypertension, Asmee IVF Centre offers a holistic approach to pregnancy care.

6. Patient-Centric Environment: The clinic maintains a warm, supportive, and non-judgmental atmosphere, making it a comfortable space for expectant parents to discuss any concerns. The compassionate team of doctors, nurses, and staff ensures that every patient receives the attention they deserve.

Conclusion: Asmee IVF Centre in Jaipur is undoubtedly one of the best centers for fetal medicine, combining advanced medical technology with compassionate care to support mothers and babies through every stage of pregnancy. Whether you are undergoing a routine pregnancy or dealing with a high-risk situation, Asmee IVF Centre provides expert care that ensures both mother and baby are in safe hands. 📞 Phone: 09811310808 📧 Email: asmeediagnosticscentre@gmail.com 📌Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/rTPyxELrgwqyBJMX8

[ovumfertility]

Exploring the Different Stages of IVF Treatment

In vitro fertilization (IVF) has revolutionized the field of reproductive medicine, offering hope to millions of couples struggling with infertility. IVF is a complex process that involves several carefully coordinated stages. Understanding these stages can help you prepare emotionally, physically, and financially for this life-changing journey. Here, we break down the different stages of IVF treatment to provide a clearer picture of what to expect.

1. Initial Consultation and Evaluation

The IVF process begins with a comprehensive consultation and evaluation. During this stage, you will meet with a fertility specialist to discuss your medical history, undergo physical examinations, and complete preliminary tests. These tests often include:

Blood work to check hormone levels.

Ultrasounds to assess ovarian health.

Semen analysis for male partners.

The results will help the specialist design a personalized IVF treatment plan tailored to your specific needs.

2. Ovarian Stimulation

Once the evaluation is complete, ovarian stimulation begins. This stage involves the use of hormonal medications to stimulate the ovaries to produce multiple eggs instead of the single egg released during a natural menstrual cycle. Fertility drugs like gonadotropins are typically prescribed, and their administration is closely monitored through:

Regular blood tests to measure hormone levels.

Ultrasounds to track the growth and development of follicles (fluid-filled sacs containing eggs).

This phase usually lasts 8-14 days, depending on how your body responds to the medications.

3. Egg Retrieval

When the follicles are mature, you’ll undergo an egg retrieval procedure. This minimally invasive procedure is performed under mild sedation. Using ultrasound guidance, a thin needle is inserted into the ovaries to collect the eggs. The entire process typically takes 20-30 minutes, and you’ll be able to go home the same day.

4. Sperm Collection and Fertilization

On the same day as the egg retrieval, a semen sample is collected from the male partner or a donor. The healthiest sperm are selected and combined with the retrieved eggs in a laboratory. There are two common methods of fertilization:

Conventional insemination: The sperm and eggs are mixed and left to fertilize naturally.

Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI): A single sperm is directly injected into an egg.

The fertilized eggs, now known as embryos, are monitored for several days to ensure proper development.

5. Embryo Transfer

Once the embryos reach the optimal stage of development (usually 3-5 days after fertilization), the healthiest one or two are selected for transfer. The embryo transfer is a straightforward procedure that doesn’t require anesthesia. A thin catheter is used to place the embryos directly into the uterus.

The remaining high-quality embryos can be frozen for future use if desired.

6. The Two-Week Wait

After the embryo transfer, you’ll enter the two-week waiting period—an emotionally challenging stage for many. During this time, you’ll be advised to rest, maintain a healthy diet, and avoid strenuous activities. About two weeks after the transfer, a blood test will be performed to determine if the IVF cycle was successful.

7. Pregnancy Test and Follow-Up

The final stage involves a blood test to measure levels of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), a hormone indicating pregnancy. If the test is positive, follow-up ultrasounds will confirm the development of the pregnancy. If it’s negative, your doctor will review the cycle and discuss the next steps, which may include another attempt or exploring alternative options.

Factors to Consider

While IVF offers a promising solution for infertility, it’s essential to consider the emotional, physical, and financial aspects of the journey. For instance, the IVF treatment cost can vary significantly depending on factors like location, medication requirements, and additional procedures such as genetic testing or embryo freezing.

Tips for a Smoother IVF Journey

Stay Informed: Educate yourself about the process to reduce anxiety and set realistic expectations.

Build a Support System: Surround yourself with supportive friends, family, or join a support group.

Communicate with Your Doctor: Don’t hesitate to ask questions or voice concerns during any stage of the treatment.

Consider Financial Planning: Explore options like insurance coverage, payment plans, or grants to manage the IVF treatment cost effectively.

Conclusion

The journey through IVF treatment is a rollercoaster of emotions, but it’s also a path that has brought countless families their greatest joy. By understanding the stages of IVF, you can approach the process with greater confidence and readiness. With the right support and expert care, the dream of parenthood can become a reality. If you’re considering IVF, consult with a trusted fertility clinic like Ovum Fertility to begin your journey today.

[sciivfhospitaldelhi]

How Advanced IVF Treatments Are Enhancing Success Rates

Infertility is a challenging journey for many couples, but the advancements in medical technology have provided hope through In Vitro Fertilization (IVF). As one of the most effective infertility treatments, IVF has evolved significantly over the years, with advanced techniques playing a crucial role in improving success rates. If you are seeking the best IVF centre in Delhi, understanding these innovations can help you make informed decisions.

Cutting-Edge Techniques in IVF

Modern IVF treatments incorporate various advanced technologies that enhance the chances of conception. Some of the groundbreaking techniques include:

Preimplantation Genetic Testing (PGT): PGT allows embryologists to screen embryos for genetic abnormalities before implantation. This ensures the selection of healthy embryos, reducing the risk of genetic disorders and increasing the IVF success rate.

Blastocyst Culture and Transfer: Culturing embryos to the blastocyst stage (day 5) allows for better selection of viable embryos. This technique improves implantation rates and reduces the chances of multiple pregnancies.

Time-Lapse Embryo Monitoring: Advanced incubators with time-lapse imaging track embryo development without disrupting their environment. This helps embryologists select the best-quality embryos for transfer.

Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET): With improved cryopreservation methods, embryos can be frozen and thawed without compromising quality. FET provides flexibility and often yields higher success rates compared to fresh transfers.

Assisted Hatching: This technique involves creating a small opening in the outer layer of the embryo to facilitate implantation, especially for patients with previous failed IVF attempts.

Role of Personalized Care in IVF Success

Every couple’s journey with infertility treatment is unique. Leading IVF centres in Delhi prioritize personalized care, tailoring treatments to individual needs. Factors such as age, medical history, and the cause of infertility are thoroughly assessed to design an effective treatment plan. Personalized care not only enhances the chances of success but also ensures a supportive and comfortable experience for patients.

Why Choose an IVF Centre in Delhi?

Delhi has emerged as a hub for advanced infertility treatments, offering world-class facilities and highly experienced specialists. Many IVF centres in Delhi are equipped with state-of-the-art laboratories and adopt the latest techniques to deliver superior outcomes. Moreover, these centers maintain high standards of transparency, guiding patients through every step of the process.

Enhancing Success Rates with a Holistic Approach

The success of IVF is not solely dependent on advanced medical techniques. A holistic approach, including lifestyle modifications, stress management, and nutritional support, plays a significant role in improving outcomes. Many IVF centres in Delhi integrate these aspects into their treatment protocols to ensure comprehensive care for their patients.

Conclusion

Advanced IVF treatments have revolutionized the field of infertility treatment, significantly enhancing success rates. With innovations like PGT, blastocyst transfer, and personalized care, couples have better chances of achieving their dream of parenthood. For those seeking effective solutions, choosing a best IVF centre in Delhi can make all the difference. Embrace the possibilities offered by modern science and take the first step toward a brighter future.

[fertilityguidance]

What are the Different Stages of the IVF Process? Expert’s Guide

For couples struggling with infertility, the journey toward parenthood can feel overwhelming. The decision to pursue In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) is often not taken lightly. It is a complex process that requires careful planning, medical expertise, and emotional resilience. If you are considering IVF, it’s essential to understand the different stages involved in the process. This expert guide breaks down each stage of IVF to help you prepare for the journey ahead, especially if you're considering the best fertility clinics in Kolkata or a low cost IVF centre in Kolkata.

Stage 1: Ovarian Stimulation – The Beginning of Your IVF Journey

The first step of IVF begins with ovarian stimulation, where fertility medications are administered to stimulate the ovaries. These medications help the ovaries produce multiple eggs rather than the single egg typically made in a natural menstrual cycle. The aim is to ensure that fertility specialists at the IVF centre in Kolkata have a sufficient number of eggs to work with, increasing the chances of successful fertilization.

What You Need to Know:

During this stage, you will undergo regular monitoring with blood tests and ultrasounds to check the response of your ovaries to the medication. The process can last 10-14 days, and while most women handle it well, some may experience side effects like bloating or mood swings. Understanding the importance of this phase can help you manage expectations and stay prepared for the next steps.

Stage 2: Egg Retrieval – Collecting the Potential

Once your eggs are ready, the next step is egg retrieval (aspiration). This minor surgical procedure is performed under sedation, so you won’t feel any pain. A thin needle is used to collect the mature eggs from your ovaries, and the procedure typically takes about 20-30 minutes.

What You Need to Know:

Although egg retrieval is generally considered safe, there are some risks involved, such as ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) or infection. The discomfort from the procedure is usually minimal, but you may feel some cramping or bloating afterward. It’s vital to follow your doctor’s post-retrieval instructions to ensure smooth recovery. If you are seeking a low cost IVF centre in Kolkata, it’s important to discuss the options for affordable care while ensuring the procedure's quality.

Stage 3: Sperm Collection – The Key to Fertilization

Sperm is gathered from the male partner or a donor while the egg retrieval process is underway. The sperm is then processed in the lab to isolate the healthiest and most viable sperm.

What You Need to Know:

It’s important for the sperm sample to be fresh, as frozen sperm may not perform as well during fertilization. Depending on the quality and quantity of the sperm, fertilization techniques such as ICSI (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection) may be used to enhance the chances of successful fertilization.

Stage 4: Fertilization – Creating the Embryos

This stage is crucial as it marks the beginning of creating potential life. The fertilized eggs (embryos) are carefully monitored in the lab to ensure they develop properly. In some cases, advanced genetic screening may be offered to check for potential genetic disorders before proceeding to the next stage.

What You Need to Know:

Fertilization success rates can vary depending on factors like the age of the woman and the quality of the eggs and sperm. It’s a critical moment that brings hope, but also anxiety. Patience is key here—embryos need time to grow and develop to a stage where they can be safely transferred into the uterus.

Stage 5: Embryo Transfer – The Moment of Hope

After a few days of observation, one or more healthy embryos are selected for transfer. This simple, non-surgical procedure involves placing the embryos into the woman’s uterus using a thin catheter. It’s often done without anesthesia, though some women experience mild discomfort.

What You Need to Know:

This is the most hopeful stage for many couples. However, it’s important to manage your expectations. While the transfer itself is relatively easy, there’s no guarantee that implantation will occur. Rest and relaxation are recommended following the transfer to increase the chances of success.

Stage 6: Pregnancy Test – The Final Step (and the Waiting Game)

After about 10-14 days following the embryo transfer, you will undergo a blood test to check for pregnancy. The test measures your hormone levels, which should rise if the embryo has successfully implanted.

What You Need to Know:

The waiting period can be emotional and stressful. It's not uncommon for couples to experience anxiety, excitement, or even doubt during this time. While a positive test is an exciting outcome, some couples may face disappointment if the test is negative. In such cases, remember that IVF can require more than one attempt to succeed, and your healthcare team will be there to guide you through the next steps.

Dealing with Emotional and Physical Challenges During IVF

The IVF process can be physically and emotionally challenging at every step. Hormonal treatments, invasive procedures, and the uncertainty of the outcome can be difficult to manage. It's important to seek support from your partner, family, or a counselor to help you navigate these challenges.

What You Need to Know:

Taking care of your emotional health is just as important as your physical health during IVF. Many couples benefit from joining support groups where they can connect with others who understand what they’re going through. Don’t hesitate to talk to your fertility specialist about any concerns or stress you’re experiencing.

Conclusion: The IVF Journey is Personal and Unique

Each IVF journey is different, and your experience may not follow the exact timeline or sequence described here. The process can feel like an emotional rollercoaster, but understanding the different stages of IVF and how to prepare for each one can help you feel more in control. Trust in your medical team at the best fertility clinics in Kolkata, stay informed, and remember that the road to parenthood often requires patience, resilience, and hope.

Whether you're looking for a low-cost IVF centre in Kolkata or seeking the best IVF centre in Kolkata, your IVF journey can be a fulfilling experience when you work with trusted professionals who provide personalized care and support every step of the way.

[heartlandfertility]

How Age Affects Egg Quality and Why Early Preservation Matters

1. Understanding Elective Fertility Preservation

Elective fertility preservation is a proactive option for individuals who want to delay parenthood while safeguarding their ability to conceive in the future. It involves freezing eggs, embryos, or sperm for later use, providing an opportunity to overcome the natural decline in reproductive potential that comes with age.

2. The Impact of Age on Egg Quality

Women are born with a finite number of eggs (around 1-2 million) stored in their ovaries. As women age, both the quantity and quality of these eggs decline. Here's how age impacts egg quality:

20s to Early 30s: Egg quality is at its peak. Most eggs are chromosomally regular, and the chance of natural conception is highest.

Mid-30s: Egg quality begins to decline as a natural part of aging. The risk of chromosomal abnormalities increases, making it harder to achieve and maintain a healthy pregnancy.

After Age 35: The term "advanced maternal age" is used in medical contexts. The decline in egg quality becomes more rapid, with higher rates of miscarriage and genetic abnormalities.

40 and Beyond: By age 40, only about 10% of a woman's eggs are viable. Women over 40 face a much higher chance of chromosomal abnormalities and lower success rates for natural conception or IVF.

3. Why Egg Quality Declines with Age

The decline in egg quality is linked to the natural aging process of the ovaries. Here's why it happens:

Chromosomal Errors (Aneuploidy): As women age, the likelihood of chromosomal errors increases. Eggs may have too many or too few chromosomes, which can lead to miscarriage or genetic disorders like Down syndrome.

DNA Damage Over Time: Eggs are present in a woman's body from birth, meaning they are exposed to environmental factors (like toxins and stress) for decades. This prolonged exposure can cause damage to the DNA within eggs.

Declining Mitochondrial Function: Mitochondria provide energy to the egg. As women age, mitochondrial efficiency declines, affecting the egg's ability to divide properly after fertilization.

4. How Early Fertility Preservation Helps

Elective fertility preservation allows women to freeze their eggs at a younger age when their quality is higher. These frozen eggs can later be used for in-vitro fertilization (IVF) when the woman is ready to have children. Here's why early preservation matters:

Preserving Younger, Healthier Eggs: Eggs frozen in women's 20s or early 30s are more likely to be chromosomally regular than those retrieved at 35 or older.

Higher Success Rates for Future IVF: Women who freeze eggs earlier have higher chances of a successful pregnancy later. Egg freezing "freezes time" for egg quality.

Avoiding the Pressure of "Biological Clock": Early preservation gives women more flexibility, allowing them to delay childbearing while pursuing education, career, or personal goals.

Reduction in the Risk of Genetic Disorders: Since younger eggs have fewer chromosomal abnormalities, using preserved eggs later can lower the risk of certain genetic conditions.

5. The Ideal Age for Fertility Preservation

While every woman's reproductive timeline differs, research suggests that the best time to freeze eggs is in the late 20s to early 30s. At this stage, egg quality and quantity are still high, and the chance of producing viable eggs for future IVF is better.

Under 30: Egg quality is optimal, but women in their early 20s may not need to freeze eggs due to time on their side.

30-34: This is often considered the "prime window" for fertility preservation since eggs are still relatively high in quality, but women are more likely to have the financial resources and motivation to consider preservation.

35 and Older: Women can still freeze eggs, but success rates decline. Egg freezing at this stage may require more cycles to retrieve sufficient viable eggs.

6. Key Benefits of Early Egg Preservation

Increased Chances of Future Pregnancy: Using younger, healthier eggs increases the odds of having a baby later in life.

Control Over Family Planning: Women can delay childbearing without feeling rushed by the "biological clock."

Less Stress About Infertility Later: Knowing you have younger, preserved eggs available can provide emotional relief.

More Options for LGBTQ+ Couples: LGBTQ+ individuals who wish to delay parenthood have more control over family planning.

7. Conclusion

Age significantly impacts egg quality, with women experiencing a natural decline in egg quantity and quality as they grow older. Elective fertility preservation offers a proactive approach to maintaining reproductive options. By freezing eggs at a younger age, women can ensure access to healthier eggs in the future, reduce the risk of genetic disorders, and gain flexibility in family planning. Early action can give women peace of mind and more control over their reproductive journey.