IVF #3

We're all set for our third round of IVF, and officially made our first payment the other day. In preparation, I am currently taking 2,000 IU of vitamin D, calcium, DHEA, CoQ10, prenatals with DHA, and the birth control pill. I will start my stimulation medication - the highest dosing I've been on - in just over two weeks. We brought back 3,000 IU of Menopur from Prague, which we will be using, but it really doesn't save us on medication costs compared to our first two attempts because we still need quite a lot more. I'm going to be on two main drugs:

PM Drug Menopur 525IU x 6 days (9/23-9/28/2016)

PM Drug Gonal-F 525IU x 4 days (9/29-10/2/2016)

I jokingly say that the key to happiness is low expectations. But, like with most jokes, there is some truth to it. I have already begun preparing myself for our final IVF attempt to not work. Why? Because statistically speaking, it will not. Due to my age and my low AMH level of 0.2, SART success rates from clinics around the country are only 10-20%.

It is hard for me to believe that we're shelling out ten thousand dollars for something that has about a 20% chance of working.

But the clinic we have chosen, HRC Newport Beach, reports a 50% success rate for my group. I'm not buying it and just don't understand how it really could be 30% higher. Maybe it really is, but the more I prepare myself for a negative result, the less disappointed I will be. That's the plan anyway. Baby A is an HRC baby, from their Encino location, so I can't help but hold out some hope.

However, if we are lucky enough to receive a BFP (big, fat, positive) I will still need to temper that excitement because we are not paying the extra money (upwards of $4,000) to have genetic testing done. Imagine that: We could receive a positive result, only to find out that it does not have the genetic makeup to even survive the pregnancy.

But oh, what if it works. Although that picture of the woman in labor embracing her one and only child that went viral does pull at my heartstrings, I know our Baby A would make the very best sibling.

While we would love to give her a sibling, if it doesn't happen we will rest secure in the knowledge that we gave it a good try. If this last round of IVF doesn't work, I will not regret it, for that reason. While it can be easy (and, fun!) to imagine all of the things that could have been purchased for the same amount, the hope of another child is worth more.

Here is my current protocol and calendar, for those of you who may be interested: Protocol.