Now, all widgets aside, I’d like to share my first attempt experience at IUI (Intra-Uterine Insemination). I know that there are hundreds if not thousands blogs dedicated for fertility issues online, and you can probably find whatever I write here somewhere else. But as it is currently one of the biggest struggles in my life, I just thought sharing my experience would empower others facing the same issues or coming from the same background as I am.
I’ve been trying for babies since my wedding day, which is nearly 2 years ago. I love babies and kids. And my friends always said that I can do baby talk, which simply means that I can communicate with babies/kids better than most adults. So I want a big family, with at least 4 children… hahaha… (I’ll probably change my mind after the first one, but it’s 4 children is the target right now). Everyone of my married friends have either had a baby (or two) or are currently pregnant. Only a few are still trying hard to conceive.
So far I’ve seen 3 fertility doctors. The general consensus is that I have two ovarium cysts that are small enough that I don’t need to operate on it yet, but do reduce my chances of getting pregnant. My last fertility doctor told me to do an IUI.
Before the IUI, I was given medicine and shots to improve the quality and quantity of the eggs. For me this was the hardest process since I wasn’t allowed to buy the injections and do the shots my self at home. So I had to drive back and forth to the clinic about 4 times a week to get myself injected. Nearing my ovulation period, the doctor gave me a different injection (I think it’s called HCG injection) to help trigger the release of the eggs. The next day after HCG, HY went to the clinic to give his sperms to be used in IUI. The sperms are washed and good ones are selected to be inserted directly to my womb.
I was told to drink lots of water before hand as I need to have full bladder before the doctor performed IUI. When my bladder is full, the doctor inserted the washed sperms directly to my womb. Afterwards, I was tilted back and was kept in that position for about 30 minutes. When everything was done, I was given another medication called Crinone, which is a progesterone gel to help the implantation process.This was my first attempt at IUI and it wasn’t successful. I felt so down on the first day of my period, especially since HY was out of town on business and I had nobody to talk to.
Before I underwent IUI, I shared my intention to some of my friends. Their reaction varied from being very supportive and comforting to advising me to 'just do it the natural way'. The thing is, I’ve been trying ‘the natural way’ for nearly two years and I was ready to try almost anything to get results.
I’ve come to realize that there are still people who think that getting pregnant from fertility treatment or any artificial insemination is less than getting pregnant the natural way. For me, wanting to get pregnant and trying your hands on almost anything simply shows how badly someone wants it.
With the increase of women’s role in family and workplace, getting pregnant is more difficult nowadays. However, not enough people are sharing what they went through or willing to go through to get pregnant, and when they do get pregnant they don’t acknowledge how difficult it is to get pregnant. I want to have an open attitude about what I’m going through in life, because I do not feel so alone when I now that there are women out there going through what I am going through.
I realized that I still have a long journey to motherhood ahead of me. At the end, getting pregnant will simply be a blessing from God, but I’m willing to go the extra mile to get there. I hope whoever’s reading my post and going through the same process does not feel so alone and will continue their effort in TTC.
Just a note, I also read Giuliana Ransic’s website/blog and she posted about her IVF journey. I’m glad a celebrity is actually open with her effort to conceive. I truly wish her all the best with her IVF treatment…
img source: http://healthinfoispower.wordpress.com
XOXO,
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