I first started IVF almost three years ago and was extremely lucky to have a BFP after the first transfer of a fresh embryo. We are now blessed to have a happy healthy son.
I am now 37 year old and have been trying to fall pregnant again for the past 14 months. I have only received BFNs after 7 transfers of 5 day old fresh (x2) & defrosted (x5) embryos, all of which have been of high quality.
The question I have is is there any possible reason why It was so easy for me to fall pregnant the first time but not the second? The reason why I am infertile is because my tubes were blocked so I had them removed completely a year ago. In the last transfer, one of the two embryoes was as good as the first that resulted in our son.
Is there a possible reason or is just a result of bad luck?
Written by
THunter
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Hi THunter. It is true that fertility is an art as well as a science. Sometimes we just don't know why it is not working for some people. That said there are often indications that people are not aware of.
A very large number of secondary infertility cases are related to trauma associated with the birth of a previous child or miscarriage. Also your state of mind may be heightened as time goes by worrying more and more it is not going to work, this of course creates a viscous circle.
How do you think you feel about things now compared to when you did the 1st cycle?
I think trauma suffered during the birth of the first might be a cause. I had bleeding at 31 weeks and had vasa previa. The bleeding was light, it stopped, but they were unable to diagnose the cause exactly. I remained in hospital and everything was ok until 34.5 weeks where the bleeding started again so i had a c-section. The professor who did the operation did an excellent job and there was little scarring.
I know that stress can be a factor that can influence your level of success, but I think I am in a similar frame of mind now as to how I was when I first started IVF. I do have a 2 year old son now though which does make a difference.
I would really love to have a second child but accept the reality that I may not fall pregnant. I just want to ensure all that can be done is done while we are trying.
Hi THunter, if you think here may be some stress or trauma associated with the birth of your son I recommend getting some hypnotherapy to let that go. Your unconscious mind may be preventing you from going through a traumatic experience again. This can be let go of clearing the way for you to move forward.
Wow! That is a great piece of advice. I have received some acupuncture and my therapist believes my abdomine is rather tight. Perhaps this anxiety might be the cause.
If it is the cause though, it must be very deep in my subconscience. I have experience some far more traumatic injuries in my lifetime and to my understanding this has not prevented me from achieving what I want to achieve in life.
A highly qualified (seek a National Council of Hypnotherapy registered hypnotherapist) should be able to work with that abdominal tightness and follow it back to see if there is an emotional link to it.
It doesn't take much to knock out the delicate balance of hormones required for a successful pregnancy (whether natural or assisted). Also the usual strategies of overcoming fears and thinking that hold us back doesn't work for fertility - you can't just up your drive and determination (as we well know if it was down to that you wouldn't be here asking the question!).
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