The IUI/IVF Journey
Wanting a baby was always one of my top priorities, amongst many others - career, being a successful business woman, travelling the world, being a great friend, staying healthy and continuing to manage a very creative and healthy social presence - just generally enjoying life and creating many memories, oh and finding a husband - this one didn't quite work out but the rest did.
So the only thing left to do now was to get focused on trying for a mini-me.
I started my journey with IVF Australia and the most important element of consideration is to ensure you are comfortable and confident with your IVF specialist - they are going on a journey with you and I certainly didn't want to feel like just a number in a baby making queue or a candidate that was going to just make them more money.
I was lucky enough to have chosen well! I selected Dr Juliette Koch just because of some key words in this bio - "...highly regarded fertility specialist with extensive obstetrics and gynaecology experience. She has a warm and caring nature, and her empathetic approach makes her popular..."
Dr Koch has not just been an IVF specialist who pops in and out, she has really "been there" for me and most definitely does not treat me like a number. The words "warm, caring & empathetic" absolutely sums up the wonderful person that she is.
There are simple steps to an IUI SMC Journey, which is the one I went on:
Firstly know in yourself that you can do this, it can be a long tough journey but absolutely doable!
Research IVF Clinics and Specialists and choose one that works well for you and your personal situation as well as your wallet.
Check your finances - it isn't a cheap exercise and there are many what-ifs - you may not fall pregnant first time, you could have complications with a pregnancy and many more hurdles or issues which only results in one thing - I will try another cycle. If you are lucky to go full term with a healthy pregnancy first time, and you're single like me then remember it is all you, there is no other income to rely on so please do make sure you prepare and budget appropriately.
Go to your GP to get a referral letter
Have your initial meeting with selected IVF Specialist
Be prepared for many blood tests and internal tests (I got to the point where I had a saying... "If one more person sticks their hand or an instrument up me I will..."
The first indicator is your AMH - AMH is a hormone which indicates the number of potential eggs in your ovaries – your ovarian reserve and indicated how fertile you are. Although there is speculation around this test as it has many defining factors so may not be absolutely reliable.
An internal ultrasound scan will define what's going on inside and how your cervix and ovaries and other parts are working.
And if you are lucky, like I was, I am fertile and therefore only need to undergo IUI and go onto Ovidrel and GonalF stimulation to ensure my eggs are optimal for hatching.
So the next stage was to define timelines and the most important of all...
Select a "baby-daddy" This is an exciting, yet overwhelming, experience... I went through IVF Australia Donor team. With IUI there is a more limited choice, they need Sperm Donors who have higher quality sperm - in other words really good swimmers!
My personal journey with IVF Australia was just such a compassionate experience throughout - At 9 weeks, I found out I was in a high risk and very rare pregnancy, with MCMA Twins,- A monochorionic-monoamniotic (MCMA) twin pregnancy is a sub type of monozygotic twin pregnancy. It accounts for the minority (~5%) of monozygotic twin pregnancies and ~1-2% of all twin pregnancies. The incidence is 1 in 10000 of all pregnancies. I had written about this in a recent Blog Post - My New MoMo World
Dr Koch realised there were 2 heartbeats on the scan and she reacted instantly, she made the right calls, got me in straight away for further scanning and was around as I spent the next 30 minutes terrified as to what the outcome may be...
I couldn't have asked for better levels of care, understanding and expertise, right through from Dr Koch herself, my Maternal Fetal Medicine specialist and obstetrician Dr Antonia Shand, the nursing team at both IVF Australia and the Royal Hospital for Women as well as the IVF Australia Donor team who were very understanding in my situation and made some allowances with timings... I know I made the right decision to go with IVF Australia and I will always highly recommend them based on my personal, positive experience.
If you are contemplating going on this journey, I am happy to provide as much personal insight and advice as I can. I have inspired and helped a couple of other friends, who are also single, to go on this journey. It may not be the ideal scenario for everyone but it is a real solution for many single women who want to be a mum.
My next blog will be on government discrimination against healthy, fertile women who go through IVF Treatment with no financial aid, we are classed as "socially infertile" vs "medically infertile"
#IUI #IVF #IVFAustralia #balancingcareerandababy #careercomesfirst #SMC #SingleMotherbychoice #AMH #MonoChorionicMonoAmnioticTwins #monozygoticmultiplepregnancies #MaternalFetalMedicine #RoyalHospitalforwomen