IUI - Round 1

When it won't happen naturally, this is what it takes for a couple to attempt to get pregnant.

If you have never been through fertility treatments, or know someone who has, you may be wondering what all this stuff could possibly be for. Well, since I know you are just dying to find out, let me give you a day by day look at our journey through the insemination process.

Day 1: An unwelcome visit from "Aunt Flo" starts the cycle. You would think that after 20 months of showing up uninvited she would get the message that she IS NOT WANTED HERE. But, oh no, here she comes once again.

Day 3: I head to the specialist for the first of many sonograms of my ovaries and uterus. This initial look at my inner parts is to see if there are any problems that could hinder the insemination. (So you can fully share in my experience, let me tell you that this is a "legs in the stirrups" kind of sonogram.) It turns out that I have a small cyst on my left ovary, so blood work needs to be taken. It takes 2 nurses and 3 tries to draw blood from my tiny little veins, but the results show good news - the cyst is not affecting my hormone levels and we can proceed with the IUI as planned. Yeah! Before I leave the nurse gives me a detailed schedule of which medicines to take on which cycle days and when to come back in for follow-up appointments. This is also the first day of five that I will take an oral medication that will stimulate ovulation.

Day 4: My package of medicine arrives from the Apothecary Shop. Included in this kit is the follitism pen, the cartridge of medicine that will increase the number of follicles that I will produce, alcohol wipes, disposable needles, a large red hazardous waste container, and an instruction booklet. This medicine is supposed to be taken Days 5-8, but in my excitement I start the injections on Day 4. Oops! I am not wild about giving myself shots in the stomach, but a girl's got to do what a girl's got to do. As the needle goes into my flesh I repeat to myself "it will all be worth it in the end, it will all be worth it in the end." And to my surprise, it really wasn't all that bad.

Day 5-Day 7: I continue with both the oral and injectable medications. I also have to call the doctor's office, confess that I cannot follow simple instructions, and ask the nurse if I have ruined my chances for an IUI this cycle by starting the medicine too early. She assures me that everything will be fine, and tells me to just come in a day early for my next sonogram. Whew!

Day 8: Back to the specialist for my second sonogram, which reveals that I have 8 follicles. What!?! I am definitely not looking to be the next octamom here. I think the nurse can tell that I am starting to freak out a little, and she tries to ease my concern by explaining to me that at the different rates the follicles are growing, it is highly unlikely that all of them will mature. Since she is more experienced at this than me, I guess I will have to trust her. The sonogram also shows that my uterine lining is a little thin, so they give me a prescription for another oral med to thicken it up. At this appointment I need to have blood drawn again. My bruised arms cry out it protest, but thankfully this time it only takes one nurse one try to get what she needs. The results show that my estrogen levels are high, which means that the medicine was very effective. But even better, it also means NO MORE SHOTS!

Day 9: Today I have another appointment to go to, although it is not with my doctor, but my acupuncturist. I have read a lot of articles about using natural/ alternative methods for treating infertility and believe that they can be beneficial, especially since we don't know why I can't get pregnant. (I also see a nutritionist, but that doesn't really apply to the events of the day.) Linda, my acupuncturist, is absolutely wonderful! Not only is she compassionate and encouraging, but she is also a Believer. Every time I go in I don't just have needles stuck in me, I have someone praying for me as well. Isn't that great?

Day 10: My third sonogram at Dr. K's office is scheduled for today. As it turns out, the nurse actually knows what she is talking about. Imagine that? I have one dominant follicle that is quite a bit larger than the rest, and two others that are not too far behind. Which means the most follicles that I could have for insemination is 3! Just what the doctor wanted to see. We will let the follicles keep growing over the weekend, and the IUI will take place on Monday morning. Yippee!

Day 11: Follicles are growing, growing, growing. . . . .

Day 12: . . . and growing. At 10 pm I give myself one last injection in the stomach to induce ovulation. Nothing left to do before the big day but pray!

Day 14: It is now time for Mike (Oh yeah, Mike. Where has he been through all this?) to do his manly duty. . . .


then drop off his, ahem, specimen at the doctor's office by 9am, at which time his sperm will be prepared for insemination. That should take about an hour, and I am scheduled to show up at 10:30. Mike didn't quite know what his schedule was going to be like this morning, and we laughed together over the weekend at the possibility of us not being together for the conception of our child. Oh, the wonders of modern medicine. But as it turns out, Mike is able to be there for the procedure - he even beats me to the doctor's office. And my sweet mom comes along to give us moral support.

When we get called back into the exam room, the first order of business is for me to sign a waiver stating that, yes indeed, this is my husband's sperm that the doctor is about to inseminate me with. We've been married over 7 years now, but when did I become an expert at identifying Mike's sperm? The vile does have his name and signature on it, so I guess it must be his. Right? But just to cover all my bases I ask the nurse, "How can you be sure this is my husband's? You know, I did see this episode of 20/20 a few years ago where. . ." As I continue with my story (you know where it is going), Mike cringes, sinking lower into his chair, while the nurse nods politely, double checks to make sure I did sign the paper, and quickly leaves the room. I'm neurotic, I'll admit it.

Finally, the doctor walks in. (Trumpets Sound.) The moment we have been waiting for. The culmination of two weeks worth of appointments and medications. The IUI. Here is how the procedure goes: Pants off. Legs in stirrups. Insert speculum. Insert catheter. Inject sperm into uterus. Remove catheter. Remove speculum. Lie still for 10 minutes. Pants back on.

Really, that's it!?! To be honest, I'm a bit disappointed. I was expecting to see my follicles again. After all, I worked so hard to create them. And Mike was expecting to see his "little guys" swimming upstream, heading towards the promised land.

What I was not expecting from the IUI was the special time Mike and I shared together during the 10 minutes of waiting. When did waiting become time that I cherished? Mike laid his hand on my stomach and prayed for us and for the child that we so desperately desire. We prayed, and continue to do so, that through this procedure God will bless us with a healthy, full term baby. A child to love, to care for, to raise to know the Lord. That He will give us peace and patience as we wait these next two weeks to find out the results. And that no matter what the outcome is, we will trust God with all our hearts and in His plan for us.

It was during these 10 precious minutes with my husband I realized that even though our baby might not be conceived naturally, he would still be created in a moment of his parent's love.