First of all, seeing these photos makes me realize how rare it is for Adam and I to take pictures together, and I think it’s time we do another Fall photo shoot. 😉 I’m sure Adam is super excited to read that. (Ha!) In today’s post I’m sharing an infertility update that will include what has been going on with us the last few months, where we are now, and where we are headed next.

THE LAST FEW MONTHS

If you want to go back and read my first post about our infertility journey, you can find it here. At that point, we were nearing the 1 year mark, but had not sought any medical advice yet. So rewind to June, and that is when I had my first appointment with a new OBGYN. I shared with her where we were, how long we had been trying, etc. and she said that we could do some initial testing. She also offered to refer me to a fertility specialist but said there were some things she could look at first before taking that step. In my mind, a fertility specialist meant we were at the end of our rope and I only saw two options at that point: IUI or IVF. And we didn’t think we were at that point yet, so I decided to go ahead with the initial testing in her office.

We did bloodwork, ultrasounds, etc. and every test came back normal. Adam went through testing as well and again, everything was normal. The only thing she noticed was that I wasn’t having a very strong ovulation. Meaning, the follicles were not looking the way she wanted them to. She suggested I take 2.5mg of Femara (Letrozole) to increase the number of follicles and to help them reach a good size.

Later in June, I went back for another ultrasound to see if the medicine was doing its job. It was. Everything looked great. Adam and I felt really confident that this was the answer and that we weren’t going to have to take any further steps. But June, July, and August passed (each month with me taking the Femara) with no pregnancy. So in August, when I called the office for a refill they asked me to come back in for another ultrasound to see if the medicine was still doing what it needed to do.

This time, there were more follicles than in June, but they were not as large. She said that we could up the medicine, but she felt that it was time to see a specialist. At first I was so upset. But then, after looking on the specialist’s website I saw that there were so many other options than just IUIs and IVF. It made me feel so much better. Because again, in my mind, I thought those were the last two options and if the IUI didn’t work, we would be in for IVF which was something I never thought I would experience.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER

Our first appointment with the fertility specialist was last week on September 30th. Adam and I went together and I went in thinking he would probably up the medicine I was on, and maybe add shots. I was prepared for that. I was also prepared that the month of October would probably be a month of testing/getting a new game plan, and that everything would probably resume in November. However, I was not prepared for some of the statistics he gave us.

At this appointment we discussed how ready we are, our previous tests, etc. He has a few more tests he wants to run (it didn’t work out timing wise this month) but he suspects that we may fall into the “Unexplained Infertility” category. He also seemed more concerned by my AMH level than my OBGYN did, so because of all these factors, he suggested that we start with an IUI. When we first heard that, I was upset. But now, I am thankful that we are moving forward, and that we are being more aggressive with the treatment plan and not wasting months on treatments that would probably not work for us.

He shared that with IUIs, the success rate is around 20%. It basically gives you the same chance to become pregnant that people without any infertility issues have each month. However, if you fall into the “Unexplained Infertility” category, the success rate is around 10%. With IVF, the success rate is about 80%, but again, it drops for people with Unexplained Infertility to 50%. Those numbers are heartbreaking, but we are choosing to not get caught up in that because we know we serve a God who defies odds. If it is His will for us to have children, then we know that those numbers mean nothing. But still, it was a shock.

WHAT’S NEXT

I have already started the Femara again but this time, the dosage was doubled. I go back on Friday for another ultrasound and from there, we will schedule an IUI. We are so thankful to be moving forward this month. We really thought nothing would happen in October, so this is a huge win. Right now, we are just trying to stand firm in God’s plans for our lives, and continuously place our trust in Him. We really like our doctor and trust his opinion, but we also know that God is the Great Physician and that ultimately, this is all in His hands. We would appreciate all of your prayers during the next couple weeks and the months ahead. Our doctor said most people go through 3-6 rounds of IUIs before moving to IVF. We don’t know what our plan is past the next few months, but we are just going to keep stepping forward in faith.

It sounds like we have it together. But honestly, we’re struggling. We both feel really good about things right now, but it has been such a stronghold for the enemy in our lives. I constantly try not to be hurt by others’ actions, because I know they don’t think about what they’re saying/who they’re saying it to, but I have been. I try not to be negative, but it’s been hard. Adam has been my rock through all of this, but this has been the most difficult thing we have ever been through.

Our sermon at church today was about our lives being a mission field and how we are put in places to serve others. Our jobs, our hobbies, and even our circumstances can be an opportunity to share about God with the people around us. I have constantly found myself asking why we are going through this. And today I felt like I got my answer. I believe that a huge reason we are in this season of our lives is so we can share it with others. I have this platform that God built for me, and I feel that I am supposed to be using it to connect with those of you who are walking similar paths.

This week has been especially hard for us, and what’s so amazing is that out of nowhere, so many of you have reached out to me about your stories with infertility. I find it so beautiful that God is using your hearts to encourage mine. He is taking your past hurts and using them to touch someone else’s life, and that is everything. I know that He is using this particular season in our lives to encourage one another and to glorify Him.

I also know that everyone is struggling with something. And I’m sure that there are many people who would love to have my struggle instead of their own. So I’m going to continue to boast about my weakness so that Christ’s power may rest on me. I’m going to continue to trust when I don’t see the way. I’m going to continue to be hopeful. And I’m going to be thankful that this is my struggle.

I’m also going to continue to pray for each of you. Whether your struggle is infertility or something else, give it to God. He will strengthen you for the battle ahead, and He will send you encouragement when your heart needs it most. I know that for a fact because, through all of you, that’s exactly what He’s done for me.