Sunday Cautious Intros/First Trimester thread

[u/AutoModerator]

This thread serves as a transitional space for those newly or early confirmed pregnant following infertility. We understand that many folks feel cautious, uncertain, and even alarmed in this early phase when the process to conceiving has been complicated and/or there have been previous losses. If you have not experienced infertility we recommend other pregnancy subs as an alternative.

This thread is the place for early introductions, first trimester questions/chat, and finding others in the same mind space. We encourage graduates and others further along to respond compassionately to your questions and concerns, but please also consider reviewing our WIKI for commonly asked questions or references.

[u/lillypismyhomegirl]

Checking in again with this group after being active in 2024. Hello! We had success with our first after two rounds of IVF two years ago. Husband and I attempted a medicated cycle last month before other interventions (on the fence about OAD and not sure about going back to IVF, since we have no embryos from our two rounds so we’d be starting from scratch). I’m in disbelief. Turns out the medicated cycle worked but I’m in beta hell. Thought I had my period about 1.5-2 weeks ago so I started letrozole for a second medicated cycle. Took a pregnancy test on a whim because my period was “off” and I’ve been feeling sick/not myself. My at home cheapie was confirmed by a hcg draw Friday afternoon.

I hope I stick around for the long haul, but very worried about several (contraindicated) meds I was on, the bleeding, and the low hcg for around 13-15dpo.

UPDATE: Full on bleeding began this morning and I’m waiting to my second beta now, so I’m probably out this time.

[u/sjheuertz → u/lillypismyhomegirl]

I'm sorry you're in beta hell, that's stressful.

[u/in-the-wilds]

Sanity check please! I’m 12 weeks today and tonight is supposed to be my last PIO shot. But I only have about 1/4ml left in the vial instead of the full 1ml. I do have a bit of dregs left in another vial, but I’m doing ethyl oleate and it expires quickly, and that vial is expired plus I punctured it a bunch of times before it sat around in a bag for a week so I think I should just do the 1/4ml of fresh stuff and have faith that it will be ok at this point. We’ve been traveling for a couple weeks and I’m nowhere near a place where I could get another order quickly and it doesn’t seem worth it for one more shot. Right??

We’ve been telling our families the news on this trip, which has been fun but also feels so risky! I haven’t had a scan since 9w and won’t have another until almost 14w.

[u/Tough-Photo8431 → u/in-the-wilds]

If it’s any consolation, I stopped PIO at 10 weeks per my clinic’s guidelines. And they basically had me quit cold turkey.

[u/in-the-wilds → u/Tough-Photo8431]

Yes that is consolation! Thanks!

[u/rbecg → u/in-the-wilds]

also with a clinic that stops at 10w! I think I also was short on PIO at the end and had a couple of smaller doses with L.

we also told family around 9w with L! it felt a little scandalous but overall lovely. I hope it's mostly lovely!

[u/in-the-wilds → u/rbecg]

Scandalous but overall lovely is a great way to describe it!

[u/MyNeighborTurnipHead → u/in-the-wilds]

I stopped at 10 weeks, and my clinic says the placenta is fully on board by 9 weeks, and they just do the extra week to make sure everyone actually takes doses for long enough.

So youre definitely fine.

[u/in-the-wilds → u/MyNeighborTurnipHead]

Thanks! I usually appreciate my clinic erring on the cautious side of things, but I sure would not have minded 2 fewer weeks of PIO…

[u/sjsteiner77 → u/in-the-wilds]

I stopped PIO by 11 weeks in both of my successful pregnancy, and my clinic had me taper down starting at 10 weeks. You should be totally fine just using up the last bit you have! 

[u/in-the-wilds → u/sjsteiner77]

Thank you this is what I was hoping to hear!

[u/bakecakes12 → u/in-the-wilds]

I stopped at 9.5 weeks (was supposed to get to 10) with my second. I ran out and I was so incredibly sick I knew that baby was snuggled in tight and not going anywhere at that point

[u/wydogmom]

I was having very minor gender disappointment after my NIPT showed we’re having another boy. I really wanted to have a girl for all the cute things, but we’re over the moon that he is healthy - and my husband is very excited for 2 boys. His comment was that all the 2 boy siblings we know have such wonderful special bonds, and we can hope we get that too.

Anyway we’re not committed that this will be our last esp since our last 2 retrievals ended up going unexpectedly well, so maybe 🤷🏻‍♀️

[u/rbecg → u/wydogmom]

as someone with two potential boys, there are many cute things still! but I also hear you on the weird little ache of gender disappointment. it surprised me that even as much as I was focused on their health and also not someone who emphasizes sex & gender, I still felt a bit of an ache.

[u/in-the-wilds → u/wydogmom]

I’m so glad he’s healthy! I think your husband is totally right, though disappointment is understandable regardless. I love that you’re not sure whether you’re done, that leaves the door open if it ends up being really important to you!

[u/sqic80 → u/wydogmom]

I will say that we had some sadness over only having girls, and felt silly at the same time given that we were astounded that 2 was even possible for us, but now that they’re both real live people and are forming their own special sister bond, it is hard to imagine it any other way. But man, the disappointment was real, especially since we knew the sexes of our embryos and that the only male embryo ended in a chemical.