Fertilization Report

Recall that yesterday, I had 17 eggs: 8 mature, 6 intermediate, and 3 immature. The embryologist told me that the intermediates might mature enough in vitro to undergo ICSI.

I got the call at about 11:20 this morning. As it turns out, the embryologist said that 15 ended up being mature enough for ICSI. (This means that all of the intermediates plus one of the immatures "made it"). Of these, 11 fertilized, 1 abnormally. Therefore, as of today, S and I have 10 little embryos!

Phew! I think I'm happy...but still anxious, of course. I think I'm greedy if I had hoped for anything more.

She told me that I will be scheduled for a day 5 transfer (Sunday at 9:45 AM, by Dr G). She said that we won't get any more updates between now and then, because sometimes people who have "average" embryos on day 3, end up with great appearing embryos on day 5, and vice versa. She thinks it causes too much stress. She said that we will normally hear their recommendations about the number of embryos to transfer on the day of transfer. I think that S and I are going to need to go in there with our minds already made up as to what to do if we are given the choice. That's a huge decision.

I also asked whether we would be given pictures of the embryos (like I have seen from some of you on here). She said that they "don't have a good camera," so no. She said that S would be able to view the embryos just prior to transfer, but that I would already be groggy from Valium and probably wouldn't be able to view them. (Jeeesh, they must be planning to give me a lot of Valium! I don't really know why Valium is needed if ET is sorta like an IUI or my "trial transfer.")

Now, as for me, my abdomen feels pretty terrible today. Yesterday's pelvic cramps and spotting are gone, but now I feel bloated/distended all the way up to my upper abdomen. TMI: In addition, I haven't been able to, um, have a bowel movement at all. I am really prone to this problem anyway, and I'm sure that the medications yesterday did not help. It is so bad that I don't feel hungry at all, but I've been trying to keep eating in hopes of stimulating some peristalsis (waves of intestinal motility)... but so far, nothing is happening. I gave in a couple of hours ago and took some milk of magnesia, but so far nothing but gurgling in my belly. Arggh. I swear I already look about 4 months pg today. And, oh yeah, my weight is up a whopping 5.2 lbs (!) since last week due to all of this. UGH!

I'm wondering if I do have some degree of OHSS as well (although the info sheet that they gave me says that it causes diarrhea...) My biggest fear at this point is that it'll get worse, I'll have to call the RE about it, it will be called moderate OHSS, and that my transfer will get cancelled.

I still need to find out about acupuncture, too...