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class
posted by Brian on January 11, 2002 at 07:27 PM

Now that the living room is rearranged, Amy and I have decided to have a baby.

OK, it’s not quite like that, but we did go to a class a couple of nights ago to learn more about the specifics of the IVF process we’re going to go through.

(If you’re reading this and have no idea what I’m talking about, Amy and I, after trying to have a child the old fashioned way for a few years, have decided to use all that science has to offer in helping us have a wee thing of our own.) As it turns out, there is a fantastic fertility clinic here in Waltham, and we decided, after consulting with one of the doctors there, to use a method called Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI). This is about the most advanced form of Invitro Fertilization being done right now, and it has a very high success rate (in fact, too high in some cases, but we won’t dwell on that right now…).

The thing is, any form of IVF requires a pretty serious sequence of medications and hormones, so the clinic runs classes to get the patients on board and comfortable. Almost all of these medications have to be injected, so a lot of time is spent just getting comfortable with the idea of giving (for men) and receiving (for women) shots. Of course, neither Amy nor myself has any problem with syringes, needles, or even pain for that matter…. OK, so that’s not entirely true….. Fine, it’s not even close to the truth. We both hate getting shots, and, frankly, I’m not too gassed up about administering them either. But that’s why they hire nurses to tell you that you’re just being a wimp about it. (Actually, they’re very nice and understanding about it.)

The process turns out to be pretty interesting when you step back and look at it. With these injections, the medical team essentially “takes over” the woman’s menstrual cycle. In fact, we noted the irony that the first step in having a baby this way is to go through a round of birth control pills. Following that, the injections put the woman’s hormones into low gear for a specified time. Then, at the appropriate time, a different set of hormones is given to put the cycle into high gear to produce eggs. Along with this, blood tests are done every day to see where the woman’s body is in the cycle. This way, the doctors will know precisely when the right time is to, as they say, retrieve the eggs (visions of a black lab bounding across a field….”Go get ‘em boy!”). At that precise time, the man rallies his troops to go into action (nothing like performing under pressure — I’m considering beta blockers myself).

Ideally, the best of the best from both sides of the equation are identified and put together by injecting the sperm directly into the egg. (“YOU WILL BECOME AN EMBRYO!!!”) Meanwhile, the woman gets a two day break from shots. That’s right, only two days. Because, assuming there are viable embryos, a certain number of them are put back into the woman, and a whole new round of injections begins that will last for a couple of weeks. After that, voila!, pregnancy. And all that’s required is that the woman be a pin cushion for about a month.

So that’s what we learned in class this week. It looks as though all of this fun is to begin next week, but, because of insurance issues, it may wait a month. We’ll see. And we’ll definitely post more updates.

Ciao.

BKM

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Comments

From your description, it sounds like you both might wear blindfolds while administering and receiving the shots. Interesting picture, that!

Posted by David | January 13, 2002 07:03 PM

Oh, subcutaneous injections are easy once you get the hang of them. I gave myself allergy injections for a long time, and I didn't like needles either. I'd just grab a hunk of thigh and jab it in. No biggie. Now doing it to someone else ... hm. That might be different.

Posted by David II | January 13, 2002 07:14 PM

Did I mention, by the way, that the first round of shots is subcutaneous, but the second half are intramuscular.....longer needle, all that....

Blindfolded....hmmm....I guess I would probably have less of a problem with that than Amy would...

Posted by BKM | January 13, 2002 11:02 PM

Oh. Er. Okay, that's different. I've never done that. Good luck!

Posted by D2 | January 13, 2002 11:17 PM

Woo-hoo! Sarah needs to have a McCreath cousin to keep her in line. We know this will be a long process - we'll be on pins and needles while you're going through it (OK - maybe not pins . . . . )

Posted by Heather | January 14, 2002 05:34 AM

Good luck!! We will be praying for you!!

Posted by John and Cathy | January 16, 2002 12:52 AM

The more shots I get (at least once a week) the more I know that the best bet is to learn to give them to yourself, but I still prefer someone else to give them to me. So get good at it Brian, because the difference between someone who does it well (fast and efficiently) and someone who is timid and slow is tremendous. The other revelation is that you really do become somewhat immune to the notion of shots after awhile. We're with you guys.

The next level of treatment for my arthritis is to give myself two shots a week for the rest of my life. I'm not ready to go there yet. I'm trying Yoga, stretching and muscle strengthening first to see if that will help. Sleep already does help. Interesting stuff.

Posted by Ruth | January 24, 2002 09:49 PM

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