Our first ultrasound went well. Once again at 8 weeks (7w6d to be exact) we saw a heartbeat though this time the embryo measures exactly his/her gestation (last pregnancy it was a few days behind which can be normal and is generally not a cause for concern - unless your Dwayne and Renee that is...then you should be weary).
We were given the option of another viability ultrasound but I opted out. I hate ultrasounds. I always panic the 2 days before and I'm in perpetual fear for 2 days straight fearing that we'll only be faced with bad news. I hate waiting for the other shoe to drop but history has a way of repeating itself so I'm always prepared for the worst.
Still, today we shaved off a little bit of the fear part and added a little bit to the hope part of it all.
We're happily back to 90% fear and 10% hope.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
December 5, 2008 - 4 weeks 2 days
Beta #2
Often clinics will follow beta values to ensure they're rising appropriately. On average in early pregnancy betas double every 48 hours. Thus, a second beta 2 days later gives the RE an early indication of any issues and viability.
Today's beta was 206. That's more than double from the 76 two days ago. I'm back to my initial thought that we have one healthy implanter and the possibility if a vanishing twin. Its possible there are two in there but the initial beta is on the low side of normal for a singleton so if two implanted, its just more fear to add to my already overstressed mind.
Just to give an idea of our previous betas and result:
IVF #2 - twin boys (more than doubled - late loss not related to health of embyro/implantation)
Beta #1 - 92
Beta #2 - 204
IVF #3 - unhealthy singleton (didn't quite double)
Beta #1 - 125
Beta #2 - 227
IVF #4 - ?? (more than doubled)
Beta #1 - 76
Beta #2 - 206
Interesting comparison eh?
Now we wait. Typically our clinic does a viablity ultrasound at 7 weeks but with our pregnancy history, we're opting to wait it out one more week and do an ultrasound at 8 weeks. It makes more sense to me since the 7 week mark is Christmas eve and I don't want bad news before Christmas. Bad news before New Years is ok (reason to drink up) but not before Christmas.
Often clinics will follow beta values to ensure they're rising appropriately. On average in early pregnancy betas double every 48 hours. Thus, a second beta 2 days later gives the RE an early indication of any issues and viability.
Today's beta was 206. That's more than double from the 76 two days ago. I'm back to my initial thought that we have one healthy implanter and the possibility if a vanishing twin. Its possible there are two in there but the initial beta is on the low side of normal for a singleton so if two implanted, its just more fear to add to my already overstressed mind.
Just to give an idea of our previous betas and result:
IVF #2 - twin boys (more than doubled - late loss not related to health of embyro/implantation)
Beta #1 - 92
Beta #2 - 204
IVF #3 - unhealthy singleton (didn't quite double)
Beta #1 - 125
Beta #2 - 227
IVF #4 - ?? (more than doubled)
Beta #1 - 76
Beta #2 - 206
Interesting comparison eh?
Now we wait. Typically our clinic does a viablity ultrasound at 7 weeks but with our pregnancy history, we're opting to wait it out one more week and do an ultrasound at 8 weeks. It makes more sense to me since the 7 week mark is Christmas eve and I don't want bad news before Christmas. Bad news before New Years is ok (reason to drink up) but not before Christmas.
December 3, 2008 - 4 weeks
BETA DAY!!
For those of you who don't know what a beta is, consider yourself lucky. That generally means you've had no problems getting and staying pregnant.
For those of you who do know what a beta is, I'm sorry.
Simply the correct term is Beta hCG and when you take a pregnancy test, the test measures Beta levels higher than a predetermined value, one that is only seen when pregnant (or following an hCG trigger shot).
Anything less than a Beta of 5 is not pregnant.
Over 5 and your 'a little bit pregnant'
Over 20 and typically it can be detected on a home pregnancy test.
My Beta level on 14 days past conception (9dp5dt -9 days past a 5 day transfer) was 76.
Typically this is a decent number. Not high but not too low (the clinic says they like to see over 70) but its hard to forget that our beta for our pregnancy we lost at 10 weeks (therefore possibly a non healthy pregnancy) was 125. Much higher than a little 76.
This coupled with the fact that beta values tend to double every 48 hours...if I do the backwards math, on 9 days past conception (when I was sure I had a positive pregnancy test not affected by trigger) my beta would only have been ~ 15. Much to low for a pregnancy test to register.
So I'm back to freaking out. 3 possibly scenerios:
1) Both embryos implanted causing early rising hCG levels. Shortly after we had a vanishing twin which resulted in the lower number on beta day. Thus one healthy embyro remaining (please, oh please...)
2) Both embryos took, beta levels not doubling thus not a viable pregnancy (I don't like this option so I'm ignoring it).
3) Trigger shot still in my system, which is possible but not probable since 3x previously its been out of my system.
Ok, so I'm back to 99% fear and 1% hope.
For those of you who don't know what a beta is, consider yourself lucky. That generally means you've had no problems getting and staying pregnant.
For those of you who do know what a beta is, I'm sorry.
Simply the correct term is Beta hCG and when you take a pregnancy test, the test measures Beta levels higher than a predetermined value, one that is only seen when pregnant (or following an hCG trigger shot).
Anything less than a Beta of 5 is not pregnant.
Over 5 and your 'a little bit pregnant'
Over 20 and typically it can be detected on a home pregnancy test.
My Beta level on 14 days past conception (9dp5dt -9 days past a 5 day transfer) was 76.
Typically this is a decent number. Not high but not too low (the clinic says they like to see over 70) but its hard to forget that our beta for our pregnancy we lost at 10 weeks (therefore possibly a non healthy pregnancy) was 125. Much higher than a little 76.
This coupled with the fact that beta values tend to double every 48 hours...if I do the backwards math, on 9 days past conception (when I was sure I had a positive pregnancy test not affected by trigger) my beta would only have been ~ 15. Much to low for a pregnancy test to register.
So I'm back to freaking out. 3 possibly scenerios:
1) Both embryos implanted causing early rising hCG levels. Shortly after we had a vanishing twin which resulted in the lower number on beta day. Thus one healthy embyro remaining (please, oh please...)
2) Both embryos took, beta levels not doubling thus not a viable pregnancy (I don't like this option so I'm ignoring it).
3) Trigger shot still in my system, which is possible but not probable since 3x previously its been out of my system.
Ok, so I'm back to 99% fear and 1% hope.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)