Background

The reason that I am writing this blog is so that many of you who know our struggles can stay informed and take this journey with us. It is also a good outlet for us to get our feelings out (a.k.a. my feelings) without constantly whining to my family and friends. Finally, since 10% of women in the United States are dealing with infertility issues, it is most likely that some of my family and friends are as well. This is a good way we can support each other.

As many of you who may read this already know, Ed and I were married in 2006. In 2007, I began law school and he began working as an engineer. On January 25, 2010, we took our last birth control pill hoping that we could have a baby before I graduated in December 2010 and studying for the bar exam began.

Within 2 months I knew something was wrong, however, when I had yet to start a cycle. I made an appointment with Johns Hopkins Bayview, but being as busy as they are I had to wait 2 weeks. At about day 100 post-BC, I saw the doctors. Their response was two-fold: (1) do not temp, chart, etc. because it will just "stress you out" and (2) the birth control is probably just not out of your system.

So fast forward five months and only 2 very short cycles later, I finally found another doctor. I told her my issues (which looking back describe PCOS to a tee minus the obesity) and she guessed that that I had Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. The ultrasound and blood test confirmed.

 For those of you that do not know, PCOS is a condition where a woman has too high of testosterone and her LH\FSH hormone ratio is off. As a result, many follicles start devleoping into eggs, but cannot finish the process. When one looks at the ovaries on the ultrasound, it looks as though are tiny cysts all over the ovary (anywhere from 15-50) - hence polycystic ovarian syndrome. In addition, PCOS causes acne, excess hair growth (yay thick hair!), obesity, and type 2 diabetes. Women with PCOS are more likely to die of heart attacks (up to seven times), ovarian cancer (up to two times) and uterine cancer (up to three times) than other women.  Very unfortunately, women with PCOS are much more likely to have a miscarriage (50-65%) than women without (12%).

As soon as I was diagnosed on October 9, 2010, we made a plan of action. My OB\GYN was going to put me on Clomid (50 mg) for three months before sending me to the reproductive endocrinologist (RE). The first month I ovulated, but no successful pregnancy (BFN). We paused for two months so that I could take (and pass!) the bar exam. The second round of Clomid (50 mg) had me ovluating as well, but once again it did not stick (BFN).

In early April, I called my OB\GYN to get another appointment to start the next round. To my dismay, I was informed that she left the practice. I decided to take matters into my own hands and called an RE at Shady Grove Fertility Clinic. I had an appointment with Dr. McClamrock within a week.

We met with Dr. McClamrock and started all the testing all over again (blood work, genetic testing, labs, ultrasounds, etc.). On a good note, we are not at risk for any major genetic disorders. And on a DOUBLY GOOD NOTE, I was diagnosed with a "mild version" of PCOS. Whereas some women have 25-50 on each ovary, I only had 13 on one and 19 on the other. He believes that is why the lowest dose of Clomid works.

Ed was finally tested as well. His results came back very good overall. He was diagnosed, however, with borderline morphology (shape of the sperm). Although there are many "ranges," a morphology of 4% is about at the range where there may not be enough "healthy shaped sperm" to get to the egg. Dr. McClamrock said he is only "mildly worried" about it! As such, we would do two rounds of Clomid\Injections before going to IVF. If we do not get pregnant, however, we may  move straight to IVF to avoid the morphology issue.

So that brings us to today. Enjoy the journey. There is one positive note about all of this - Ed and I have never been closer. We enjoy facing a challenge together and it is only making us stronger as a couple. Plus, I'm having time to mature which, as many of you know, is probably necessary.