Wednesday, April 13, 2011

I have been a nervous freak all morning!

I just can't escape all the thoughts about next cycle. I am so anxious about our IUI. I was really nervous about knowing what to do, when, and how next cycle. I realized after checking out Dr. G's website, that I don't need to worry about it so much. They will keep me informed about when I need to do everything and they will to the what and how. I guess I'm just not used to being in the hands of a competent doctor. I'm used to having to figure out everything alone and having doctor's give me wrong information.
So I thought I'd post what an actual IUI procedure entails for those who we're wondering like I was. I got it directly from Dr. G's website so this should be exactly what we start in a couple weeks!

Step 1. Fertility drugs are administered to stimulate the growth of two to three eggs to maturity. Typically, Clomid® pills or gonadotropin injections are employed to nurture the growth of follicles, which cause ovulation to take place.

Step 2. Monitoring of the drug treatments is conducted to measure the growth of follicles and to control the drug doses based on the patient. Because fertility drugs can produce multiple eggs, monitoring is also needed to reduce the risk of multiple births. Blood tests, performed at our clinic offices are used to measure estrogen concentrations, and ultrasound is used to measure follicular development. Generally, the goal of an IUI treatment is to produce three to five mature follicles.

Step 3. When monitoring shows the maturity of at least two or three follicles, the patient receives an injection of the hormone hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin), also known as Ovidrel®, which will induce ovulation.

Step 4. Here, the actual artificial insemination (IUI) procedure is performed.  On the morning of ovulation, a sperm sample is provided by the male partner, prepared for the IUI, and injected later the same day. With a very fine catheter, the washed and concentrated sperm sample is inserted through the cervix, high into the uterus of the woman. Comparable to a Pap test, the IUI procedure is fairly painless and uncomplicated.

Step 5. After the IUI procedure, pregnancy testing and early ultrasound monitoring are conducted at appropriate intervals.

1 comment:

  1. I laugh at your comment about a competent Dr because earlier today I almost wrote that this guy's taken good care of you so far and been really on the ball, unlike those other guys. Good luck trying not to freak out too much this cycle as you wait for your IUI cycle.

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