Hi all, finally after trying for 5 years, with nothing happening naturally, then 2 rounds of

IVF/ICSI

(second round resulted in pregnancy which failed around week 9), then 2 natural pregnancies leading to a miscarriage from underdeveloped sac at 6 weeks and the third miscarriage around week 9 week due to genetic reasons (Trisomy 22, extra chromosome).

We did get pregnant naturally in November, so I thought it might be helpful to share some things I did as recommended by the

IVF

clinic/researched after my second round of

IVF

, in case it can happen naturally for you, or helps your

IVF

. Of course this is what I did, and I’m not saying will definitely work for you, and please also speak with your own GP etc.

By the way, they didn’t know why we weren’t conceiving.

- Get Vitamin D and thyroid levels checked. Although my thyroid at 4.2 was within the normal range for anyone else, this is outside of the range when trying to conceive.

Recommendations I researched and aimed for whilst working with my GP.

Thyroid -Trying to get pregnant (0.27-4.2 normal)

Vitamin D - 75 nmol/L to 100 nmol/L.

- I took a mixture of myo- inositol and folic acid which is supposed to help PCOS. I wasn’t formally diagnosed as having PCOS, but fertility clinic recommended I take.

- Continued to take a conception multi vitamin.

After these changes I had the first two natural conceptions.

Then before this pregnancy I also read the book - ‘It starts with the egg’ and implemented the changes in there. I wish someone had told me about this book a long time ago, as it sets out what you can do to improve your egg and sperm quality which I think is important whether you’re going down the natural route and especially for

IVF

to give you the best chances of making it as successful as possible.I never felt that anyone explained to me how it works before I read this book, and also reading this and following some of her recommendations around vitamins etc to take, (some of which are what I have already included above and were suggested by the clinic), allowed me to feel like I was able to influence things myself.

- my husband started taking Impryl vitamin daily.

- Daily ovulation strip testing around my fertile time based on Glow, think this helped with the accuracy and used a fertility gel lubricant so sperm weren’t negatively impacted after ejaculation.

- A few months before this pregnancy I also got a dog and have been working from home so not sure if those have also helped!

I still have a lot of the things I mentioned above, so loads of ovulation tests, unopened pregnancy tests, fertility gel, a month supply of conception multi vitamins etc. If you’re interested PM me and I can send to you if in UK and you’re willing to pay for postage and maybe a token amount. I still have the book as well, but would like to keep that as I put my own notes on it, I bought it on Amazon.

Anyway, hope this may help some or any of you! I know it’s a really tough, unpredictable time in our lives, and having been through the daily injections and scans etc. I know it can be really crappy, but hopefully you feel there’s light at the end of the tunnel! I still can’t believe it happened for us naturally, best of luck to you!!

Also, this group is great, I met two girls here when I was doing my

IVF

/ICSI and it was great to be able to talk to someone else who knew what I was going through, when none of my friends and family did.

Hayley

UK IVF SUPPORT GROUP