FertilityTies posts tagged with risks

Birth control pills?

Sun, 26 Oct 2008 20:26:09 -0500

Hi doctor,

I'm about to begin my first IVF/ICSI cycle, and I'm supposed to begin BCPs for 21 days. I've never taken BCPS, so I want to know if there are any common side effects? I read all of the scary side effects written on the prescription, but I'm not sure how concerned I should be. I'm almost 36 years old and I don't smoke (never have) and have no known health conditions. Am I at risk for anything while on these pills?

Thanks so much!

Christine

81mg Aspirin & Pregnancy

Sun, 05 Oct 2008 18:55:23 -0500

Hey ladies. I've decided on my own, which I probably should ask my doctor, to start taking an 81mg Aspirin every day. I am TTC again after my miscarriage... and I truly feel this will benefit me.

I've read that Aspirin can cause placenta abruption... but I've also read that it can really help with those who have high blood pressure. Which is me. And it says that some doctors will outweigh the placenta abruption risk with the high blood pressure being more of a risk.

I've read a few stories where women have had multiple miscarriages and then take the Aspirin and go on to havae successful pregnancies.

Any body else tried this? Am I wrong to do this on my own?

MaggieMS

Possibly getting on Clomid + questions!

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 15:35:10 -0500

Hello doctor,

I just spoke with my RE and he said that it might be good to try another (3rd) IUI with Clomid this time (50mg, 1 pill per day). If you've followed my posts, you know that I'm terrified of taking fertility meds for fear of side effects like OHSS, blood clots, etc. On the other hand, I think clomid is less risky than the IVF meds, so if we can get pregnant doing IUI w/meds, would be better than doing IVF/ICSI. So here are my questions:

1. Since I ovulate on my own, will Clomid *really* help, or is this just my doctor offering something different for the sake of something different?

2. How much will this boost my chances, given our moderate male factor issue? Our RE gave us a 5% chance of success last time when I was inseminated with 2.3M motile sperm (post-wash) - 61% motility.

3. How risky is Clomid when it comes to OHSS, blood clots, etc.?

I'd really appreciate it if you could share your experience with this "scary" drug, so that I can make a good decision.

Thanks so much!

Christine

Taking too many miligrams of clomid

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 13:44:22 -0500

Hi everyone! My friend is unable to get pregnant on her own. She went to the doctor and had testing done, etc. Well I'm worried about her. She was given a script for clomid 50mg. She plans on using some leftover clomid from her sister in law and bumping it up to 150mg for her first cycle. What can happen to her? I keep telling her stick with 50 mg but she won't listen. She also won't listen to the doctor taking it days 5-9. She says she's going to take it days 2-6 instead.

Are fertility meds safe?

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 20:58:11 -0500

Hello Doctors,

Tomorrow I'm doing a natural IUI cycle. We're going that route for two reasons:

1. We want to see how my husband's sperm responds to washing;

2. Fertility meds make me nervous.

Do I have any reason to be afraid of taking things like Clomid, etc.? I'm kind of squeamish about meds in general, but the thought of OHSS or a blood clot is freaking me out. Am I being irrational?

Thanks.

Christine

Dr.Q... Your Opinion on taking Zoloft during the 3rd trimester?

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 20:06:50 -0500

Hi Dr.Q,

As you know I am currently taking zoloft. I tried going off of it during my pregnancy and lasted about 6 weeks until I started having severe panic attacks again. I'm currently 25 weeks pregnant and take 75mg of zoloft a day. I'm just wondering what you would recommend me doing during my 3rd trimester? I know some doctors say to either go off or take a very low dose but I am wondering what you think? I am so afraid of going off because of the panic attacks I get when I go off. I have been doing so great the past 3 weeks back on the med. What risks are there if I continue to take the zoloft during the 3rd trimester? Or should I lower my dose and try to ween myself off? And do you think 75mg is too much to take during pregnancy? I'm so sorry for all the questions! Thanks so much for your help! I greatly appreciate it!

Keller0422

Pelvic rest for 6 weeks after delivery

Sat, 31 May 2008 22:41:42 -0500

Hi Dr. Q

I'm just curious what are the main reasons behind why I can't have sex for 6 weeks after delivery. What if my bleeding is gone and I'm feeling back to normal already? What happens if I end up having sex before 6 weeks? What are the possible risks aside from getting pregnant again too soon? Thanks, doc! :-)

lexie123

Having HSG done...

Thu, 22 May 2008 11:15:30 -0500

Hi Dr. Q,

I'm getting my HSG done tomorrow (my last test before they refer me to fertility specialists). My lmp was on May 11 and my cycles are 28/29 days normally. My doc thinks I'm OK, since I know they like you to do it before CD 12. Does sound OK to you? They are doing a pregnancy test for me today, which is apparently required before HSG. Is there any risk of doing it this close to ovulation, as I usually ovulate on CD 14/15?

Also, DH and I BD last night, so I assume that's not a problem for tomorrow, is it?

THANKS!

Christine

fertility

Wed, 06 Feb 2008 16:55:45 -0600

I have recently started taking clomid. Having just had a day 12 scan, they found that I had produced 4 (eggs) and to avoid intercourse with my husband for 2 weeks. I have since been havin severe pains in my right side (back) and in my stomach - is this normal. What are your thoughts on having intercourse, is the risk of a quadruple pregnancy that high?

Donna Hutchings

Success of iui w/ injectables & safety

Sun, 20 Jan 2008 20:27:00 -0600

Hi Doc..what is the average success rate of iui with injectables such as gonal-f? I am 27, have one child..no known problems..just taking forever. Also, what is the % of twins? Are there any health risks to mother or child?

Thanks!

Kelli

chance of having twins

Mon, 27 Aug 2007 12:54:44 -0500

I had a daughter 6 months ago. I was just wondering if I wanted twins how would I go about it, is there anyway of concieving them and also would you suggest me even wanting twins if I already have a daughter. I don't plan on having another baby for at least a year. I also had a leep done to remove precancerous cell in july. My doctor told me that I may have trouble conceiving and also I might have trouble carry a pregnancy to term. What do you think? Thank you for the time and sorry the question is so long.

katie Galbavy

Risks of IVF

Sat, 12 May 2007 13:21:00 -0500

Many medical providers usually worry about the risks and complications associated with IVF. Most will try and do everything to keep you from harm’s way. So what can happen if you decide to undergo IVF?

Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS) can occur when too many eggs are created, which usually means over 20. OHSS has varying degrees of presentations but usually shows up as painfully enlarged ovaries, increased fluid in the abdomen, severe nausea and vomiting, sleeplessness, and sometimes blood clots. If you wind up with a pregnancy and you have OHSS, the symptoms will usually worsen and not get better up until around the 9th week of pregnancy. OHSS tends to be more common in younger patients and in those who have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS).

Ectopic pregnancies (tubal pregnancies) occur much more frequently in IVF patients than in the general population. If noted, these can be treated with medication or through surgical removal of the pregnancy. In certain circumstances, they can resolve on their own. But in any case, close monitoring by your physician is essential to help avoid a life-threatening profuse hemorrhage if the ectopic pregnancy were to burst.

In certain cases, multiple embryos (3 or more) are transferred back into the uterine cavity to help patients achieve a pregnancy. What sometimes happens though is that all the embryos implant. Multiple births are very problematic since not only can they be a burden for a couple (feeding, diaper changes, financial, etc), but multiples also have an increased risk of preterm delivery and other complications. If a couple is faced with this issue in the first trimester, then they always have the option of reducing the total amount of fetuses to one or two, a procedure called selective reduction.

What everyone should know is that there are no guarantees with IVF or any infertility treatment as there are many steps where things can go wrong along the way. In people we consider poor responders, follicles (the sacs that contains the eggs) are sometimes not produced with the medications given. There is also a possibility that eggs may not be retrieved successfully and/or if retrieved, have normal fertilization once exposed to sperm in a Petri dish. The embryos must also be able to grow and develop over the next few days while in the incubator. Even when all of these steps go right, the embryos can sometimes fail to implant into the uterine cavity once deposited after the transfer.

Implantation failure may be due to several factors, but the most common reason is that good proportions of these embryos are of poor quality and/or are chromosomally abnormal. Sometimes even the most perfect looking embryo that is transferred in reality is abnormal. Many people undergo several IVF cycles before a live birth can be achieved. But for others, the emotional and/or financial toll can be overwhelming.

In such cases, egg donation from a younger person can significantly increase the pregnancy rate. This is done by stimulating the ovaries of a younger person, extracting her eggs and fertilizing them with her partner’s sperm. A few days later, the embryo(s) are then transferred into the recipient’s uterus. Adoption, otherwise, is always a sure fire way of helping couples start a family they desire.

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