Infertility Political Action Requested!

Please read the email chain below. If you have any political action advice please chime in. There is not much time!

To Whomever it May concern:


I just found out at my Fertility Clinic this am that there is a bill to be presented in ONE MONTH to repeal the IVF mandate that has been in place in the state for 20 years.

I am an IVF patient that just got pregnant thanks to this mandate. My medical history is similar to many others: We have unexplained Infertility . We have been trying for many years to get pregnant. We started with non – invasive fertility treatments about a year ago – to no avail. Meanwhile, the biological clock is ticking unfavorably. We got pregnant with our first In Vitro Fertilization that we would have been unable to touch without the state mandate.

This state prides itself that it is “Family Friendly”. The IVF state mandate echoes this and makes this state very unique in the United States. Most couples have to take out loans that take years to pay off. Of course most other developed nations cover this medical procedure with their national healthcare plans. It should go without saying how infertility affects families. Medical Intervention should not be for a privileged few.


I am ready to put a lot of energy into opposing this bill. BILL XXXX.

I called XXXXX, who is introducing the bill to ask why he is doing it. He said , “because the IVF mandate raises everyone’s insurance by 3-5%”. This claim is dubious to me and I would like to see some proof that policies would lower if the bill is passed.

If you have any political action advice for me, it would be greatly appreciated.

Virginia

3rd u/s: 8w0d

Back to the RE for another ultrasound. A different doc measured me today. And as of last week there has been a lot of change - if indeed their measurements are correct to begin with!

Today I am measuring precisely at 8w0d. (So the fetus grew 2 weeks in 6 days?)
The heartbeat was measured at 83!!!! (That's down from 106bpm at 6w4d)

Once again I was told to expect for the worst.

I feel there is too much information and medical intervention at this point. But I'm so far in this, I am not about to quit going to these u/s. He "needs" me back next week.

Second Opinion Ultra Sound / 7w1d

I went to a local OB/GYN clinic. He completely understood my desire for a second opinion before heading home for the holidays and was very accommodating. They had a very fancy new u/s machine - fancier than the RE - considering the small town they are in. What a nice man he was. I think I'll return to him.

But enough waxing; the second opinion was not much different than the REs assessment last week at 6w3d. The heartbeat is strong he noted (but didn't measure). The CRL is still one week behind, but it has grown since last week. Today it is measuring 6w1d and 6 days ago it was 5w3d. So the good news is as follows: It's still alive, it's growing, and it's got a good heartbeat. Bad news: it's a week behind and below the 'safe zone'. Rx: wait and see.

First Ultra Sound Report - not so good news at 6w3d

(I am so thankful that my clinic puts all my lab results on the web and I can log on and get them after the fact. All blood work and ultrasound results are available to me 24/7. Even before I started IUIs this was avail. Don't they get bonus points for this?)

Today there were a lot of details that I wasn't able to process after he told me my embryo / fetus size was indicative of a future miscarriage. And no I don't curse him for his manners. He treated me like a grown up without much sugar coating and I respect that. "Have I seen cases like this that have gone on to be perfectly healthy births, absolutely. But it is quite rare."

First he measured my ovaries and commented that they are still quite large. And yes, I officially have moderate OHSS, but I could have told you that (and did) about the time I got my first BFP. Alas, there is nothing they can do about. Just deal with it.

Secondly he looked for the sac. He didn't hesitate to say it was smaller than he hoped for. The sac measures approx 8 x 8 x 7. It should be in the 14 range.

Thirdly he measured the Crown to Rump Length. It is measuring 2.43mm = 5w4d. Just about 1 week behind schedule. Should be 4mm

Finally he measured the Fetal Heart Rate. And there was some good news here. We saw it and heard it. 106 bpm. I believe that 110 is 'safe'. But 106 is good considering everything else is so behind.

When I looked at the monitor with the blow up of the heart fluttering, it was huge! This embryo / fetus is all heart and no body!


So I've already thrown this out to my online support group and have gotten some been there done that good news stories, and I've also read some not so good news storires of similar cases.

I'm trying out this mantra: There is nothing I can do about it, Worrying won't help anything, it's nobody's fault and if it goes it wasn't meant to stay.


But certainly this was big blow today; I walked in there with all the confidence in the world.



Waiting for the next u/s on Dec 29.


Nity got a BFP today after a FET!
Still Waiting had her 9 weeks appt and got a stellar report. She is celebrating.


PS, I read in the docs notes that they marked this IVF cycle, "Succesful, Viable Pregnancy". I believe for their CDC Success rates that if a heartbeat is heard, it is considered a win.

7 Not So Random Things About Me

I was tagged not once , but twice by Ashley and by Clio! I wasn't going to participate b/c I'm bent on keeping this blog technical and to the point, but I'll bite since I've enjoyed reading your Randomness that has personalized you more.

I've also noticed no one is truly random in these posts; such as, "I pick my toe nails". You are all sharing 'who I am and where I come from" type randomness. I am glad for your posts and I will follow suit.


1. In all my years of babysitting, being a sibling and working with kids, I've enjoyed being around young boys the most. I never played with dolls. That said, I think I'll end up with a girl.

2. I travelled Solo to many islands in Indonesia when I was 24.


3. I have an affinity for water: drinking water, bath water, ocean water, stream water. (yes, I am a Pisces Clio). I am daydreaming about a water birth .

4. I feel guilty in IF blog and board land that my first IVF was such a success - thus far .

5. Being in the wilderness is my favorite vacation / or holiest church.

6. I was a strict vegetarian for 8 years until I returned to Memphis TN in '96 and drove past my favorite BBQ Joint. I cook almost every day. My favorite processed food is Cheese Whiz. I buy organic as often as I am able.

7. I work for a company on 5th Ave in NYC from a cow pasture in the Ozarks (shhh).




Now I am instructed to tag a few others to keep this flame alive:

(if you click over to any of these gals, will you kindly let them know they've been tagged?)

Kandi
babydust
Leigh
Tintedsky

2nd Beta Test

Hcg Level was 195 at 16DPO
That makes my 'doubling time' 36.82 hours.
Which means, so far so good and right on track according to this beta data base.

Nurse relayed that Progesterone was greater than 45 "just what they want to see".

First Ultra Sound on Dec 17th.

Incredible.

BETA test

My HCG level was 80 mIU/ml at 14 DPO. The clinic will be looking for the doubling rate of this number upon my return Weds. This beta site was fun .