The Medicine

When you go through the IVF process, there are lots of things you have to remember to take. Medicines HAVE to be taken at a certain time. I've had a lot of people ask "why are you on birth control if you're trying to have a baby?" Well I will do my best to attempt to explain that.

The birth control is taken for 21 days to make your cycle timely. Suppression medication is then taken to "shut down" your reproductive system so that the doctors can control what happens. Stimulation medication is also taken to stimulate the ovaries, which makes you produce more eggs than usual. There is a "trigger shot" given 36 hours prior to retrieval to signal the follicles to release the eggs. Then, progesterone is taken to make sure the lining of the uterus is ready.

All the while remembering the time to take these medicines, refrigerate when needed, warming when needed, taking prenatal vitamins, etc. It all starts running together...you can't remember which side you gave the shot last time, you second guess yourself about whether or not you took your vitamins. Yikes! Lots at stake here...I've got two of these full now.