My first was a surprise at 33. I was always very regular so that oops made me realize I ovulate earlier than I thought. For my second at 38, it took 2 months. In retrospect, it wasn't early enough for month 1 which is why I think month 2 was a success.
Of all my life issues, fertility was not one of them. My pregnancies however, are something I never want to experience again. I tried to live my normal life during #1 and wound up losing too much amniotic fluid with no explanation and the pregnancy became high risk. I was told not to drive anymore, limit my walking, etc. With the second one, I was about 20 lbs heavier when I got pregnant and wound up with gestational diabetes but I don't believe the two are related. That was another miserable pregnancy with all the food restrictions. After each pregnancy, I was so determined to lose the weight but life was suddenly unbearable after each one. DD was born a preemie during the worst winter ever and everybody thought I was nuts to think about taking her to the the empty gym in the building across the parking lot to elliptical. Pumping and breastfeeding her was a soul sucking 6 month experience that I vowed to never do again. I was doing better after DS especially with my diet, but then my husband broke his arm when DS was 3 months and that started a chain of stressful life events. DS is now 18 months and only recently have I even felt like I have just a tiny bit of room to breathe and think about my health again. I have 50 lbs to lose (insert crying face).
I got pregnant on our first try at 38. I got pregnant after about 5 months at 43. We never did charting or anything like that. One thing my Ob/Gyn told me that I never see here is to have sex all throughout your cycle. She says there’s research that this makes you more fecund during ovulation.
I had my 4th daughter at age 37. We had been trying for at least a year. I also got pregnant twice at age 42. I miscarried and the next month got pregnant again and it was ectopic. So started trying for #5 at age 39 and I’m now 44 and seemingly no longer able to have children. I had 3 pretty easily in my late 20s/early 30s...so I assume age is the main issue. Because we already have 4, we aren’t interested in fertility treatments. Oh and when I finally got pregnant (twice) at age 42, I was 6mo into a very strict diet (Autoimmune Protocol) due to Hashimotos. I think it played into my sudden resurgence of fertility. I dropped the diet because I was feeling a lot of grief and despair over the ectopic and I haven’t been able to get myself back focused on it.
Post by thebreakfastclub on Sept 22, 2019 6:50:19 GMT -5
It took me a year to get pregnant at 35, but it turned out I had tube issues and the HSG procedure did the trick. I had no real issues during the pregnancy or bouncing back after.
I would go right to charting and temping and get testing after 6 months of needed though.
I wish I would have known twins are more common, LOL. I love my boys but I was in no way anticipating twins when we decided TTC #2. I was 38 when I got pregnant, 39 when they were born. I did have a blighted ovum the year before, but then we prevented for about 10 months before I got pregnant so it was the 2nd cycle of trying. I think the differences between my first pregnancy at 33 and the second had more to do with twins than age. I was similarly overweight when I got pregnant. I never smoked and didn't drink much. I did track my cycles both times and got pregnant pretty quickly both times.
This was a helpful thread. We are also contemplating having a baby next year now that I hit my 5 year post craniotomy brain tumor resection. I’ve consulted with an RE already and will start those tests once my cycle starts.
Fun fact: Oddly enough, the house we bought when we moved here last year belonged to a prominent reproductive endocrinologist that taught at the University of Georgia Medical College. She passed and had no heirs, never married, had kids, and her family is overseas. Her estate sold by the executor of her will.
The dead RE trained my current RE. He knew her very well. So would it be like she got me pregnant if we do become successful? Weird, right?
Side note - is there a separate board for us of “advanced maternal age”? Or do we go on the regular getting pregnant or tttc board?
Im 42 and have been hanging out on ttc board. It’s been helpful is so many ways.
I was 33 and 37 when my kids were born. They each took about 6 months of TTC. I charted temps, which helped a lot. We were really lucky that we never had any pregnancy losses on the way to building our family.
I think the #1 thing I'm glad I did before I had them was achieve reasonable career and financial stability.
I've been reading this thread and taking notes for my sister, who is insistent upon waiting until after her wedding next March to even go off the pill... she'll be 38. Does anyone know a good RE in the Dallas area I can recommend to her if it comes to that?
I've been reading this thread and taking notes for my sister, who is insistent upon waiting until after her wedding next March to even go off the pill... she'll be 38. Does anyone know a good RE in the Dallas area I can recommend to her if it comes to that?
We started trying when I was 38! Well here we are with nothing to show for it. And now I’m 42. Tell her not to wait! The least she could do is get her AMH tested, hyterosalpingogram sp? (Tests whether tubes are blocked or not and she should get a hysteroscopy where they look inside the uterus with a camera. She can be on the pill and still have those tests done!
I've been reading this thread and taking notes for my sister, who is insistent upon waiting until after her wedding next March to even go off the pill... she'll be 38. Does anyone know a good RE in the Dallas area I can recommend to her if it comes to that?
We started trying when I was 38! Well here we are with nothing to show for it. And now I’m 42. Tell her not to wait! The least she could do is get her AMH tested, hyterosalpingogram sp? (Tests whether tubes are blocked or not and she should get a hysteroscopy where they look inside the uterus with a camera. She can be on the pill and still have those tests done!
Will insurance pay for those tests if you haven’t been trying for 6 months? Not that it’s all about insurance but from all I’ve learned and what I do in current practice is to have patients try for 6 months over age 35 before undertaking invasive testing. I’ve never gotten push back from REI or patients about this approach. But maybe there’s new recommendations I’m unaware about?
We started trying when I was 38! Well here we are with nothing to show for it. And now I’m 42. Tell her not to wait! The least she could do is get her AMH tested, hyterosalpingogram sp? (Tests whether tubes are blocked or not and she should get a hysteroscopy where they look inside the uterus with a camera. She can be on the pill and still have those tests done!
Will insurance pay for those tests if you haven’t been trying for 6 months? Not that it’s all about insurance but from all I’ve learned and what I do in current practice is to have patients try for 6 months over age 35 before undertaking invasive testing. I’ve never gotten push back from REI or patients about this approach. But maybe there’s new recommendations I’m unaware about?
All of mine were considered diagnostic except for the tube blockage test I think . I think that’s mainly a test for fertility purposes. My dr was pretty good at making sure they were listed for diagnostic purposes and not for fertility purposes.
Will insurance pay for those tests if you haven’t been trying for 6 months? Not that it’s all about insurance but from all I’ve learned and what I do in current practice is to have patients try for 6 months over age 35 before undertaking invasive testing. I’ve never gotten push back from REI or patients about this approach. But maybe there’s new recommendations I’m unaware about?
All of mine were considered diagnostic except for the tube blockage test I think . I think that’s mainly a test for fertility purposes. My dr was pretty good at making sure they were listed for diagnostic purposes and not for fertility purposes.
Ok got it. Yes a hysterosalpingogram is used to see if the fallopian tubes are blocked. So your doctors recommended the hysterosalpingogram before 6 months of trying to become pregnant? I’ll definitely want to read up about any new recommendations.
All of mine were considered diagnostic except for the tube blockage test I think . I think that’s mainly a test for fertility purposes. My dr was pretty good at making sure they were listed for diagnostic purposes and not for fertility purposes.
Ok got it. Yes a hysterosalpingogram is used to see if the fallopian tubes are blocked. So your doctors recommended the hysterosalpingogram before 6 months of trying to become pregnant? I’ll definitely want to read up about any new recommendations.
I have no idea. We had already been trying. What I’m saying is even before 6 months , if you ask you can perhaps have your dr say that the test is not related to fertility, but for other diagnostic purposes. Does that make sense? My insurance would not cover any fertility related tests or treatment. My dr was a saint and said they were not for fertility purposes.
My cycle day 3 blood draw and cycle day 7 ultrasound were covered by insurance. My OBGYN ordered them as simple diagnostic tests. The HSG was $1,300 (done at a hospital) and my high deductible insurance paid $200.
I've been reading this thread and taking notes for my sister, who is insistent upon waiting until after her wedding next March to even go off the pill... she'll be 38. Does anyone know a good RE in the Dallas area I can recommend to her if it comes to that?
Yeah, we wish we had started trying as soon as we were engaged - got married in April at age 38. And wasn't able to have children due to both of us having issues - we would have needed both an egg and sperm donor, so we decided against it. Worth at least getting some tests for both her fiance and her.
I've been reading this thread and taking notes for my sister, who is insistent upon waiting until after her wedding next March to even go off the pill... she'll be 38. Does anyone know a good RE in the Dallas area I can recommend to her if it comes to that?
I will also add that her H should be tested too. 50% of couples who are having troubles trying to conceive is due to Male Factor Infertility (MFI). A GP can prescribe a sperm analysis.
Or, you know, just stay out of your sister's reproductive business.
Jesus, I'd be pissed if my family was judging me about my choice to wait a few years after marriage when I'll be 38/39 to start trying. Stay out of it unless she asks.
Or, you know, just stay out of your sister's reproductive business.
Jesus, I'd be pissed if my family was judging me about my choice to wait a few years after marriage when I'll be 38/39 to start trying. Stay out of it unless she asks.
This is advice that people are giving because in hindsight, we/i should have done things different. I think if someone had told me 4 years ago to do some things different I would have appreciated it.
Or, you know, just stay out of your sister's reproductive business.
Jesus, I'd be pissed if my family was judging me about my choice to wait a few years after marriage when I'll be 38/39 to start trying. Stay out of it unless she asks.
This is advice that people are giving because in hindsight, we/i should have done things different. I think if someone had told me 4 years ago to do some things different I would have appreciated it.
Giving advice in hindsight is fine. OG Jo's language "she's insisting on staying on the pill" is judging and unnecessary.
Post by liverandonions on Sept 25, 2019 14:13:41 GMT -5
I went off the pill around June 2010 and we started trying right away with no planning/charting/temping of any kind and then got diagnosed with my Autoimmune disease in November 2010 and had to put off TTC. My timeline then became under doc orders: I had to have normal liver numbers, then normal liver numbers on 4 months of prednisone after coming off of my other med which wasn't proven as safe during pregnancy. I started acupuncture with a focus on fertility for about 2 months before my doc was going to clear me for TTC and I had started charting and temping for several months. I had normal liver #'s 1/2012, 4 months of normal #'s ending 4/2012 and he told me he'd likely give me permission to TTC in May and before i got full permission we "practiced" LOL and I got pregnant on the first try.
I fully believe the temping and acupuncture is what worked for me. Temping/charting helped me figure out I had a long luteal phase. I was almost 33 when my daughter was born and 35 when my son was born.
This is advice that people are giving because in hindsight, we/i should have done things different. I think if someone had told me 4 years ago to do some things different I would have appreciated it.
Giving advice in hindsight is fine. OG Jo's language "she's insisting on staying on the pill" is judging and unnecessary.
Uh I’d be pissed if someone was judging me for my birth control options 😡 I don’t care how old I am. There are plenty of reasons to be on BC. At some point I have to take some of this pressure off myself and hope I get pregnant when I do. Yogi thinking maybe? And I’ve told FI flat up that we’ll be at the RE the day after the wedding if I’m not knocked up (early on a month or two) on my wedding day. Lol.
I'm sorry you took my comment to be judging. My sister has wanted her entire life, DESPERATELY, to be a mother. I want her to have the best chances possible. If there is a reason for pulling the BC to get the hormones out of her system to increase her chances of getting pregnant right after their wedding, I want to be able to provide that information to her.
For those of you who have posted supportive tips, thank you. She is aware of this post and is taking notes on everything being recommended. I really appreciate the insight.
For those of you who have posted supportive tips, thank you. She is aware of this post and is taking notes on everything being recommended. I really appreciate the insight.
Using temperature to chart is fine, but all of my doctors recommended this ovulation test over charting:
The digital reading gives a clear indication of the hormone surge that causes ovulation so you can time intercourse perfectly. If she uses that and can't determine if she's ovulating, then she should seek help quickly.
For those of you who have posted supportive tips, thank you. She is aware of this post and is taking notes on everything being recommended. I really appreciate the insight.
Using temperature to chart is fine, but all of my doctors recommended this ovulation test over charting:
The digital reading gives a clear indication of the hormone surge that causes ovulation so you can time intercourse perfectly. If she uses that and can't determine if she's ovulating, then she should seek help quickly.
Oh I forgot I used ovulation test sticks too (Wondfos). This is something she could start doing before the wedding too just to make sure she's ovulating (use the sticks to see the hormone surge and then temp rise to confirm ovulation) if she's okay using natural family planning to avoid (that's what we did before we were ready to actively try). I can understand not wanting to get pg before your wedding, but this could also help her be prepared for right after.
Thank you! This was really all I was trying to convey with the BC comment - if it would help her to get off the pill NOW to help her THEN, and use other methods to prevent, that's all I want for her. The best possible chance for something she's wanted her entire life!
As someone who DID have to eventually do IVF to have her son (no, I’m not mentioning DD right now because she still refuses to get out and I am unhappy about it, even though she’s also an ivf baby), this meddling is gross. I am unaware of the fact that someone has to be off the pill for a year to get pregnant. Where are you even getting that? Mind your own business if she has not asked you. A lot of people get pregnant easily and on their own at 38/39. Assuming the worst for her is really gross.
I’m a admittedly a little sensitive to this because, intended or not, “I keep telling her to get off the pill!!!” Sets her up for a “this is her own fault” if she ends up having to go to an RE.
Unsolicited fertility advice is never helpful to anyone. It’s especially unhelpful to someone who MAY end up having fertility issues, as they sit there devastated wondering if they did something to cause it.
I'm sorry you took my comment to be judging. My sister has wanted her entire life, DESPERATELY, to be a mother. I want her to have the best chances possible. If there is a reason for pulling the BC to get the hormones out of her system to increase her chances of getting pregnant right after their wedding, I want to be able to provide that information to her.
For those of you who have posted supportive tips, thank you. She is aware of this post and is taking notes on everything being recommended. I really appreciate the insight.
She should go to her doctor to talk to them about this. In general it is not necessary to stop oral birth control pills many months before attempting pregnancy from a pharmacological perspective. But yes she should talk to her doctor to discuss her concerns.
I got pregnant just shy of 37 and it took 2 maybe 3 months. All the doctors I spoke too said they didn’t really treat pregnancy as ama until over 40.
Your docs were different than mine. My 35th birthday was 1 month AFTER my due date yet they had "elderly multigravida" all over my chart. I was definitely treated as if I was AMA and I was only 34. Wtf.
I don't really go here but I'm hoping to have another in a couple years if I can get H on board. Each kid took 18+ months of TTC but that wasn't age related.