Embryos and Egg Retrieval Recovery

I had the Monday off after my egg retrieval because it was Victoria Day, so I was able to spend the day relaxing on the couch, drinking water and eating salty foods. I had constant abdominal discomfort. This got better as the week progressed and by about Thursday I only had pain if I twisted the wrong way.

I started progesterone suppositories Monday morning – 2 pills (200mg total) 3 times a day – to prepare for embryo transfer. I also picked up antibiotics that I would take the day before, day of, and day after embryo transfer. The progesterone suppositories are messy but I know from my IUI cycles that I need 400mg a day to prevent my uterine bleeding so I’ll do whatever necessary if it means I don’t have any bleeding.

The lab called the day after the egg retrieval to talk about the eggs/embryos. All 8 eggs were mature and fertilized with ICSI. 7 of them started to divide. With more than 4 embryos they recommend doing a day 5 transfer because there is usually a higher rate of success than a day 3 transfer, and with so many embryos it is likely that at least 1 will make it to day 5. For a day 5 transfer they don’t check the embryos on day 2 so the next update would be day 3.

I was prepared for a drop in the number of embryos on day 3 because I know it’s typical for there to be pretty significant drops in embryo numbers during an IVF cycle, but my husband was convinced all 7 would still be growing. He was right! I got the call on day 3 that all 7 embryos were still growing away and that they looked excellent, so my transfer was set for day 5

Egg Retrieval

My egg retrieval was scheduled for 9am on the Sunday of the Victoria Day long weekend. I needed to arrive at the clinic at 8am to be prepped for the procedure. I also had a list of things I needed to do at home prior to coming to the clinic, including both my husband and I having showers that morning, no food or drink after midnight, wearing socks, tying my hair back, bringing a pad and a few other things.

When I woke up Sunday morning I was starving and thirsty and really nervous. I still felt crampy like I had the night before so I was a little less worried about ovulating before the retrieval. My husband and I prepped at home as instructed by the clinic, including wearing our matching Star Wars t-shirts. We took a picture together to put in an IVF scrapbook before heading to the clinic.

At the clinic I changed into a very cute squirrel nightgown, surgical booties and hair cap, took a sedative and had an IV started. I was given an antibiotic with the IV to help with infection. My husband had to wear shoe covers, a gown, hair cap and face mask. Before going into the procedure room we were told that it was common for each follicle not to have an egg, and for not all the eggs to be mature. My husband provided his semen sample before the egg retrieval.

For the egg retrieval I was set up on a table similar to what is used for giving birth. I was started on oxygen and my blood pressure and heart rate were monitored regularly. My husband was able to sit by my head during the procedure. There was 1 nurse monitoring me, 1 helping the RE, the RE, and a lab technician in the room. I was given a pain killer and something else during the procedure so I don’t remember anything after the RE started placing the speculum and cleaning my vagina/cervix.

To retrieve the eggs they use a vaginal ultrasound and a big needle to suction out the fluid from the follicles. My husband could watch on the ultrasound screen and see the follicle disappear. I asked him to take a video but he didn’t, so I just got pictures of my ovaries with all the follicles there. The whole procedure took less than 10 minutes and the lab tech confirmed that there was an egg in each follicle before we went back to recover.

I had some cramping and a little bit of bleeding after the procedure. I was starving so as soon as we left we went to McDonald’s. My husband would only let me have fries, but they were so delicious. I spent the rest of the day relaxing on the couch and watching tv.