Retrieval In's & Out's

Many of you are are wanting to know how this all works. So let's start with the egg retrieval.

Once the RE (Reporoductive Endocrinologist) determines that it is time for retrieval, a trigger shot must be given.  This is usually hGC, but it can be a few other hormones that are able to get the eggs ready to be retrieved from the follicles.  The shot and retrieval are very time sensitive. Generally the shot is given 36 hours before the retrieval is scheduled to be done.  Wavering even just an hour can cause poor results at the time of retrieval.  

Egg Retrieval (ER) is done under a very low dose of general anesthesia, also known as "twilight sleep."  The picture below shows how the retrieval is done.  An ultrasound probe with a hollow needle goes through the wall of the vagina.  With the use of ultrasound, the RE probes the needle into each follicle individually, aspirating the contents into individual collection tubes, which is then passed off to the embryologist who searches for an egg within the fluid.  The whole process only take 15-25 minutes.

Here I am with fingers crossed before going into the retrieval.

Before I knew it, I was waking up in the recovery room.  The first thing out of my mouth was, "that was the best nap EVER."  LOL.  And then I found out how many eggs were collected.  With a huge sign of relief, I hugged my hubby with tears of joy running down my face.  Six isn't the best, but it's better the 4...and it only takes ONE to make Baby Vincent.

So now what?  Well the first few hours after retrieval, the egg and the sperm spend a little time getting all spiffed up.  Everything has to be perfect for their "first date."  There are two options for this "meeting."  The egg can be put into culture along with about a million little sperm, hoping for fertilization to happen "naturally"  OR...one super awesome sperm can be hand selected and directly inserted into the egg, increasing the chances of fertilization.  This process of fertilization is known as ICSI.  Since we had so few eggs retrieved, we decided to increase our chances and used ICSI to fertilize our eggs.

The picture below helps depict the stages of growth of our little ones.  Yesterday was considered Day 0.  Hopefully today we get word that some have fertilized and look like the blast in d1.  Some will grow faster then normal and some may need a day to catch up.  But in the end, we need as many of them as possible to look like the blast in d5.  The red arrow is the area from where the sample for genetic testing will be collected.  This part of the blast will eventually develop into the placenta.  The blue arrow is pointing to a collection of cells that will eventually become the baby.  :)

After the sample for genetic testing is collected, the embryos are then frozen on that same day, Day 5 (or Day 6 for the slower ones).  The results to the testing will then take 5-7 days to get back.  I will post more about PGS/PGD on a later date. 

I hope this helps.  :)