The end of an IVF cycle isn’t the end of your woes. As a matter of fact, once the cycle is over, the excruciatingly long wait to take a pregnancy test begins. This phase is awash with anxiety as you are eagerly expecting good news and if you get a positive result, things will start to look up. However the rest of the journey still has to be traversed.
Though you can heave a big sigh of relief, you would still have to monitor your pregnancy very carefully. These are the things you can expect during your IVF pregnancy, especially in the early stages.
The Excitement
It’s definitely a time to celebrate. All your patience and hard work has finally paid off and you are well on the path to becoming parents. However, this path isn’t a smooth one and it’s natural for you to be scared.
If you’ve been attempting to get pregnant for quite some time, it’s possible that you’ve gone through a number of fertility treatments before you eventually achieved your pregnancy. It’s wise to tone down the celebrations a bit, till the time you actually hold your baby in your arms. You will go through this phase of conflicting emotions and it’s completely natural too.
If you are feeling scared and anxious, it’s a very normal response in a situation such as this one. It’s important that you actually voice what you are feeling and talk about these things with your family and friends; this will help calm you down and help allay those fears.
The Medications
Among the prenatal vitamins and other supplements you take, your doctor might consider keeping you on some continued progesterone support. Based on the status of your IVF pregnancy as well as your overall health condition, the doctor will decide whether you require progesterone, whether you need continued support and what its duration would be.
Progesterone is administered via injections and vaginal suppositories; you and your doctor can together decide which would be the best course of action. Injections can be quite painful, and you should ask your doctor about vaginal suppositories.
Continued Monitoring
Yours is a very precious pregnancy, simply because you have gone through a lot of effort and pain as well as financial sacrifice to achieve it. It’s also why your doctors would want to monitor you very closely. Though it isn’t a prerequisite, most doctors decide its best to continue monitoring their patients and they will:
- Ask you to get regular blood work done to look for rising hCG levels, estrogen levels and progesterone levels
- If you did experience ovarian hyper stimulation syndrome (OHSS), they will want to test for that too
- Regular ultrasounds are also common in an IVF pregnancy.
Relax, be Comfortable
Continue to be in touch with your doctor; undergo all the testing as well as the monitoring required. However, it’s also important that you continue to relax & rest. This is because, as your pregnancy advances, it can get more uncomfortable. If you’ve had OHSS in the course of your treatment, it’s important that you monitor your symptoms closely. Most often, the symptoms start to worsen and can be dangerous if left unchecked.
Read More- OHSS - Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome
Summary
There is nothing easy about becoming a parent; this is especially true if you have decided to opt for an IVF pregnancy. Once you’ve confirmed your pregnancy, it’s time to gather yourself and prepare yourself for the next phase- maternity!
Not happy with the attention you are getting from your IVF clinic? Need more information? Please send me your medical details by filling in the form at www.drmalpani.com/free-second-opinion so that I can guide you!
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