Too many women go through infertility alone, so we want to normalize the conversation around it. Below is a featured story from one of our communities members: real women with real stories also going through the same pain, hardships, and successes this process can bring.
Our TTC stories start with Yael, a soon-to-be mama based in Israel. Here's her TTC Story.
The Start of TTC
I started TTC back in 2015 with my ex. I was 38 back then. We tried for a year and nothing happened. We went to see a fertility doctor who had his sperm and my hormones checked and said to do an IUI. All our results came back great and there didn’t seem to be a reason why it shouldn’t work.
How naive we were.
After our first failed IUI, our relationship ended. At that time, I was already so determined to be a mother, so I decided right away to continue with a sperm donor. I chose one fairly quickly and my doctor suggested a medicated IUI. Twice.
They both failed, so IVF was my next option.
Starting IVF
By then, it was February 2017, and I went in for my first egg retrieval. They retrieved 16 eggs and 12 of them were fertilized! I was overjoyed.
I had a fresh transfer that failed and another 3 frozen ones that failed too.
By January 2018, I went in for retrieval number two: 10 eggs were retrieved, 7 fertilized. More transfers. More failures. November 2018, retrieval number three: 11 eggs retrieved, 6 fertilized. More transfers. More failures.
In between, I had a hysteroscopy done to make sure it was all clean. They found a polyp and removed it, so I thought, "That was it! Now it’s gonna work!"
Well, not so much.
More retrievals and more transfers, never even implanted.
Fast forward to March 2020—my fifth and final egg retrieval: 6 eggs retrieved, 3 fertilized, and sent to PGS testing. One came back normal, and it failed to implant as well.
By this point, I underwent five retrievals and 11 transfers. 0 implantation. Unexplained infertility.
The Recommendation of Egg Donation
I sat in my third doctor's office and he suggested Egg Donation. I wasn’t sure what to think of it at first so I just said okay and he gave me all the paperwork.
We were already in the midst of a pandemic, but I was like a robot. I just did whatever my doctor said. In April, the day came that my donor sperm was supposed to be sent to the clinic for the Donor eggs and on that day I woke up with my first ever panic attack. I realized I just wasn’t ready for that step.
Giving up on my DNA just like that made me feel sad and panicked, so I called the clinic and told them to hold off on everything. I just wasn't ready.
After a while, I started to read up on donor egg IVF and realized I had to take my time to mourn my DNA and feel ready for it without the rush. I started following IG accounts like @definingmum, @_tryingtobeamum_, and @motheringsolo who helped me understand more about it and I read “3 makes baby”.
By the end of June 2020—after I had heard of another pregnancy of a girl in her 40s—I couldn’t wait anymore. I felt ready, so I started researching clinics in Greece.
Success with My Donor
After about one month, I made my decision. By September, they had found my donor. Due to the pandemic, it wasn’t possible for me to travel there, but my embryos were waiting for me in Greece. My donor gave me four beautiful, highly-graded blastocysts.
Finally, in early November, I booked a flight to Greece (even though they were in lockdown) and had my transfer. (My 12th one if you kept count.) Two beautiful embryos were transferred.
After 10 days, I took an HPT. (My clinic told me to test on Day 12)
It was negative. I couldn’t even cry. I was just so used to this result. But my clinic told me to keep taking my meds (estrogen and progesterone) and to rest on Day 12.
Finding Out I Was Pregnant
On Day 11, I decided to get a blood test.
It came back positive! I couldn’t believe it or even fathom that outcome. On Day 12, I took another HPT, and for the first time in my life, and after five years of trying, I saw two lines! It was the most unbelievable, crazy, and wonderful feeling.
My second beta test three days later also showed very high numbers.
Finally, after all those years of trying and heartbreak and hormones and needles, I could finally say, “I’m pregnant!” 😃
I’m currently 30+ weeks pregnant with my baby boy. I still have days where I cannot fathom that I’m finally going to become a mum.
My pregnancy so far has been great, easy, and healthy. Hopefully, so will labor.
I guess double donor was my destiny. And my baby boy will finally make my long-term dream come true!