OHSS and Selective Reduction

Hi all. I don't know who all know my story, but this was my first cycle on gonal-f and I have diminished ovarian reserve. Well, I stimulated VERY well. Almost too well. I have 8 follies total, 4 of which are mature, and 4 others that are close behind. I had one follie grow from a 14 to 18.5 in ONE day (yesterday to today) so there is a chance that some of the other smaller follies will become mature. I triggered today. RE office called to tell me my estrogen level is wonderful (today it was 1157 which is day 10, day 9 was 884 and day 7 was 482) but I am at a higher % of more than twins, 2-7% and she wanted to talk to me about selective reduction. If there are more than 3 that fertilize and implant they have you do selective reduction. If I said no to that option, the wouldn't have let me trigger. I was told originally that I only have a 5% chance of having a baby anyway with my high FSH. So I highly doubt that I will have that many take, I am praying for one! Would love two, and be ok with three, but I know that won't happen.
Also I am at a high risk for ovarian hyperstimulation syndrom (syndrome).

My question is, do any of you know anyone or yourself have a good response to injectables like this and have had to do selective reduction or had OHSS??

[shishka]

Hello. When I had my IVF my RE had me sign a form if I agreed to do Selective Reduction. He explained that more than 2 would put me and pregnancy at risk. Your numbers sound great. I did not do anything this month, I am on BCP. I will be meeting 2 different REs next week. Hoping to start my IVF soon. Good luck.

[willsmom]

I CANNOT believe any doctor would make you sign a form stating you would definitely have selective reduction.  I'm sorry if that sounds cold, but that's how I feel.  Since we are in this forum, it is safe to say that most, if not all, of us have suffered from varying degrees of infertility.  Each of us has chosen the length and route we will take to try to have a biological child and some of those roads are more risky than others (i.e., injectibles).  However, that is a chance we are taking to attain our dream.  I am floored to think that a doctor would MAKE you play God with the lives of your unborn children.  Who are they to think they can decide which lives are valuable and which are not?  Personally, my RE laid out the options in front of us, told us the risks of each one and said IT WAS OUR DECISION each step of the way.  Of course the injectibles put  you at a higher chance of more than 3, BUT that is the chance you chose to take.  I know that I say all this with  deep Christian convictions and beliefs and you may not have those same beliefs.  My RE explained about that IVF offers much greater control over the # of babies you can conceive and said that most couples he sees opt to spend the extra money to go that route instead of facing the decision of whether or not to abort some of the embryos.  And that is what it is, ABORTION.  They just try to make it sound more ethical and moral to call it SELECTIVE REDUCTION.  

Sorry to go on and on.  I'm not picking on you.  I'm just FLOORED to think that any doctor has that requirement.  When you choose the method with the most risk, I think that you should just live with the consequences.  That doesn't make the most logical or even practical sense, but I could not live with myself knowing that I went to such great lengths to conceive a child that I chose to ABORT some of them.

I'm not trying to start a debate over this because I know we all feel differently.  I just had to get this off my chest after reading this post.

[babysomeday]

My RE didn't have me sign anything, I can't believe that any Dr. would make you sign anything. They did say in the beginning that it is my choice, but they highly reccommend it on anything over 3. They just have to cover their behinds saying they gave the option of selective reduction, they can not make you do it. I was told I have less than a 5% chance to get pg, so I am not going to stop, if God wants me to have 4 babies, bring them on, that is His plan for me :) But they never made me sign anything and can not make me do that, actually even for those dr's who make you sign something, I don't think they can make you do it, it is your body and your choice. I knew the risks and side effects going in to this. I just was asking if any of you out there had such a great response to injectables and have gotten pregnant with more than 3? or had OHSS, I am more concerned with OHSS.

[willsmom]

Sorry, I confused your post and the response by shishka.  I was thinking that both of you had to agree to do selective reduction.

Whew...I'm so glad to hear you say your doctor didn't "make" you sign anything.  What a relief!

Sorry for the confusion.  I guess it's just all these pregnancy hormones running through me....lol!  

[shishka]

Of course he explained risks of having more than two, gave me a form to read, if I want to sign it I do. He asked me to decide. Because I am very small framed (4-11 and 115lb) he said it would be very risky for me.

[babysomeday]

No, they didn't "make" me sign anything or they can't "make" me do it if I do end up preggo with that many. Just when they called me to tell my my E2 levels and instructions, they have to council you about that situation to cover their butts, and if you say you are absolultly against it, they advise you not to trigger, but you already have the shot at home anyway, so there isn't anything they can do to stop you, but at least if anything was to go wrong with the pregnancy if you do get preggo with too many, at least they have documented that they counciled you about that situation. I am so sorry to bring this up, didn't mean to stir anything up. I am just super duper excited thinking that maybe this cycle is finally my turn for BFP and then hearing her talk about that just really scared me. But like I said, I really know that I will not get preggo with 4 babies, I have slim chances of just one nornmally. :) I am 5'5" and have a long torso, I think I can carry triplets ok, I have room, I am slender, but long! :) I trust that if I do get pg that God will give me what He know I can handle :0)

Willsmom, how are you feeling with those two little ones in there?? I want twins soooo bad :) Did you do IVF or IUI or timed? where you on meds?

shishka are you getting excited for your IVF?? :)

[babysomeday]

OMG, how are you doing? I figured you didn't come on here any more. I have wondered how you pregnancy is going? Did you tell everyone yet? Are you getting a bump yet? :) Hope all is going well for you!!

[peekawho]

It's devastating to become pregnant with higher order multiples.  You only see the  few sucess stories in the media.  Most times, such pregnancies end in  disaster, life long disability, and challenges the parents never expected nor wanted.  Not to say such families can't be happy...many are and do well..., but obviously such a path was not the desired course.  

I don't think it's right for an RE to make anyone sign anything other than a paper saying you were warned of the risks involved and proceeded against medical advice.  

I've never met any parent of higher order multiples who thought it would happen to them.  They're all shocked when it does.  

[Tanker Chic]

My RE won't even do the IUI if you have over two follicles.  But like you said if you have the shot at home, there is nothing to stop you from trying it on your own.  I'm not sure what I would do if I was in that situation.  

I can understand what an exciting this is for you.  Best of luck.  You'll be in my thoughts so keep us posted on your progress!!  

[babysomeday]

Thank you all :0) I will keep you all posted to how it goes the next L-O-N-G two week wait :)

[Justine17]

Hi!  I haven't been online in a while.  I just wanted to say GOOD LUCK !  Your numbers and many mature follicles sound great.  I hope God blesses you with a baby or babies this cycle!!  I'll be watching for your posts.

[Justine17]

Yes, everyone knows now.  It's fun to finally tell people.  Just this past week I finally noticed a change in my belly.  Just a little bump, but I'm crazy over it!  I just started gaining weight too...pheww!! It's much more real now.  I haven't felt any movements yet though.  My BIG ultrasound is in 3 weeks!  We are not finding out the sex though. We want it to be a surprise.  

So, do you go in for an u/s to see if any eggs fertilized or do you wait until you are 14 DPO and take an HPT??

[babysomeday]

That is wonderful :) I bet you are just sooo happy and feel at ease now! How exciting. I hope the rest of your pg goes wonderful. That is great you are not finding out! I always said I would not, but I don't know, the closer I get to having a baby I think I may be changing my mind, who knows, time will tell, we need to get the BFP first :) ha ha

No U/S to see if any fertilized, I didn't know they can do that?? Will have to wait out the 14 days to do HPT UGH, I hate the TWW. This TWW is going to be horrible. I am soooo scared and sooo excited all in one. I pray that God blesses us with a baby!!! I will keep you updated :)

Msg back on here on your U/S :)

[Justine17]

Hi.  Well another obstacle for me.  My AFP level came back elevated which is the blood test for such birth defects like spina bifida and other developmental problems.  The false positive rate is very high so my chances of something actually being wrong are 1 in 50 but that still makes me soooo nervous.  Plus I have to wait a whole week for the ultrasound.  They couldn't make it any sooner, trust me I pleaded.  So, please pray for me and my baby.  I'll let you know how it goes next week.