This post is part of a paid sponsorship by Ferring Pharmaceuticals. All opinions are my own.
Did you know that 1 in 8 couples struggle to get and stay pregnant? In honor of National Infertility Awareness Week from April 22-28, I have decided to share my own journey to motherhood, including the challenges we faced along the way. I’m doing this in hopes that I can reassure women who are struggling to get or stay pregnant that they are not alone.
After being married for almost 7 years, my husband Ben and I finally decided to start trying to conceive in March of 2006. I got pregnant on our very first try and my first ultrasound at 8 weeks went well. We grew excited for our upcoming 12 week visit where we would hear the baby’s heartbeat. Except there was no heartbeat.
Turns out we had lost the baby a couple of weeks prior and I had to schedule a D&C. I don’t think I stopped crying for days, I just had so much sorrow I couldn’t even function. All I had to look forward to was being able to try again, but my hcg levels just would not drop back down to normal. After 2 months of stagnant hcg levels, my doctor did an ultrasound and realized that my initial D&C was incomplete, so she performed another excruciatingly painful one right there on the spot.
Finally my hcg levels returned to normal and we were given the green light to start trying to conceive again. However, this time around it took 6 grueling months to get pregnant. After a few miscarriage scares (and a case of mistaken gender), in January of 2008 I delivered a breech baby boy via c-section. I couldn’t believe I was finally a mom (and I also can’t believe that he just turned 10!)
Fast forward to 2011, through another early miscarriage, it was time to try again for a sibling. It took about 6 months once again, but we finally conceived in late September. Right before Thanksgiving, I started to bleed rather heavily, and I landed in urgent care on Thanksgiving Day. I was sure I had another miscarriage, but my urgent care didn’t have an ultrasound machine and reassured me that the baby was likely fine.
To be on the safe side, urgent care checked my hcg level, which was within normal range. However, what really mattered was the follow up hcg test to make sure it was doubling every few days. I tried to maintain some hope, but was still completely shocked when the follow up hcg test had more than doubled! After those several days of agony, we knew our baby was thriving and growing and doing just fine.
I delivered a healthy baby girl via VBAC in July 2012 and this year she turns 6. My story had a happy ending as many others eventually will, so please don’t give up hope. If you are currently struggling to get or stay pregnant, please keep your head up and try to stay positive. I know it’s easier said than done, but stress definitely doesn’t help fertility!
It’s time we all #TalkAboutTrying and share our struggles and successes so women everywhere know that they are not alone. If you have been trying for a year (and are under 35) or 6 months ( if you’re 35+) and you’re not getting pregnant, you may want to see a reproductive endocrinologist as soon as possible. Ferring Pharmaceuticals has developed My Fertility Navigator to help women and couples navigate the rocky road of fertility through resources and direction to find answers to the questions you’re afraid to ask, while also offering guidance along your unique fertility journey.
If you visit MyFertilityNav.com/contest, you can even share your own fertility story for a chance to win an all-inclusive weekend getaway for two to Miraval Arizona Resort & Spa. You can also share your story with the hashtag #TalkAboutTrying on social media and encourage your friends to as well. For every social media post shared with #TalkAboutTrying, Ferring Pharmaceuticals will donate $1 to RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association.
