IUI #2 off to a better start than #1

Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) round 2 is off to a better start than the first one – we think anyway.

A matter of timing

The first round of IUI was, of course, all new to us. I had taken an ultrasound on the Friday (Cycle Day 11), took an Ovidrel Shot to stimulate ovulation on Saturday evening, and had IUI on Monday (CD 14). At the time we wondered whether the IUI procedure too late because my clinic are not open on Sundays we could not do IUI that day, the Doctor had indicated that I needed the IUI procedure early on Monday, rather than later as my follicles were rather large. I had a positive result from my ovulation predictor kit on the Sunday morning, the day BEFORE the IUI. I simply thought that this was the Ovidrel in action, and the doctor had everything timed well. But now we are suspicious that all this meant is that the IUI was too late….

THIS time around for cycle 2 it was a slightly different story. I had my ultrasound on the Thursday (Cycle Day 11) and I had slightly smaller follicles, but big enough to go ahead with the IUI. I took the Ovidrel shot on the Thursday evening, and had IUI on Saturday (CD 13). This time, I got a positive result from my ovulation predictor kit on the morning of the IUI, Saturday morning. This makes me believe that we were too late last time around as it seems that the Ovidrel doesn’t interfere with ovulation predictor kits. This cycle I decided to monitor my Basal Body Temperature (BBT) for the first time ever. Today, Sunday (CD 14) I got a spike in my temperature confirming my suspicions that I most likely ovulated yesterday. Woohooooo! This cycle, it feels that the IUI procedure was better timed. I was also having horrible ovulation pains on the way to the clinic and all day yesterday. A good sign?

The sperm stats low down

Another excellent sperm sample Mr C!

semen volume: 1.2mL
Sperm Concentration: 129 million per mL
Percent motile: 51.9%
Number of motile sperm: 80.3 million
After washing (centrifugation)
Number of motile sperm in vial: 72.5 million
Motility: 86.8%
volume of vial: 5mL
recovery rate for processes sample: 90.2%

The IUI procedure

As we were a bit more knowledgeable about the whole procedure this time around so the whole appointment took about 20 minutes, of which 15 minutes I was laying down on my back resting whilst the sperm figure out which direction they need to swim in. Chris joked we knew that about 15% of the sperm were just swimming around in circles, confused, not knowing what to do with themselves.

The doctor was a new one for me – a sweet lady who seemed very happy for an early Saturday morning! I asked Chris later if I had just been treated for the first time by someone younger than me. Eeeek we are getting old! But he believed she was actually in her mid thirties, so not much older than us. The doctor was very kind and kept apologizing for any pain she might cause. She told me she would use the smallest speculum and the smallest catheter possible so it wouldn’t hurt. This made me wonder whether all this time other doctors purposefully use big speculums and catheters out of choice! She was good at explaining everything she was doing. She put the (smallest!) speculum into my vagina (No lubricant because this kills sperm). She told me she was going to open the speculum up and I might feel some pressure. Which I did, but it did not hurt. After this she inserted the catheter into my uterus via the cervix and the sperm was injected via the catheter directly into my uterus. I barely felt a thing and it was over with in less than 2 minutes. I had no cramping until later in the day.

Here is a short 2 minute 3D animation of how IUI works.

The nurse set a 15 minute timer and I lay down on the bed feeling a bit surreal. This time the 15 minutes went much quicker than last time because we spent it talking about our next holiday – a road trip to the West (Las Vegas, Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, Santa Fe etc). We have been planning on going in October, but have been waiting for the last 4 months to see if we were pregnant before we book anything. This will be the last cycle we wait before we book it. No more holding off!

Naughty Gift – no not that kind of naughty

The morning of the IUI I decided to give Chris a gift I bought him a few weeks ago. I have declared before that I believe it is unlucky to buy baby name books, pregnancy books, baby clothes etc before actually conceiving. But seeing as we have been unlucky so far I thought we cant possibly have any more bad luck so what the hell, I bought a pregnancy book for men. It’s a slightly funny book with interesting facts about pregnancy. I couldn’t resist! But I won’t buy anything else. I just wanted to get him something we can share together along this journey.