Originally posted on FaceBook on September 26th, 2010
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For those of you who have heard that we are expecting, yes! We are expecting multiples! I've had several people ask for the details on what, how, and why that is. Here is the condensed version of the story. :)
Sean and I have been trying to get pregnant for over a year. Eventually we were told by the doctor that I most likely have Poly-Cystic Ovarian Syndrome. You can google that if you want all of the fun details on it, but one of the side effects is infertility. So the doctor put us on what we thought was a basic fertility drug with a high conception rate. We specifically asked her what our chances of multiples were, and she said practically none given the drug didn't have a history of causing multiples and my health history would work against that as well. Armed with that info, I honestly didn't even give the idea of multiples another thought.
Obviously, God has a sense of humor!
So two cycles of fertility treatments later, we are SUPER pregnant!
We found out two weeks ago that we are expecting and went to see our midwife this past week just to make sure everything was going okay. During the appointment, she asked if we had any questions or concerns, to which I responded that I was very concerned about miscarrying. She offered to do a sonogram even though I was only six weeks to see if they could find anything to put my mind at ease. Generally sonograms are done around 10 or 12 weeks because that's when they can pick up heartbeats and such, but it seemed like a good idea to at least check. Saying we were absolutely floored is probably an understatement. The sonogram showed four sacs with babies in at least 3 and a possible fourth in the extra one. They were even able to pick up the heartbeat on one of the babies! Oh my word! Technology is amazing, isn't it?!?!
We go back in about a week for a second sonogram to confirm exactly how many babies I'm carrying. At that point, if there are indeed 3 or more, they will refer me to a high-risk specialist.
If I were carrying one baby the full 40 weeks, my due date would be May 19th. If there are multiples, I probably won't make it quite that far. We would definitely appreciate your prayers that I can carry them as long as possible though. I did a little research and average gestation time for quadruplets is between 28 and 30 weeks. That would put us sometime in March.
We tossed the idea back and forth of waiting to say anything until after the first trimester, but when we realized how many babies I'm carrying, we decided we need the prayers and support now. With so many babies, there is a higher chance of something going wrong than if there was just one. Please pray that all of the babies stay healthy and make it through the pregnancy, that my severe morning sickness will go away soon (if I'm not at work, I'm laying on the couch. It's pretty bad), and for Sean and I as we prepare for the biggest adventure we've ever undertaken.
And if anyone has any maternity clothes that they would be willing to lend out, let me know! With so much going on in there, all of my clothes are already getting tight. :)
Monday, October 11, 2010
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just in case anyone asks.... our midwife is wonderful. She is not the one who prescribed the fertility medication or told us there was no chance of multiples
ReplyDeleteHi! I just stumbled across your blog. Can I ask which drug you were prescribed?
ReplyDeleteThanks!
Hi Nickie,
ReplyDeleteThe drug was Femara. If you google for it, it comes back as a cancer drug. The doctor who prescribed it to me was doing so based on it's side effects...namely, inducing ovulation.
Hope that helps!
I also took Femara under the advice of a fertility clinic. Femara usually doesn't cause quadruplets. You've got a higher chance of them with synthetic FSH drugs like Follistim... and I took those and had 2 singleton pregnancies. =)
ReplyDeleteFemara is a tricky drug. If you google "Femara and multiples" a bunch of cases will pop up. I agree that there are other drugs/fertility interventions with higher chances of multiples, but this one definitely has caused some sets!
DeleteJust now found your blog and am loving it. :) That is interesting! I have PCOS, was put on Clomid and conceived twins on the second cycle. When I talked to my ob/gyn about TTC again and not wanting to risk another multiples pregnancy he said Femara might be a good option! Hmmm ... :)
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