I've always had annovulatory cycles but never really realized it til now when I can look back at the symptoms. I did get pregnant in my first marriage but it mc'ed.

We started trying to conceive (ttc) in Sept of 98. We tried naturally for a few months then I used ovulation predictor kits and never got one surge. So someone online suggested a book called Taking Charge of your Fertility.

I read that and started charting and knew right away I wasn't ovulating (oing). I didn't have cervical mucus either which is necessary for fertility. When I hit a 47 day cycle I asked my nurse practitioner for provera and she wanted to put me back on the pill. HECK NO!

So I found a Dr. It had been 16 months of ttc when I saw him. Right away he could tell I wasn't Oing by looking at my charts. So we started testing and he gave me 50 mg of clomid. I still didn't O but my hormone/prolactin test came back normal. So he booted me up to 100 mg and it worked. I O'ed! Whoo Hoo!

Well 3 cycles later I still wasn't pregnant. So I had an HSG and a post coital (pc) test done. The HSG showed my left tube was blocked. The post coital showed no SPERM!

So he gave me estrogen and we tried to time another pc better. This time there were dead sperm! :(

So I was referred to a RE. The guy I was referred to - well let's just say after some careful investigation I chose not to go to him. So I found a wonderful Dr. 2 hours away. Of course there are not RE's where I live.

We instantly decided to do IUI (intrauterine insemination) with clomid for 2 cycles and if I wasn't pregnant to do a lap. So I did clomid, had U/S (ultrasound) to monitor the follicles and did and HCG shot to trigger O. I did O and we went to do the IUI. Brian's S/A (semen analysis) was excellent as usual. But we ran into trouble. First my uterus is retrofluxed so they had to use a clamp (OUCH) to hold my cervix in place. Well then the catheter wouldn't go in. So the IUI was a bust.

I was then scheduled for quicker lap than we had originally discussed and a month later I had a lap/hysteroscopy to dilate my cervix to clear out cervical stenosis. They tried to unblock my left tube but didn't have luck. I didn't have endometriosis.

So then we did another IUI. We had to use the clamp but the catheter went right in. But I tested negative. Well I also had a check for mmr and found I didn't have an immunity. So I got a shot and had an instant 3 month break! UGH!

So in Feb of 2001 I went back and did clomid-follistim/IUI and it failed. Then I had 2 cancelled IUI's back to back. One on pure follistim cause I stimulated on my blocked side and the second because I hyperstimulated.

At this point we were devastated. Infertility touched every aspect of our lives, and we were tired. Emotionally, I was distraught. I felt my body had basically betrayed me. Spiritually, I questioned my faith in God. Sexually, my husband and I went through a rough period because sex became a chore instead of the joyous union it had been. Financially, we had insurance problems and lack of coverage.

Month after month, we would get our hopes up, and every month, we would grieve and cry and feel distraught when a new cycle would start. Every time you progress, I would think this is it. This will work!!! And when it didn't the let down was HUGE.

But like so many other couples, we headed back to the fertility clinic after a few months. This time, the doctor recommended in vitro fertilization (IVF), a very expensive option.

Thankfully the endocrinologist lowered his costs, and an online friend who had successfully gotten pregnant with twins gave me her leftover medication, a savings of nearly $3,000. Thank you JESUS!!!

We started the IVF process in December, transferred 2 blastocysts on 2-2 and tested postive on 2-12. Thank you Jesus for you blessings.

To learn more about IVF check out IVF Connections.