Showing posts with label Success stories. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Success stories. Show all posts
Perseverance and spirit, secret of all triumphs
July 25, 2017
Josh Billings said,
“life consists not in holding good cards but in playing those you hold well.”
They do not have good cards;
They do have the perseverance and spirit
and overcame the premature ovarian failure and azoospermia eventually.
A quote of Taiwanese Poet, Xi Murong, is that “all in rush written in the book of youth.” Youth is like a blooming flower, at the brightest and most beautiful stage of the life. What is your definition of youth?
I still remembered the first day I met her. She came to our clinic for the health screening before getting married and prepared for the pregnancy. The uterine condition and fallopian tubes seemed normal. Unexpectedly, the chocolate cysts were found in her ovaries, with a declined AMH value as 0.76 mg/ml. The ovarian reserve showed severely declined, and it was unusual at her age (~20+ years).
Chocolate cysts is the symptoms of endometriosis which endometrial tissue grows out of the uterus, and in the ovaries. The cysts contain the menstrual blood, chocolate-like liquid, enlarging over months with the menstruation. Thus she often felt pain during the periods, but did not know the actual reason until now.
It was not the entire news. The results of her fiancé 's semen analysis displayed as azoospermia, which means that no sperm could be found in the ejaculated semen.
With such low AMH value, many people would choose to take the donated egg program. However, using the embryo generated from both donors' sperms and eggs is forbidden according to the reproductive legislation in Taiwan. The diminished ovarian reserve and azoospermia became two difficulties in getting pregnancy. Considering her age was still young, the fertility specialist recommended her to take the strategy of oocyte accumulation from multiple IVF cycles and to use the sperm bank.
She agreed with this suggestion. Instead of a fixed stimulation protocol, her doctor designed an individualized protocol to adjust her ovarian function. In her first IVF cycle, four mature eggs were collected and it encouraged them to continue the other programs.
Then their wedding followed behind.
In the wedding vows, they promised each other,
"I will love you, hold you and honor you,
I will respect you, encourage you and cherish you,
In health and sickness,
Through sorrow and success,
For all the days of my life."
After becoming the husband and wife, they came to the clinic every month to continue the oocyte collection. It was just like running a marathon, and some accidents happened. Eventually, the egg collection took her almost 22 months.
The embryologists performed the artificial insemination using IMSI (6000x magnification) in her precious, frozen-thawed oocytes. The culture condition was controlled very well to grow the fertilized eggs into the blastocysts.
After transferring a blastocyst graded as 4BB, she finally got pregnant, and the beta-HCG level was 500 mIU/mL.
Youth is like a blooming flower, at the brightest and most beautiful stage of the life. Although the ovarian reserve was diminished, the quality seemed not being affected by the maternal age adversely yet. With her whole perseverance and spirit, they finally start a sweet family.
Her clinical outcomes were showed as below,
A turning point in my life — single embryo transfer in donor cycle
June 26, 2017
I have been to so many hospitals for taking IVF.
This time, I made up my mind to come here,
because I have heard that the oocyte bank at Stork Fertility Center was good.
I am 44 years now, and have no time to waste.
It's time to know the result of pregnancy test.
I did not want to do the urine test at home this time, because I was very familiar with the feelings of frustration and disappointment. My husband and I sat in front of the doctor's desk, waiting for the good or bad news.
"Congrats, the beta-HCG is 2000 mIU/mL. You got pregnant!"
My doctor smiled at me, but I was stunned then. Until we walked out of the center, I was just bursting with joy. We have waited for this baby at least 12 years. I even could not remember what I have experienced in the past years. Finally, I got my baby at 44 years of age after transfer only one single embryo. It was the miracle of the eggs, since these eggs were retrieved from a young woman.
Before taking the donated program, I have gone through so many cycles of my own IVF, but it just did not work. In the March of 2016, I have gone through cryotransfer with four Day3 embryos, and the outcome was as disappointed as usual. I asked my husband,
"How can I do? I have no time nor money. Should we continue to try more (IVF)?"
The journey seemed endless, and full of tears.
"How can I do? I have no time nor money. Should we continue to try more (IVF)?"
The journey seemed endless, and full of tears.
After resting couple of days, I decided to use "others' egg," since mine were obviously not good. I found the iCryobank website through net searching, and called to the center directly.
The lady there sounds patient and professional, and we arranged my schedule smoothly. My doctor examined my uterine state after the first visit to the museum-like center, and encouraged us to take the donated program.
Soon, a young donor was matched to us. Thirteen eggs were retrieved, and five available blastocysts were cryopreserved. The process took around three months.
The doctor suggested us transferring a single blastocyst, because both the morphology and developing time of embryos seemed good. I was wondered about the success rate, but finally agreed with the prevention of multiple pregnancies.
This Day5 blastocyst has become our lovely baby now. My family has started here. I was still proud of myself, for the decision at that day and for my own encouragement during this journey.
The best is yet to come
April 24, 2017
She was always gentle to the medical team.
Behind the smiling face,
We all knew the disappointments and frustration.
In the past six months,
No embryos were available for transfer.
She was a 45-year-old woman from Taiwan countryside, undergoing IUI five times and IVF twice. Still, no good news released. When she came to our clinic at the first time, she was arranged to take the oocyte-retrieval after two days for the observed dominant follicle. Unluckily, it was an immature oocyte. Since then, the fertility specialist recommended the natural-cycle IVF to her because of the declined ovarian function. No additional stimulation injections or oral alternatives were administrated, and supremon nasal solution was used as the trigger. From February to July in 2015, she visited the clinic almost every week, but no available embryo was collected.
She was always gentle to the medical team. Behind the smiling face, we all knew the disappointments and frustration. She told the doctor that she probably could not realize her dream. The fertility specialist encouraged her that there is not an only way to be a mother, and suggested her thinking about oocyte donation program.
Owing to the bountiful supply of oocyte bank at Stork Fertility Center, the matching process only took two months. In September of 2015, nine available blastocysts were derived and cryopreserved. Following with hysterosalpingography, hysteroscopy, and cervical bacteria culture, the doctor checked her uterine environment through several examinations. After the first cryotransfer, the beta-HCG showed negative. Her doctor ordered an auto-immune testing, and transferred her to the related specialists for further immune treatment.
In March of 2016, she took the second cryotransfer. The result was still upset. Why? Why? Why? She continuously asked the doctor and herself. Her specialist asked several questions about her life style after embryo transfer:
Her family owned a small business in Yilan. She needed to help and stand for a long time for the daily works. Although the doctor concerned the derived pressure to uterus, she refused to take a rest after transfer. The medical team did not give up and continue to convince her. Finally, she decided to grasp the chance.
The third cryotransfer was in July of 2016 after she arranged the backups for her family business. The fertility and immune specialists adjusted the post-transfer medications for her. She took two weeks for resting after the transfer and stayed at Hsinchu until the pregnancy test released. The beta-HCG showed positive this time, and the fetal heartbeat was detected after another three weeks later.
She was very happy and careful, coming back for the prenatal checks and related immune exams. In the 14 weeks of gestation, the non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) showed normal. Now, she was waiting for her healthy newborn.
Follow your dreams, they know ways.
March 17, 2017
Using the donated eggs or struggling with my declined ovaries made me confused on this journey.
I slowed down, and heard the voice in my heart,
"What do you really want in the very beginning?"
"Having a child, my Lord."
"Just follow your dreams, they know the way."
In the summer of 2015, I got an email overseas.
This mail was from Hong Kong, and also the first connection between she and me. She was my first "pen-pal" at the Stork Fertility Center, but not the first overseas friend here.
Our dean always said that there were four stations during the journey of having babies. Each person gets on the different trains in different times, at different places. The speed, the duration, and the starting/ending time are different as well. Ideally, this journey would be better at the age under 35 years. The second one was at the age between 35 and 37 years. Then it was at the age between 38 and 40 years. The last train was at the age over 40 years. On the last train, the cost was high and the duration was pretty long, but the terminal became uncertain.
When I received her mail, she was on the last train:
[I have undergone the IVF several times, and the harvested oocytes were very few. In the last one program, I only retrieved one oocyte while the ultrasound monitor showed that there could be four follicles. The only one had poor morphology and possible poor quality. My fertility specialist recommended me to take the donation program, since the ovarian function seemed significantly declined. I was very disappointed and confused. My mother expected grand children so much, and she was quite old. I don't know how I can do now.
I sat in front of the laptop, and googled for the donated eggs. I tried to slow down my thoughts, and heard a voice from heart,
"What do you really want in the very beginning?"
"Having a child, my Lord."
"Just follow your dreams, they know the way."
One night, I discussed the donation program with my husband, and achieved a consensus. We decided to visit your fertility center for the donation program.]
She mentioned the limited ability of Mandarin, and would like to prepare all the required documents before coming to Taiwan. I replied her questions step by step, and arranged the related body exams. Thanks to the developed SOP for overseas customers at Stork Fertility Center, she completed all the prerequisite preparation soon.
She chose the fresh donated-egg set, which the donor undergoes the stimulation and retrieval operation, and then the eggs are fertilized immediately rather than being cryopreserved. When I reported the outcomes of oocyte pick-up, she said, "how about the recovery? Is the process bad to her body?" She knew that the process could be very uncomfortable to some females, since she already underwent the IVF so many times.
Fortunately, everything went well. There were 16 available eggs, and 9 good blastocysts cryopreserved. In the following year, she underwent the first cryotransfer with a Day 5 embryo graded 4AB. Not too surprisingly, I received her good news from Hong Kong, and the precious video of fetal heartbeat. We both saw the primary photos of the baby in front of the computers.
This year, the healthy baby was delivered, and the mother recovered very well. She has promised us to bring the baby back for celebration.
2017, is a brand new beginning for her family.
A home-run and an additional Y chromosome
October 20, 2016
The result of pregnancy test made her extraordinarily happy — 100% positive.
However, the following amniocentesis report turned her down immediately...
A real story was shared by the doctor of Stork Fertility Center.
She made an appointment for saying good-bye to me. The entire IVF progress was filled difficulties. And just like another temptation to her, God gave an additional Y chromosome to the transferred embryo. Although the risk existed, she decided to continue the gestation. She said,
"I prayed for a Y chromosome, but He gave me two. "
When she first visited us, she had two daughters already, but she still wanted to have a boy in her family. However, the expected third baby delayed to join their family, and finally she made an appointment with the fertility specialist. The hormone test showed that her ovaries was declining (FSH=24.6mIU/mL). She could not accept this diagnosis initially until underwent two consecutive failure in the IUI and IVF treatments. In that IVF cycle, only three mature oocytes were retrieved.
That's why she came to us and requested an IVF treatment. I refused her because she had two daughters already according to the record. After she told me the condition, I was hesitated. (To have boys and girls is a dream of most people.)
That's why she came to us and requested an IVF treatment. I refused her because she had two daughters already according to the record. After she told me the condition, I was hesitated. (To have boys and girls is a dream of most people.)
I started her stimulation in the September. The response in left ovary was poor, and only five mature oocytes were retrieved from the right ovary. Two of the four oocytes were normally fertilized (fertilization rate = 50%). While the embryologist reported the outcome of culturing, the unexpectedly lower fertilization rate turned her down. The development of embryos were not good either, so she decided to transfer a day 4 morula.
The result was disappointed. After two months for resting, she entered the IVF cycle again. Seven oocytes were harvested this time, but only one were normally fertilized. On day 5, only one early blastocyst was available to be transferred. Only one usable embryo twice made her quite frustrated. She had no confidence to the result. I encouraged her with all my efforts, and reminded her that the only embryo could be the best one.
On the day of pregnancy test, she was totally delighted by the clear "positive" result. A home-run was made by the only embryo. She kept this good mood until the amniocentesis report was released. She phoned me that the baby has mosaic 47,XXY/46,XY (mosaic Klinefelter syndorme). I tried my best to comfort her and made a referral to the related specialist.
Today, she came to my suite with her two girls. I already knew her decision from the smile face. In the end of this summer vacation, her family will welcome a baby boy.
Many people did not know that they have the premature ovarian failure unless they came to the fertility specialists. Most cases faced this problem with pessimism or passive attitudes. Some people just convinced themselves that everything was fine, and some pretended that they would not like to have kids. Fortunately, this case choose to solve the problem positively with an optimistic attitude. Perhaps she was already a mother of two daughters, she clearly knew what she need. And the last thing was how to meet the need.
It was a happy ending. As a sentence from Count of Monte Cristo, "all human wisdom is summed up in two words: wait and hope."
It was a happy ending. As a sentence from Count of Monte Cristo, "all human wisdom is summed up in two words: wait and hope."
To all the friends who suffered the same problem, I just want to say,
"Yes, you can."
"Yes, you can."
The last four tubes of frozen sperms
October 11, 2016
How to grasp the last chance?
In a frustrated manner or an optimistic manner?
A real story was shared by the doctor of Stork Fertility Center.
"For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted..." ~ Ecclesiastes 3, Bible.
As the King Solomon said, there is a beginning and an ending in everything, including the human body. However, most of us are not ready to face the end.
I met this couple at the clinic suite in a beautiful day.
The couple have been married for seven years. The husband was diagnosed as congenital bilateral absent of the vas deference, CBAVD. He has undergone MESA and TESE twice. In CBAVD cases, testes are able to produce motile sperms, but have no vas deference to transfer these sperms. Finally, the produced sperms would be metabolized and then reabsorbed by the surrounding tissue. Thus, the CBAVD cases can collected the available sperms through operation for IVF purpose.
The IVF program was not that difficult for the wife. She has undergone the program twice before, and was familiar with the stimulation injection and retrieval operation. As a 40-year-old woman, collecting 18 oocytes in a single cycle was a very good result. However, the result of TESE was not that good—few motile sperm were found. Moreover, the urologist told the husband that his testes could not tolerate the TESE operation anymore due to testicular fibrosis. The frozen sperms which have been collected before were their last chance.
Although the amount of oocytes was enough, the quality of sperms was not good enough. Eight embryos were formed after fertilization (all IMSI), and six blastocysts were cryopreserved. After two failed FBT cycles, they only had two frozen embryos and four tubes of frozen sperms. To increase the success rate of IVF, this couple decided to do IVF program again and create more available embryos.
Thirteen oocytes were harvested in the following cycle, and six embryos formed, and four blastocysts were stored. After another failed FBT, I transferred the last three embryos for them.
Fortunately, one of these three embryos was implanted. The amniocentesis report showed that they had a healthy baby girl.
I remembered that the first time I met them at the clinic suite. Both of them had warm smile and optimistic manner to the future program no matter how hard they have tried to have baby.
I knew they would reach a happy ending in this journey. And they really did eventually.
Never say never — Preimplantation genetic screening reveals the quality of embryos
July 05, 2016
Perseverance is the hard work you do
after you get tired of doing the hard work you already did.
One more try is the only shortcut to success.
"Hello, Celine."
I am a Japanese-speaking consultant at Icryobank (Overseas division of Stork Fertility Center). She was my first Chinese-speaking case from Hong Kong. When we first met, she insisted to take the autologous IVF treatment at age 42. We both knew that it would be a long and hard way to go, and many centers would just suggest patients with this age taking the donation program instead of autologous IVF. She did not give up.
Since then, I became her special agent.
Due to the autoimmune problems, she visited Taiwan more than the other overseas cases for additional examinations and treatments.
"Why you not just take both the autoimmune and IVF treatments in Hong Kong? It would be much easier." I wondered.
"I trusted you guys. That's why." she answered simply.
I kept this word in my mind. My team and I understood that how important the word was, and never say never to whom haven't given up.
1
In the first cycle, ten oocytes were retrieved and four of them grew into blastocysts. We biopsied the best three for preimplantation genetic screening (PGS), which we just upgraded it to the high-resolution next-generation sequencing platform. Unfortunately, two were aneuploids, and the last one was failed to be amplified.
2
After one month later, another ten oocytes were retrieved in her second cycle. Again, there were three best blastocysts for the PGS. It still resulted in all aneuploids. I could feel her frustration because I just felt the same. The high aneuploid rate was not surprising at this age, but we just expected to catch the opportunity. Discussing with the fertility specialist, she finally decided to take the donation program if there was still no euploid embryo after the next year.
3
Another month for rest, she came to Taiwan for stimulation again. We talked for a long time to release the burden and anxiety. Eight oocytes were retrieved this time, and two blastocysts were biopsied for PGS. Better than before, one was euploid, and the other aneuploid. She hoped to harvest more.
4
Then in her fourth cycle, only five oocytes were retrieved, and two blastocysts were formed with fair morphology. They were not suitable to be biopsied for PGS. The decline of ovarian function was obvious, and she knew the only euploid embryo might be the last chance.
The only chance was such valuable. Before the embryo transfer, we rechecked every details—the uterus, the fallopian tubes, the immune system, and the endometrium. She spent couple of days for just resting in Taiwan, and updating her feelings with me. I just listened and provided my encouragements.
We kept tight after she back to Hong Kong.
"I am sorry for the bothering, but I felt relaxed when I hear your voice." she said. I was so happy to have these interactions, both phoning and emailing.
When she got "two lines" on her pregnancy test, I received the photo immediately. This was the best Christmas gift for us. She told me that her beta-HCG reached 2433 mIU/mL later.
We kept tight after she back to Hong Kong.
"I am sorry for the bothering, but I felt relaxed when I hear your voice." she said. I was so happy to have these interactions, both phoning and emailing.
When she got "two lines" on her pregnancy test, I received the photo immediately. This was the best Christmas gift for us. She told me that her beta-HCG reached 2433 mIU/mL later.
She taught me what the real perseverance and optimism are. No matter how disappointed the outcome was, she always shared her feelings with a happy face. She said that she appreciated us a lot during these months, but she did not know she had given us something better.
Overseas IVF: the best gift after visiting Taiwan twice
March 08, 2016
Although my parents-in-law did not push us to have babies, I knew that they were eager to have grand children. When the baby really came to my family, I felt that our home became more complete.
When I see my adorable baby, I can't stop appreciating the anonymous donor and Stork Fertility Center. My mother-in-low told me that she is refreshing and energetic every day. My father-in-low said that he feels released from his chronic disease and joyful. These happened after the baby came to my house.
At first of my marriage, my parents-in-law did not push us to have babies, but I just knew that they were so eager to have the grand children. That's why my family have been changed so much after the baby came. In the very beginning, I was not that eager to be a mother, and I did not want to be a dinky in the rest of my life either. As time went by, I found that my friends became parents gradually, and I was still occupied by piles of work. I started to join several mother-to-be forums and hoped that it would be my turn soon. However, my baby did not show up. It might be caused by my terrible life style, which was filled by tight works and lack of exercises. I noticed that pregnancy was difficult, so I started trying some herbal medicines. Luckily, I was pregnant after trying for a few months. Since the beta-HCG value seemed so good, I stopped taking the herbal medicines and the related monitoring. I thought that it was all right.
The worst thing occurred after the first trimester. When I went back to the hospital, my doctor told me that the embryo had stopped growing. It was such a shock!
I began googling and trying again, but the things did not work. After I did the genetic exam, the report said that my chromosomes existed balanced translocation, which was a common cause to recurrent miscarriage. The related websites said that IVF plus PGS/PGD may help the success rate, but the technique was not prevalent at my locality.
After doing some online works, I choose the Stork Fertility Center. The doctors there suggested me doing the IVF/PGS again. Considering about my schedule and budget, I finally decided to take the oocyte donation program, which was more efficient at my age. Like the other recipients, I was bothered by the relatives' attitudes, the future appearance of child and the other trivial concerns.
I asked myself," which is more important, the appearance or the health of my child?" If the baby's blood was not from me, wouldn't we love him/her that much? Absolutely no. He or she would be in my womb, and exchange everything with me. After he/she was born, he or she would accompany with us in so many years. Compared to the desire of having a child, these problems seemed so negligible.
I finally made up my mind, and entered the program. The decision was so right.
During the program, I only came to Taiwan two times, one for the paper works, and one for the frozen embryo transfer. The embryo was just stably implanted in my womb after the first cryotransfer. Until the baby came out of my body, every one said that he looked like me so much.
The journey of having babies was not easy every moment, but I almost could not remember that period when I am with my baby. When the miracle really came to my home, all the pain was just in the hazy memory.
I began googling and trying again, but the things did not work. After I did the genetic exam, the report said that my chromosomes existed balanced translocation, which was a common cause to recurrent miscarriage. The related websites said that IVF plus PGS/PGD may help the success rate, but the technique was not prevalent at my locality.
At first, I underwent several IVF/PGS programs at some nearby cities, but the results were disappointed. I clearly knew that I must find another solution. Nothing could stop me to be a mother. I prepared to do it overseas, and applied for a new work position, which was more flexible, and exercised three times a week.
After doing some online works, I choose the Stork Fertility Center. The doctors there suggested me doing the IVF/PGS again. Considering about my schedule and budget, I finally decided to take the oocyte donation program, which was more efficient at my age. Like the other recipients, I was bothered by the relatives' attitudes, the future appearance of child and the other trivial concerns.
I asked myself," which is more important, the appearance or the health of my child?" If the baby's blood was not from me, wouldn't we love him/her that much? Absolutely no. He or she would be in my womb, and exchange everything with me. After he/she was born, he or she would accompany with us in so many years. Compared to the desire of having a child, these problems seemed so negligible.
I finally made up my mind, and entered the program. The decision was so right.
During the program, I only came to Taiwan two times, one for the paper works, and one for the frozen embryo transfer. The embryo was just stably implanted in my womb after the first cryotransfer. Until the baby came out of my body, every one said that he looked like me so much.
The journey of having babies was not easy every moment, but I almost could not remember that period when I am with my baby. When the miracle really came to my home, all the pain was just in the hazy memory.
Per two patients with egg-donated program in Taiwan, there would be one from the Stork Fertility Center.
This is the real settling down
October 29, 2015
Original source: http://littlebearkitchen.com/
I am perhaps affected by my original family, and thus I always have a dream about owning my sweet home. In this dream, I have a dearest husband, two adorable angels, and a cozy house. When I went out alone every weekend, I saw so many pictures on the street—young couples with their baby strollers. These were the most beautiful scenes in my mind.
However, I was still not the one in these beautiful pictures. After graduating from the college, I joined a study tour in the US first, and then went to the UK for my master degree. I had lived in Manchester for couple of years. Although the "art therapy" is my main goal to study aboard, but I did not forget my genuine appetence for having my own family in nearly 15 years. I studied hard at the school. but I also tried hard to find my Mr. Right. My best friends and classmates said, " You always put your boyfriend over your friends." My first choice is to love someone, and my lover is more important than the others. My hard works were paid off eventually. I had so many romances during the different periods, but no one resulted in a happy ending. Most of my ex-boyfriends were outstanding. They were smart, and had stable incomes. They were thoughtful, gentle and adorable. However, none of these wonderful men became my wonderful husband eventually, and I did not know why I just cannot find the right one.
What happened in the real life is always beyond you expected. The script written by myself is always different with the one written by God. I was majored in Art during college, but I did project design when I left college. I went to the UK for being a professional art therapist, but finally I lived by the creative recipes posted on my blog. Though one of my habits is cooking, I did not expect it would become my real job. However, I was not against the current, and did not reject to be called as a cooking connoisseur. After publishing several cookbooks, I returned to my home country. I surely knew that I am not a tough woman, and the only thing that I really cared was to have my own family, living at an IKEA-style house.
Two years later in Taiwan, I bought a large house, equipped with a nice kitchen and many IKEA furniture, but I was still alone. When my friends visited me, they asked, "Why you bought such a large house?" It was because that the second floor could be great children's room. They kept encouraging me to look for the One, but my faith was declined as time went by. My dream was just like those colorful bubbles, visible and then invisible. More bubbles disappeared, more efforts I made. I became an anxious bubble maker, racing against my biological time. I completely understood that I probably was unable to have my own child due to my age.
Occasionally, I got an email from a friend. She pushed me to freeze my own eggs before everything was too late. I accepted her advice, and googled related information. I would like to find a reliable place to store my eggs, and then I saw "Icryobank." The location was near to the landmark and interchange, so I could either drive or take public transportation.
The clinic looked like a museum, and it just made me comfortable. Since I was studied in Art, I was fascinated by the artworks displayed around the waiting zone.
The clinic looked like a museum, and it just made me comfortable. Since I was studied in Art, I was fascinated by the artworks displayed around the waiting zone.
Half year later, I received a diamond ring. When I saw this sparkling small thing, I believed that my dream is going to be true pretty soon.
Seek the bliss - a friend from Urumqi, Xinjiang
August 26, 2015
We finally got pregnant, with not just one but two babies. It was the destination of this 4500k-journey, and these were the best souvenirs from Taiwan.
She visited us when she was 42, and has married for nearly 20 years. It supposed to be a three- or four- member family, but the truth was that she never got any good news after having ectopic pregnancy twice. As years went by, she was obliged to throw herself to the assisted reproduction for aid. No matter how hard she had tried, including both the IVF and herbal medicines, she could not get pregnant. After four IVF cycles at the most popular fertility centers in mainland China, she still had no ideas about the solution. Even worse, she quickly turned to 40.
One day in a family gathering, she met a cousin, Debby, who married a Taiwanese guy. Debby had the same situation with hers, but she eventually got a baby girl by the assisted reproductive techniques in Taiwan. She was surprised by Debby's experience, but the long distance between Xinjiang and Taiwan discouraged her to take a chance.
Nearly half a year later, she finally made up her mind to visit this far, faraway place. Before this time, she remained skeptical about the differences of IVF performances between Taiwan and mainland China. "The Stork Fertility Center looks like a museum," she said, "but it is not that cold and distant."
When she knew that the AMH value was only 0.27 ng/ml, she shed her tears directly in front of the doctor. The advanced age was not like fine wine, but bitter vinegar. "Is it impossible to be a mother?" she asked. The doctor checked her antral follicle count again, and then encouraged her to take the donation program after analyzing her condition.
She made the decision and received 11 eggs from the donor, and 9 were successfully fertilized, and 6 grew into the blastocyst stage. She also checked the chromosome status by PGS exam, and luckily, all the embryos were normal.
However, the pregnancy test after first transfer was negative. The doctor reviewed her history, and decided to recheck her fallopian tubes. Unsurprisingly, the result of hysterosalpingogram (HSG) showed that her left tube was distally blocked, and thus she needed laparoscopic operation to close the tube (tubal ligation). Then she did the embryo transfer again after recovering from surgery.
The pregnancy test was positive this time. The detection of fetal heartbeat showed that there were not only one but two babies in her womb. This was a wonderful ending of this 4500k journey to her, from Urumqi to Taiwan. She finally unloaded the heavy burdens, and greet the new life—a life in a four-member family!
Give thanks in all circumstances (Egg donation)
August 03, 2015
The 3S women (Single、Seventies [born in the 1970s]、Stuck) are both intelligent and independent. They bravely pursue for excellent success in their career and professions, but always forget to think about their marriage.
—She is a 3S woman and fortunately met the Mr.Right in her forties. Her appearance is still young and beautiful, but the ovaries is becoming to decline.
I married to a Japanese when I was 42 years old. My husband really likes kids and we hope that we could have a baby as soon as possible. But the problem is my age and irregular menses. When the doctor said that my AMH is only 0.16 ng/mL, which is approximate to the value in the menapause period, I started tearing up. Then I went home and tried to calm myself down.
In the next few days, I did so much online works, trying to figure out this problem. I suddenly found that egg donation is the only solution. However, egg donation was illegal in Japan, and thus I turned back to search for this service in my home country, Taiwan. I selected five popular fertility centers in Taiwan and made appointments for all of them. During the long vacation in Japan, I went back to Taiwan to "interview" all the candidates.
Eventually, I was impressed by Stork fertility center and made the decision after discussing with my husband. He came to cryopreserve the semen sample and also was surprised by the museum-like circumstances. He really appreciated that Taiwanese government provides the donation service and expected Japanese government to reconsider this necessity.
We didn't wait our donor for a long time. When I was suffering with my menopausal symptoms, my donor finished her donation program already. We were really grateful to hear that this lovely girl gave us eight embryos with wonderful appearances, frozen in the liquid nitrogen. My thoughtful agent and specialist instructed me step by step, including the exams for fallopian tubes and uterus. We hope that the precious embryo could implant into a cozy environment.
One of the advantages of freezing-embryo was that I could came back to Taiwan when I was totally free from my business. Probably because of the well preparation, I got my positive pregnancy test after the first cryotransfer. In this October, our little baby is coming to join this family, and I am going to celebrate my 44-year birthday as well.
We are lucky to have our own baby that soon. I strongly encourage those women who have a similar ovarian reserve result with mine to be open-minded to egg donation, and then you would enjoy being a mother soon.
It's bitter-sweet to have a baby
March 18, 2014
Looking at the genuinely sweet smile on my baby's face, I just felt indescribable joy. If I didn't feel the warmth from this tiny thing, I would think that I was still in my dream.
We waited our first baby for totally eleven years. If we didn't experience that hard time, I would never understand that getting pregnant is such a difficult thing. On the pregnant difficulty ranking list, I could probably be marked as an A-level. "It's bitter-sweet." What an accurate adjective to express my heart! The tears and toilsome on the way of having our baby were the bitterest part of this story, and the sweetest part was the best gift of the journey -- our beautiful and healthy baby! Besides, the gaining and learning during the whole process were another harvest in our lives. Having a baby was just like a rugged mountain to me, and I must climb over every ridge to reach the hilltop.
In my eighteenth, I took the first cystectomy surgery to remove my chocolate cyst. However, the surgery finally resulted in painful pelvic adhesion and unexpectedly premature ovarian decline. The recurrence of endometriosis and intense menstrual pain were with me as close as body and shadow. After getting married, my husband and I started trying to have baby. He prepared his overseas study and I took my Hysterosalpingography (HSG) examination in 2004. The doctor found that one of my fallopian tube was blocked. He dredged it immediately, but I still couldn't see two lines on my pregnancy tests after the operation. The second year in US, I was in the hospital because of really bad bellyache and high body temperature. The doctor diagnosed that I got pelvic inflammation, but he still could find a reasonable explanation. After few days in the hospital, he suggested me removing both ovaries and uterus. It was a thunderbolt to a woman! My husband and I could not do anything, except kept praying. Unexpectedly, another strange doctor with gray hair came into my ward just before the surgery day. He said that my original physician was not doing the surgery for some reasons, and he was the substitute. He routinely asked me a couple of questions before his leaving. Not long after, we was informed my surgery was cancelled.
Several months later, I just knew that the substituted doctor was quite senior. He found this patient had no problem to sit and chat with her friends that day, and it seemed not often in the classic patients with pelvic inflammatory disease, so he arranged more exams to find the main reason. Finally, every results indicated that all the symptoms were caused by my chocolate cyst rupture, so he decided to remove my cyst and both fallopian tubes. After the surgery, I kept my uterus, and one ovary. Then he told me that I need to have our baby through IVF program.
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We found Stork Fertility Center by internet. My husband wrote a long letter to Dr. Lai there. He promptly replied us to take an IVF program in Taiwan after my body recovered. In the spring of 2006, I came back to my home island again. I was thirty-four then. However, I was hit in the very beginning. According to my AMH level, it showed that my ovary reserve was severely declined. The poor ovarian response affected the outcome of the controlled ovarian hyperstimulation, and the retrieved oocytes were mostly immature or unable to be fertilized. Even the fertilized oocytes were unable to grow into blastocyst stage. Not surprisingly, I failed after the first embryo transfer.
After my second embryo transfer, it showed two lines on my pregnancy test. We were so happy to hear this wonderful news in my life. Unfortunately, I was bleeding in the sixth week of gestation, and then the baby was just gone suddenly. The feeling was just like falling onto ground from heaven, and I was too sad to stay in Taiwan, so my husband decided to recover my heart in US this time.
Heart recovering took longer time than body recovering. We adjusted our attitude with every difficulty, but the most challenging point was still the quality of my oocytes. Until my husband finished his oversea education in 2008, we stopped frequent traveling between U.S. and Taiwan. Then I faced my failure of embryo transfer for the third time. The doctor wondered that there was some problems in my immune system, but the qualm was cleared up after related examinations soon.
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Since I was a poor responder to both injection and oral medicine, the doctor arranged IVF treatment based on my natural cycle without taking any traditional medications, to retrieve one or two oocytes supported by my own follicle stimulating hormone monthly. It was such a long, long journey, just like unending war against to my body decline. I spent three years harvesting my eggs, and finally I collected three frozen blastocysts and three frozen MII oocytes. I always saw a pretty heavy chart on the doctor's table in every appointment with Dr. Lai, and then kept asking myself, "what kind of power motivates me to walk through this long journey?"
Heart recovering took longer time than body recovering. We adjusted our attitude with every difficulty, but the most challenging point was still the quality of my oocytes. Until my husband finished his oversea education in 2008, we stopped frequent traveling between U.S. and Taiwan. Then I faced my failure of embryo transfer for the third time. The doctor wondered that there was some problems in my immune system, but the qualm was cleared up after related examinations soon.
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Since I was a poor responder to both injection and oral medicine, the doctor arranged IVF treatment based on my natural cycle without taking any traditional medications, to retrieve one or two oocytes supported by my own follicle stimulating hormone monthly. It was such a long, long journey, just like unending war against to my body decline. I spent three years harvesting my eggs, and finally I collected three frozen blastocysts and three frozen MII oocytes. I always saw a pretty heavy chart on the doctor's table in every appointment with Dr. Lai, and then kept asking myself, "what kind of power motivates me to walk through this long journey?"
Without my husband encouragements, I could not keep walking on this way. Especially he always took the responsibility whenever our family mentioned the problems of infertility. I really appreciated his companions and shoulders. I didn't feel lonely by his fully support and prayers in this unending war during the attacks from the invisible enemies. I just felt quite relaxed when he told me that he was satisfied with me in his life after my monthly oocyte retrievals. Because he was such a precious gift from God, I strengthened my inner will to bear a baby for him. Though there were much tears on the way, we learned how to rely on each other with more compassion. Though the way was uneven and rugged, we hold our hands tighter and made our hearts closer.
Furthermore, every member in the Stork Fertility Center was the source of my power also, including the smile on the cleaning staff's face and the warming greetings from the nurses. I remembered Dr. Lai said that I was voted as one of whom were carried their hopes to get pregnant. During seven years in this center, Dr. Lai's team fought against the invisible enemies with me by keeping modifying their strategies. In my natural-cycle IVF, they started from blastocyst culturing but was blocked in the middle. Dr. Lai found that the growth rate was significantly slower after fertilization, so then we decided to freeze my eggs instead of my embryos. After harvesting six mature oocytes, we thawed three of them to fertilize, and then transferred two embryos in my womb. Eventually I saw the second line on my pregnancy test again, such a valuable line in my life!
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Seven years was quite long, but I told myself that I could not just give up before my husband and my team's giving up. I never thought about this idea or changing another fertility center during this journey. When my adorable baby was ten-month old, I got pneumothorax, so I could not go back to Stork Fertility Center to meet my old friends there. Dr. Lai sent a mail to me, "...take care for yourself and come back to see us after his immune system is completely developed...," and I was touched by the warmth from his words. This center was just like another home to me and the members there were like my family members also.
I read a very good verse in the Bible, "we also boast in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces endurance; and endurance, approvedness; and approvedness, hope; and hope does not put us to shame, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us." I almost gave up in the middle way, but my religion and my loved ones overcame my trembling and fear, and the most important one -- my God, who loved me so much, has given me His fully support. He knew my difficulties, and then comforted my broken heart. I learned how to endure in the tribulation and how to accumulate my hopes in the endurance. Dr. Lai has told me to consider about oocyte donor program for not only once in this seven years to set up a stop point for our cost and strength on the timeline, but I still wanted to deliver my willing to the almighty God since He left one of my ovaries in U.S.
I tried my best, and the result was ordained. I believed that He has His own decision and timeline. I also prayed for every gap in the following examination, such as amniocentesis. Psalm 139:13 taught me " for it was You who formed my inward parts; You wove me together in my mother's womb." I have learned not be anxious for tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself.
I read a very good verse in the Bible, "we also boast in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces endurance; and endurance, approvedness; and approvedness, hope; and hope does not put us to shame, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us." I almost gave up in the middle way, but my religion and my loved ones overcame my trembling and fear, and the most important one -- my God, who loved me so much, has given me His fully support. He knew my difficulties, and then comforted my broken heart. I learned how to endure in the tribulation and how to accumulate my hopes in the endurance. Dr. Lai has told me to consider about oocyte donor program for not only once in this seven years to set up a stop point for our cost and strength on the timeline, but I still wanted to deliver my willing to the almighty God since He left one of my ovaries in U.S.
I tried my best, and the result was ordained. I believed that He has His own decision and timeline. I also prayed for every gap in the following examination, such as amniocentesis. Psalm 139:13 taught me " for it was You who formed my inward parts; You wove me together in my mother's womb." I have learned not be anxious for tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself.
I have struggled in the wilderness for seven years. All the trials was for making me a humbler people. I hold my faith and His love in my every step. Finally, I went over the thorns and went in to the land flowing with milk and honey by His leading.
Original article: http://www.taiwanivfsfc.com.tw/viewArticle.do?id=8042 (Chinese version)