Hi Everyone:
A few quick questions for anyone who went through IVF:
1. Did you use prednisone during your IVF cycles or during pregnancy? If so—for how long?
2. How did you manage gas from all of the extra fertility meds?
3. Do you have any advice specific to promote mitigation of an autoimmune response to an embryo? Ie-the body attacking itself?
thanks so much. Feeling nervous and appreciate any thoughts.
shk2j
Replies sorted oldest to newest
I don’t have any advice but I’m starting the IVF journey this month. I would love to make some online connections and share support. I hope you got answers to your questions and that all went ok- ivf is stressful, especially these days!
Hi Everyone: I wanted to follow up to my own post in case there are folks in the future looking for information the way that I had searched. I am (Thank God) very happy and grateful to report that I am currently expecting after 2.5 rounds of IVF. So, to answer my own questions:
1. Did you use prednisone during your IVF cycles or during pregnancy? If so—for how long? My RE believes that the studies that led past IVF practices to use prednisone are outdated. However, after my husband and I advocated, she agreed to a small dose during the egg transfer process for a week probably just to appease my nerves. I had asked to keep it going for at least two weeks but she said there were too many risks associated.
2. How did you manage gas from all of the extra fertility meds? I didnt experience gas as much as I experienced my bowels slowing down once I started the progesterone as part of the egg transfer meds. This combined with me slowing down my usual exercise routine during the three weeks following egg transfer led to me getting pouchitis in the second of pregnancy--which was the worst! My advice is to MOVE, MOVE, MOVE. I wasnt walking around as much as I should have been and would really encourage folks going through this to preventatively walk as much as possible. I also would really encourage everyone to eat really clean. I really think that when my bowels slowed and cheese heavy food lingered....it wasn't a good combination.
3. Do you have any advice specific to promote mitigation of an autoimmune response to an embryo? Ie-the body attacking itself? Personally, I advocated for the small dose of prednisone. I also really tried to eat as clean as possible throughout the IVF process and avoid allergens even though I usually ate some of those things. I've also done my best to avoid common allergens through the pregnancy (gluten, corn, soy, dairy) so far just to keep my body from reacting. I'm not crazy strict with the dairy and soy---but I try my best. Whether or not there is really a real reason to worry that this will happen----I just feel better knowing I'm doing all I can for this.
I transitioned from my RE to an OBGYN specializing in high risk pregnancies but also see a maternal fetal health specialist. Due to my surgical history, the doctors proactively have put together an interdisciplinary team and are aiming for a c-section with at least one of my previous surgeons to join in with my OBGYN.
