Sunday, March 15, 2009

Lucky Number.....

7

The nurse called this morning to confirm that of the nine eggs retrieved on Friday, 7 have grown into beautiful 7-10 cell embryos.

Embryos with higher cell numbers and regular appearing cells (blastomeres) and little or no fragmentation have a higher overall chance of implanting than those with less cells, more irregularity and significant fragmentation.

For those who are visual like me, let me show you the difference (keep in mind these are NOT my cells)





Perfect 8 cell Embryo
Grade 4 (Just like mine!!! Yippee!)





Slightly Fragmented
8 cell embryo
Grade 3

Severely Fragmented
6 Cell Embryo
Grade 1





Implantation has been scheduled for 10am Monday morning. Unlike retrieval, this process is much easier and less taxing on the body. No drugs, no pain….only a full bladder required. The process is simple and quick:

The embryo transfer catheter is loaded with the embryos. My doctor passes it through the cervical opening up to the middle of the uterine cavity. An abdominal ultrasound is used simultaneously to watch the catheter tip advance to the proper location. When the catheter tip reaches the ideal location (middle of the uterus is best), the embryos are then pushed out of the catheter to the lining of the uterine

My “McCutey” doctor is scheduled to do the procedure, Whoot!!!

I trust him 100%, he is gentle by nature. I will not have to remind him that this entire IVF cycle depends on his delicate placement of the embryos at the proper location!!

I will laid up for a few days, relaxing, letting those embryos attach…lots of time on my hands to ponder….and blog! It will be nice to switch gears and maybe post about something other than needles and pain!






6 comments:

  1. I am giddy with excitement for you. Some one is going to have a BABY!! (wink)

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  2. Yay, yay, yay! Lucky number 7 for sure. I love that you put the pictures, I am visual too. Rest up that uterus, it's going to be busy for the next nine months!!!!

    :)

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  3. that's wonderful news and happy transplanting tomorrow!

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  4. okay, i love the pictures too because it makes all the biology talk easier for me to follow!

    i am so excited for you and will keep praying that everything goes really well!

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  5. Hope all went well today. I was thinking of you at 10:00! Get plenty of rest!

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