We’ve had multiple losses – what should we be asking about?

“We seem to have no trouble getting pregnant, but we’ve had several first trimester losses.” Or, “We put back good-looking embryos every time, but they just don’t stick.” If this sounds like you, here are a few ideas you might want to discuss with your doctor.

Miscarriages can be caused by any one or more [...]

IVF – the hurdles

So you’ve read the IVF manual and are all ready to start a cycle. What are some of the “wish I’d known that” snippets that veteran IVFers can share with you to help fill the knowledge gaps about what to expect? Well, one that comes up a lot is having a clear understanding of the not-so-straightforward hurdles involved in an IVF cycle. Here’s a list of some of the main hurdles you need to clear as you go through the process … [...]

Our IVF/IUI/TI cycle just failed … What should we be asking at the review?

After all that anxiety, fear, hope and expectation, a failed cycle is just devastating. You’re booked for a review appointment with your specialist – but what should you be asking about now? The most important question, of course, is WHY your cycle failed. There could be many possible explanations, some of which are just guesses and some of which are backed by concrete evidence or could be investigated further. [...]

What are the main IVF protocols used in NZ?

Basically there are three main protocols used by NZ clinics (plus a few variations, which I’ll try to add later): 1. The ‘long’ protocol (default for young women and those with normal FSH; not generally used on high FSHers unless they are quite young, and seldom on anyone over 40 because it can easily oversuppress those with diminished ovarian reserve). 2. … [...]