Blinded With Science

Oh the interesting details one learns when going through in-vitro. Some I probably shouldn’t reveal here; however, one piece of information I will share is about the due date. We all know “9 months” or “40 weeks,” but the truth is neither is chronologically accurate.

At 4 weeks! :-)

Taken from Babycenter.com, with a calculated due date of 11/21/13:

This week marks the beginning of the embryonic period. From now until 10 weeks, all of your baby's organs will begin to develop and some will even begin to function. As a result, this is the time when she'll be most vulnerable to anything that might interfere with her development.

Right now your baby is an embryo the size of a poppy seed, consisting of two layers: the epiblast and the hypoblast, from which all of her organs and body parts will develop.

The primitive placenta is also made up of two layers at this point. Its cells are tunneling into the lining of your uterus, creating spaces for your blood to flow so that the developed placenta will be able to provide nutrients and oxygen to your growing baby when it starts to function at the end of this week.

Also present now are the amniotic sac, which will house your baby; the amniotic fluid, which will cushion her as she grows; and the yolk sac, which produces your baby's red blood cells and helps deliver nutrients to her until the placenta has developed and is ready to take over this duty.

The Test Results

It has been a long process. We knew when we got married having a child together would present a challenge. After all, I had a vasectomy six years prior. When we learned the reversal surgery was not successful last summer, it seemed that challenge turned into a barricade. After our first cycle of IVF resulted only in a chemical pregnancy, that barricade brought questions about our belief of how the universe works.

Our Daily Regimen

So for those of you not in the know, this is what Dj gives me in my hip every night... I super-hate this part.

What To Expect

I thought I would add a quick note about the upcoming tests for success. It is already a tough week with the anticipation of the results being either one way or another. Kristina and I can both feel the stress of it.

Next Report: 2 Weeks!

The transfer took place today. Kristina is now home and resting for the next 48 hours. She stated this time was a little smoother than the last one. That said, there is a somewhat somber attitude lingering in the early hours after the procedure.

Transfer Tomorrow!

I know we've posted nearly every day for the past week. However, I thought I would drop a quick note to let our readers know what to expect for the upcoming days.

Final Report

We received the final report before we get our grades. As a reminder, the blastocysts are graded on symmetry, size and other criteria. This is a little odd because the criteria to be considered a blastocyst are fairly strict, so there is not much difference in statistical odds between and “A” and a “D” embryo. Nonetheless, the grading system exists.

After 48

Kristina and I just received the phone call from the clinic. We remain hopeful as the results are good but with some surprises.

"Creature Report"

Because of Disney Jr, we see a show called The Octonauts fairly frequently. They have a section where they sing a short ditty called "Creature Report," which always pops in my head whenever we discuss the embryo report. I may have explained this last time; I don't recall. Nonetheless, I keep waiting for a turnip and the dance break. Those who know the show will understand. Everyone else, don't worry about it.
 

Here is what we know 24 hours after the retrieval: