Hey everyone, it’s been a while since I last wrote. My previous update was back in 2017 just before I had (then) baby Amelie (she is now 5 years old!) and since then, it’s been a bit of a whirlwind…! However, now that she’s in school, I have some time back to reflect, pick up where I left off and continue to share relevant information with you.
So what’s new? Well, in 2019, just before the pandemic disrupted the world, DH and I decided to try for baby no 2. After three months of trying naturally, we decided to return to Superior Art (SART) in Bangkok to transfer our PGT-A (formerly known as PGS) tested frozen embryo. Whilst three months wasn’t actually a long time to TTC and there was a decent chance of us conceiving naturally (as I felt my body had reset after my prior pregnancy), we didn’t want to delay the process any further given our age. We also knew we had a healthy embryo waiting for us and that the chances of health issues were low so it just made sense. We reached out to our HK and Thai doctors to kick start the (hopefully) final leg of our fertility journey.
Like our first transfer, we began the process in Hong Kong. We both undertook various blood tests but this time round, we didn’t want to take any chances so I opted to do a medicated cycle with Estrofem, Crinone and Duphaston to boost and maintain my hormone levels. For those who remember Amelie’s transfer, you will recall that we were faced with a massive sudden drop in E2 (Estradiol) and P4 (Progesterone) levels right before the transfer and almost cancelled it. You can read more about that rollercoaster experience here (scroll to “17.02.2017 (Pre-Embryo Transfer Check-Up)“. Upon sending my ultrasound to SART based Dr Weena, she advised us on the optimal transfer window and we set the big day for 27th October.
We flew into BKK on the 26th and went straight to SART to check that my hormone levels and lining were good. When all was well, we returned to the hotel and prepared for the next morning. Thankfully, this medicated cycle went smoothly and the bloodwork on the morning of the 27th looked fine. We signed the consent forms to thaw embie #5 and went to have lunch. We ended up walking about 8 mins to Central Embassy mall and had the most delicious Tong Yum soup noodles in the food court. And now that I eat a lot faster (as a result of becoming a mummy), we had time to kill so I picked up a few natural soaps and handcream for my family. We returned to the centre shortly after lunch and the lovely nurses there began to prep me. I got changed into a gown and was given a glass or two of water to fill up my bladder. The reason they need it full is to help them see where to place the embie. This was probably the most uncomfortable part as I wasn’t allowed to empty out my bladder… So I held it in as much as I could! The transfer was smooth and I was finally allowed to relieve myself. Again, Dr Weena and her staff were amazingly helpful, efficient and polite. They really made the whole experience more comfortable. We decided to stay the night to rest and do a spot of shopping… I mean, we are in Bangkok afterall!
The next day, we returned to HK and a week later, did a HCG pregnancy test. We were thrilled to receive a positive result!! We continued to communicate with Dr Weena over email regarding the adjustment of the hormone meds and sent her further bloodwork and ultrasound reports in the following weeks. At around 18 weeks gestation, a nurse at SART emailed me to check how everything was which I appreciated as it felt like they continued to care and follow up with me instead of cutting the comms the moment we left Bangkok.
On 4 July 2020, our beautiful baby Valerie was born weighing 3kg and healthy. We felt so blessed to give Amelie a baby sister and totally lucked out with the timing because had we waited another few months, international travel would’ve been impossible for the next 12-24 months. Those in, or know Hong Kong will know how strict the Covid rules were for us back then 😦
Fortunately, international travel has resumed and couples can now fly to Thailand or anywhere they choose for treatment. I hope that anyone going through this journey will find hope in reading our experience. As always, if you have any questions, feel free to email me at lovehopejabsandprobes@gmail.com.
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Baby dust to you all.
Roz xoxo
Love,
Valerie with Rexy when he was still with us xoxo
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