[solejean]

Hello everyone,

I have been looking around for a while and this is a lovely place. My DP and I have been on a long road trying to get to the point were we're TTC. Finally after months of being shuffled around our HMO (long story) I saw the NP today in the fertility clinic. I found out that my progesterone is really low - 1.6. Her advice was Clomid and IUI at the clinic. I am 35 and have no children.

My first thought was at home ICI with my DP - less clinical. But the NP has me concerned that it would be a waste of $$ and time.

:

So I guess I'm hoping for some advice... Since my progesteron is so low should I take Clomid and do the IUI? Or try something more natural, like Vitex or...? I also have the issue of being "older." Ultimately the goal is to get pregnant... and the NP seemed to imply that it was very unlikely with frozen sperm at home... Thoughts?

Thanks and I am so happy to have found this wonderful supportive place.

 

[TheGirls]

I'd let the clinic monitor your next cycle if they'll do that - usually it means you have to go in for a couple of vaginal ultrasounds and hormone checks during the cycle. They can usually tell if you're ovulating and how the other hormones are. Do you chart your temps at all? Use an ovulation predictor kit (OPK)? If you're near the end of this cycle, it sounds like you may not have ovulated with progesterone that low, but that doesn't mean you aren't ovulating in your other cycles.

My progesterone was low, but high enough to show that I'd ovulated (~7), and my dr wanted me to use clomid, but I just used a natural progesterone cream in the 2nd half of my cycle. I also took vitex. I'd been tracking for months though, and I knew that I ovulated reliably. Insurance didn't cover my insems, we paid out of pocket for those, but it did cover all the pre-insemination testing.

If you really wanted to insem this month, I'd probably go with the clomid, especially if your insurance will pay for it. Otherwise, I'd consider tracking temps, monitoring cervical mucous, and having some tests done for a month or two to see what you can figure out.

And since I'll be the first of many to recommend it, there's a book called "The New Essential Guide to Lesbian Conception, Pregnancy, and Birth" by Stephanie Brill that you should read. It gives lots of information about ovulation signs, medical interventions, insemination options, and so forth.

 

[westchestermom]

I agree with all that advice, and also want to add that you can also have a consultation with Stephanie Brill, the author of the Essential Guide to Lesbian Conception, Pregnancy and Birth. I'm not sure where you're located, but if it is too far, she'll do a preconception consultation over the phone. We did this by phone before DP got pregnant and it was GREAT. So worth the $$. You can send her all your charts, eating diary, etc. Even if you have the info on the analysis of the sperm. She'll review it all with you, give you recommendations. It really was fantastic. You can just look them up online at www.maiamidwifery.com.

 

[solejean]

Thank you for the info. I actually have been charting for months and I do have "The New Essential Guide to Lesbian Conception, Pregnancy, and Birth" by Stephanie Brill, but it's been such a long time since I started this process that I kind of put it aside. I will be sure to start reading it again. I recall that it had a lot of great information. Thanks for reminding me about it! I actually am relatively close to the bay area so I could look into consulting with Stephanie Brill - I think that would be invaluable.

I do chart my temperature and have been since January. From what I can see I do regularly ovulate, but my luteal phase is on the short side. It averages 11 days. But its been below 10 on occasion. I also use OPK's and some months I get positives and some months not. Not sure if that's timing or something else going on.

I've done a ton of testing - and will be doing more this month. So far it only appears that my progesterone is low. I have a regular cycle so that's helpful.

Clomid was $14 with my insurance - I figured I would pick it up since I was already at the office yesterday. So I guess not too expensive. My insurance covers 50%. I'm not sure how much IUI costs though.

Thanks for the help and great advice.

 

[Twylightdove]

If you go the natural route, Vitex is very good at lengthening the luteal phase and boosting progesterone levels. It should not be taken with clomid though so you have to choose one or the other.

If you do go with clomid then IUI would be recommended for one big reason. Clomid tends to reduce or eliminate the fertile cervical mucus that is vital for IVI/ICI inseminations to work. If you don't have good quality cervical mucus then those kind of insems have a much lower chance of working.

Welcome to active ttc craziness and good luck!

 

[mamastotwo]

Good luck with everything. I just wanted to add that vitex takes about 3 months to kick in.

 

[westchestermom]

One more thing, since you said that you're close to the Bay Area. Maia Midwifery also offers childbirth classes for lesbians. We did this when my partner was pregnant and it was just amazing. They do a 2 day intensive class and there were about 4 other couples in the class with us. We're still in touch today-- just got together for our 1st reunion since all the babies have been born. It was a really great childbirth class (better than the Bradley one we took when I was pregnant actually) and it was so nice to have the support and community of all the lesbian couples.

Good luck!