What's it like to have a "natural" pregnancy?

[Anonymous]

For those of you who have had one, I'm curious - what's it like to have a "normal," "natural" pregnancy? Like, one where you find out you're pregnant b/c you miss a period? Obviously you don't do all the injections, ER, etc. But do you still do beta tests? Ultrasounds at 6 weeks (or whatever it is)? If you've been pregnant both "naturally" and via IVF, did you worry equally once you got past BFP stage? I'm really just curious.

[Anonymous]

I'm not too sure what you are looking for. Pregnancy is different every time, no matter how you became pregnant. It comes with joys, pain and worries.

[Anonymous]

I've done both. Pregnant three times -- two natural, one IVF. No beta tests for the natural pregnancies. I had one sonogram at 6 weeks because I felt pelvic pain and they wanted to check for an ectopic pregnancy. Normally, however, I wouldn't have had an ultrasound until 20 weeks. I didn't worry too much because my IVF was my third pregnancy and I could tell that everything was going the way it had in the past. Basically, I worried a lot for my first pregnancy throughout (although was calmer after 12 weeks and even moreso after 30). For my subsequent pregnancies, I took a more que sera sera approach because there really isn't a whole lot you can do to prevent a miscarriage.

[Anonymous]

Sex, missed period, home test, BFB, then schedule an appointment with an OB and go in for bloodwork. No ultrasound until the nuchal test, unless there is any spotting or reason to be concerned. I think everything else proceeds similarly.

[Anonymous]

No beta tests. Ultrasounds at 6 weeks and 20 weeks. Two different blood draws (one for spinal bifdia, and I forget why the earlier one).

If there's a reason for concern, then there can be more testing, of course. You also might want to try cross-posting in Expectant Moms, since many of the people on this board haven't/won't ever had a "natural" pregnancy.

[Anonymous]

I had ultrasounds at 6 (to confirm), 12 (NT), and 20 weeks (anatomy), and several blood draws (didn't always know what these were for).

[Anonymous]

I flunked three ivf's and ended up pg "naturally". I was still with my RE at that point, so I got beta's and early u/s's. The fear is the same. I think it comes from the infertility struggle, not how you get pg in the end. I had a hard time believing it would stick. I had a spotting episode at 18w, and felt like the other shoe had finally dropped, and the ending I was expecting had finally started. All was okay though, and ds arrived healthy at his due date.

Got pg twice after that, one didn't last, but one did. I took an hpt the last time because I felt queasy, like I had when I was pg. My ob knew I was scared, so he got me a beta and an early u/s.

Like I said above, I think it's the journey that precedes getting pregnant that impacts your experience, more so than the method for getting pregnant.

[Anonymous]

13:54 again - now that I'm thinking about it, the 6 week US was also for dating. I'm surprised to hear that this isn't standard - I didn't have any special issues/symptoms, they just told me to come in for it and I did.

[Anonymous]

When we decided to start TTC, I stopped taking birth control pills and started taking folic acid. I started eating more healthily. We did not do any cycle tracking because our regular sex life was a 5+x/week situation anyway. When I missed my period, I took a test. When the test came back positive, I called my regular gynecologist to schedule a confirmation of pregnancy appointment. I did not actually make it in until I was 9 weeks, because I was out of the country when I found out. At that point, heard the heartbeat via ultrasound. Had other ultrasounds at 12 and 20 weeks (NT and anatomy) and then a final ultrasound at 40 weeks to check fluid levels.

My second, third and fourth times, I was tracking my cycle (very loosely - using an app, not temping or anything) and when I missed my period, I took home tests, came in for confirmation ultrasounds around 7 weeks the 2nd and 4th times - never made it for the 3rd one. Those pregnancies all ended in miscarriage between 7 and 10 weeks. When we decide we are ready to try again, I will likely see a RE. I am 33 years old and have no known health issues but a family history of autoimmune issues. The GW midwives advised me that it was possibly a low progesterone issue, but that was on the 4th pregnancy, by which point I definitely needed emotionally to step back. So instead of a progesterone rx, I left with a birth control rx.

[Anonymous]

My first pregnancy happened naturally and it was a surprise. It was so much fun and so much more surprising because I was experiencing all the crazy symptoms and finally put 1+1 together one morning and took a positive HPT. I was shocked. It didn't stick though so I can't tell you much more beyond that. Still trying naturally but it's so much less fun because we have to plan and time everything due to medications. The fear of mc will always be there now. Grateful I got to experience that surprise at least once.

[Anonymous]

I've never had an ART pregnancy (IUIs failed), but I've had a subsequent unplanned pregnancy. I probably had a few more ultrasounds than typical- one to date the pregnancy because it was several months after my last period, the nuchal one, the anatomy one, and one at 32 weeks to see if my partial placenta previa had resolved. I had no clue I was pregnant because my cycles were very irregular to begin with and I have no idea why it crossed my mind to finally take a pregnancy test (even though was I was 100% sure I wasn't pregnant).

To be perfectly honest, the pregnancy was not a welcome surprise. While I hoped the baby was developing fine and did all I could to ensure that, I wasn't fraught with worry during my pregnancy as I imagine I might've been had it been a much hoped for and long-awaited pregnancy.

Good luck, OP.

[Anonymous]

Let's see - I had a "normal" pregnancy first. Confirmed by HPT. OB wouldn't see me until 8 weeks. No u/s until 20 weeks. I was 28.

Secondary infertility while trying for #2. No pregnancy for 3 years until we finally tried IUI, thinking ART was our only way to get pregnant. Got pregnant on try #2. Blood test immediately after HPT was +, u/s at 7 weeks. M/c at 9.5 weeks.

Got pregnant without help a few months later. Went straight to OB after HPT was +. Started having u/s pretty much immediately afterward because of previous m/c. Had several the first month until 8 weeks, then didn't see the OB again until 12 weeks when they did the NT test and genetic blood testing. I am now AMA (36/37), but other than the genetic testing, I haven't had much else different.

[Anonymous]

OP whats the point of asking this question on this board? Are you trying to rub salt into our wounds?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP whats the point of asking this question on this board? Are you trying to rub salt into our wounds?

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP whats the point of asking this question on this board? Are you trying to rub salt into our wounds?

I think I know why OP is asking sometimes I get sad that u was never able to really relax and get overjoyed - always worrying about the other show to drop. I am also sad I was never able to give my husband that "guess what? We're pregnant!" Surprise.

Believe me I am SO grateful to finally have a baby but I do sometimes wonder