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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Did you use ivf? Did it occur naturally or with intervention? By yourself or had a  boyfriend or husband? If there were issues do you think those issues would have prevented pregnancy at any age?[/quote]

I had my healthy baby girl at almost 45 years old, quite by surprise, as I had been diagnosed as infertile in my late 30’s after multiple miscarriages in my 20’s and 30’s and had tests at age 41 to determine whether I would be able to do egg harvesting showed that my hormone levels and egg production were very low. Basically, I was written off.
My OBGYN was of little help - and then I got divorced so my baby quest was over.

At age 42, For family research, I had a DNA test done by Ancestry and uploaded the raw data to a different healthcare focused DNA service. I learned I have something called MTHFR , a genetic variation which affects aspects of how my body converts folate and folic acid and directly impacts the ability to sustain pregnancy. It causes a lot of miscarriages. I also learned using the NIH website that women like me need the Methylated form of B vitamins especially Methylfolate, to successfully carry a pregnancy.

(NB: I am greatly simplifying this and I encourage everyone to do their own research about MTHFR, there are a lot of variations that have different health impacts and different interventions that could be applied for each type.)

I am also a lifelong Polycystic Ovary Disease sufferer from menarche onward even though I was very thin and didn’t have other conditions that go with it. Just genetics. When I entered my 40’s and started perimenopause, my PCOs symptoms began worsening rapidly. Usually they are just controlled by birth control pills, but I can’t take birth control hormones because BCP caused two severe TIA in me at age 19 and 24.

My OB was not very forward leaning to help me with find a different solution, and I turned to peer reviewed studies and research to see what was being researched on PCOS.

The clinical benefits of taking Myo-Inositol, Ubiquinol, B1, and the methylated form of B vitamins together help reduce PCOS symptoms.

What I didn’t know at the time, is this is a very similar preparation for fertility treatments. I learned all this in September during my first pregnancy OB appointment when I filled out my questionnaire about what supplements I was taking.

Sometime in July I got pregnant, but didn’t know until late August because I didn’t have any symptoms….. and I was 43, in perimenopause so I thought it was just normal that my period stopped. I was 8 weeks pregnant when I finally started having symptoms (constant hunger, sharply increased sense of smell, occasional dizziness, and intermittent blurry vision) and no symptoms whatsoever of morning sickness.

My boyfriend (now husband) and I were stunned. I didn’t hesitate to say I was keeping my baby, and despite not being married it was not even a question for us. He was 49!

My OB was stunned as he looked at my ultrasound. He said I was a rarity because I had very low egg reserves three years prior. He went back to check his notes and confirmed that he had counseled me I was very likely infertile. I was his last pregnancy patient before he retired. I had been seeing him since I was 30.

My 6months of trying at-home relief for PCOS was what likely increased my fertility: supplemental Myo-Inositol, Ubiquinone, methylated B complex vitamin, B1, plus increased exercise and low alcohol consumption. That’s how I unintentionally became pregnant and had a beautiful healthy daughter.

Today, our girl is 4 years old, smart, funny, very intelligent, tall for her age, and starts preschool in the fall.

[/quote]

It’s amazing how much women have to do their own health related research.

Congrats to you![/quote]

Doctors make money from ivf, not bloodwork and counseling us on supplements.  I think a lot of infertility would be resolved by proper thyroid management alone, not to mention everything pp uncovered for herself.  [/quote]

I got pregnant at 36 while on the brink of ivf.  My ultrasound tech informed me of facts leading me to the conclusion that my use of a ClearBlue Easy fertility monitor (machine, not sticks) and mucus signals were probably notifying me too late.  Early and often leading up to ovulation would have been a better strategy vs. monitoring. I think I systematically biased against success.

That one ultrasound and advice was worth more than all the other interventions my DH and I had.[/quote]

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