Anyone doing IVF in 2020?

Hi everyone! A lil bit of my background - I’ve used up 3 fresh and 3 frozen cycles at gov hosp. No more fundings left for me... wanted to check if anyone was ever successful in appealing for additional funding from MOH beyond the 3 rounds? Thanks in advance!
My friend went to her MP for help but she already exhausted all funding options. However, I am not so sure on the exact details. You can still use the private hospital option by using your medisave right? Private will charge stimulation + egg retrieval as 1 cycle and embryo transfer as another cycle. It will probably cost 4-6k out of pocket then depending on the medication used. I think the most important thing for you is also to find out what happened to your 6 cycles and why it failed - did you ever do PGT-A/PGS?
 


Hi dear, i posted this on another page. Gotten 24 eggs #2 Fresh IVF. Hope this helps you in any way..

During my 1st fresh cycle, i didnt prep my body well for the cycle. I was given Gonal F 175 unit & Ganirelix. In a form of food diet wise, didn't pantang at all.. :p ER on CD14 gotten 17 eggs but only 2 early Blastocyst. 1 early Blastocyst transferred. Had OHSS 2nd half of HL. Period came 2 days early before blood test. I can't pee or poop well and didnt drink water much despite being advice. Badly bloated with my FBC white blood cell

So for 2nd fresh cycle, a month or 2 before the cycle, i was on Blackmore's Conceive Well Tablets for 2 months and taking Pregnancy Formula Nature One Dairy once daily. This cycle they gave me Gonal F 150 unit, Menopur 75 unit & Ganirelix (God my belly is a battlefield! :p) and even if the eggs grow slowly but consistent. I ate unsalted roasted almonds about 3 - 5 nuts daily and strictly no cold drinks eg sodas, lemon tea, cola etcs. Drink warm water & red dates. As for food, less fried food. I was on Metformin 500mg 2 times daily for my PCOS and newly diagnosed DM type 2. AMH is 9.2. insane.. lol!

Gotten 24 eggs on ER on CD17, half was IVF, half was ICSI. 9 Blastocysts grade B and 2 Blastocyst from it were the good quality fully expanded, one transfer in me & the other freezed. This cycle, even after 24 eggs taken out, i wasn't bloated badly at all.. after ER, i could walk about. Used hot rubber bag to apply on my lower abdomen and drink ALOT of water. Took Pregnancy Milk, Tofu, Egg whites, Chickens, Beancurd, Hot Soya bean drinks during my 5 days before egg transfer & continue doing it till today. I tried to avoid caffeines as much as I could. I felt great this cycle! More movements and laughs.. Folic Acid is a staple and currently on Crinone gel 2 times a day.

As for OHSS, even during your stim routine, drink lots of water. Warm water. Don't keep your pee too long coz it might cause u unable to pee as the ovaries are swelling even before ER. I tend to keep my pee longer in #1 cycle, that was very bad.. now, everytime i felt like peeing, i just go. Even if it was 1hr ago, just let it out. Same goes to pooping.. i tried not to take any medications or supplements post ET. Just Folic Acid & Pregnancy Milk.. just to provide additional nutrition to that lil bean if everything goes well.. also, a great tip i got, 2 nights before your ET, warm ur womb with those rubber hot bag before sleeping. Helps with circulations & keeping it warm. Wear socks when in cold rooms.. :)


Currently 5 weeks pregnant from 2nd IVF cycle with Beta 1117.7iu/L. I still continue taking in my pregnancy formula milk, progesterone tablet, folic acid & metformin. Still wearing socks, warm water & red dates.

So yeah, usually 1st cycle is like a trial for us and the Dr, to know how much is much for us to respond to the fertility drugs.. 2nd cycles are usually better. Hope this helps!
Hi, can i drink the pregnancy milk before ivf? Mine is scheduled for Jan, so wan to prep abit. Or just normal milk is enough?
 
My friend went to her MP for help but she already exhausted all funding options. However, I am not so sure on the exact details. You can still use the private hospital option by using your medisave right? Private will charge stimulation + egg retrieval as 1 cycle and embryo transfer as another cycle. It will probably cost 4-6k out of pocket then depending on the medication used. I think the most important thing for you is also to find out what happened to your 6 cycles and why it failed - did you ever do PGT-A/PGS?

Did she manage to get additional funding eventually? My dr suggested the same too but she’s not optimistic of us being able to get the funding. Not sure how much balance Medisave i have too..will need to go find out! Sigh. My main problem is poor egg quality... although pregnancy did occur but I miscarried v quickly :( just went for my final retrieval and realised none of the blastocysts are good enough for transfer. We did have the option to go for PGS this time round.
 
Did she manage to get additional funding eventually? My dr suggested the same too but she’s not optimistic of us being able to get the funding. Not sure how much balance Medisave i have too..will need to go find out! Sigh. My main problem is poor egg quality... although pregnancy did occur but I miscarried v quickly :( just went for my final retrieval and realised none of the blastocysts are good enough for transfer. We did have the option to go for PGS this time round.
Hmmm then you probably need to improve on your egg quality before trying again. That’s gonna take quite some time before you see improvements. PGS can definitely save heartbreaks as poor quality blastocyst can be fished out. She did get some assistance but I’m not sure where it was from and how much.
 
Hi, can i drink the pregnancy milk before ivf? Mine is scheduled for Jan, so wan to prep abit. Or just normal milk is enough?
Really depends on your condition.... Not everyone can take dairy. Moreover, there are more cons than pros for dairy. For instance, if you are PCOS or have endometriosis - all the more you should be staying away. You can go and read science and medical journal.
 
Hi, can i drink the pregnancy milk before ivf? Mine is scheduled for Jan, so wan to prep abit. Or just normal milk is enough?
I think other than the dairy issue there is also the sugar issue. If you take a look at the nutrient label for pregnancy milk, you will realise it actually consists of a lot of sugar and sugar is known to be bad for egg quality. So you really have to decide which is the best for yourself :)
 
I think other than the dairy issue there is also the sugar issue. If you take a look at the nutrient label for pregnancy milk, you will realise it actually consists of a lot of sugar and sugar is known to be bad for egg quality. So you really have to decide which is the best for yourself :)
Ok thanks! Will go read up more..
I dont have pcos or endometriosis, mine is more of male factor. But just thought it would still be good to improve on my part.
 
Ok thanks! Will go read up more..
I dont have pcos or endometriosis, mine is more of male factor. But just thought it would still be good to improve on my part.
For sure! You will want healthy eggs too. For me here in the US, my doctors and nurses nag at me to take prenatal vitamins and folate 1mg (google why folate and not folic acid). In Singapore, they just tell you to take it but don’t explain why so most just leave it. Other stuff like COQ10 and Myoinositol are optional but of course found to be effective. I’m a good patient so I take them all. Moreover, I had a lot of Revosit (COQ10), Myoinositol, Selenium) drink from Singapore so I just drink it.

Go for real whole foods like salmon, cod, eggs, green leafy veg, unsalted nuts (Brazil, almond, cashew etc), avocado, lentils, white meat (chicken) etc. Google Mediterranean diet - has been found by studies to be most effective for fertility (male and female so hubby can eat the same thing as you too). I’ve also attached the fish chart from my IVF/Midwifery team in the US for you.

PS: Mine is also the male factor - low morphology/motility. Ever since we put him on liquid multivitamins (hate to swallow pills and liquid is better for absorption) and he starts eating fish (used to not touch it); his total motility sperm count rose from 2.7 mil to 5.7 mil over 21 mil. His morphology went from 3 to 7. This was after 2 months. But anw, we still chose IVF as my husband isn’t young (41). I am 32, not old not young but better to go ahead as > 35 will be considered high risk pregnancy and possibly lower chance. BTW, my husband’s cousin is 38 and went for IVF, succeeded on the 1st attempt with a healthy baby boy at 39 (2 years old already).
 
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For sure! You will want healthy eggs too. For me here in the US, my doctors and nurses nag at me to take prenatal vitamins and folate 1mg (google why folate and not folic acid). In Singapore, they just tell you to take it but don’t explain why so most just leave it. Other stuff like COQ10 and Myoinositol are optional but of course found to be effective. I’m a good patient so I take them all. Moreover, I had a lot of Revosit (COQ10), Myoinositol, Selenium) drink from Singapore so I just drink it.

Go for real whole foods like salmon, cod, eggs, green leafy veg, unsalted nuts (Brazil, almond, cashew etc), avocado, lentils, white meat (chicken) etc. Google Mediterranean diet - has been found by studies to be most effective for fertility (male and female so hubby can eat the same thing as you too). I’ve also attached the fish chart from my IVF/Midwifery team in the US for you.

PS: Mine is also the male factor - low morphology/motility. Ever since we put him on liquid multivitamins (hate to swallow pills and liquid is better for absorption) and he starts eating fish (used to not touch it); his total motility sperm count rose from 2.7 mil to 5.7 mil over 21 mil. His morphology went from 3 to 7. This was after 2 months. But anw, we still chose IVF as my husband isn’t young (41). I am 32, not old not young but better to go ahead as > 35 will be considered high risk pregnancy and possibly lower chance. BTW, my husband’s cousin is 38 and went for IVF, succeeded on the 1st attempt with a healthy baby boy at 39 (2 years old already).
By far I think your suggestions for improvement of diet for egg/sperms are the most sane and doable :) I previously tried those diet changes after doing tonnes of reading for egg quality and sperm morphology improvement. Though did not improve much sperm morphology (because men, it gets pretty challenging trying to change out all his diet!), I did get better eggs so I think those diet changes do work. You should yield good embryos. Hope your ivf is successful!
 
By far I think your suggestions for improvement of diet for egg/sperms are the most sane and doable :) I previously tried those diet changes after doing tonnes of reading for egg quality and sperm morphology improvement. Though did not improve much sperm morphology (because men, it gets pretty challenging trying to change out all his diet!), I did get better eggs so I think those diet changes do work. You should yield good embryos. Hope your ivf is successful!
Yep. Men are more stubborn. I gave him tablets, he refused it after 2 weeks . So I had to find other form of nicer tasting and easier to swallow kind of multivit. Managed to find a “strawberry” one which is way much easier to manage. Mine has no problem with eggs so that’s good. Having him to eat fish was tough though but managed to use the air fryer to make the salmon crispy so he’s eating it (I season with a little bit of salt, black pepper and garlic powder - no oil needed, did it for 10 mins and 200 degree celcius). We drink filtered water as I changed that a long long time ago (don’t think anyone will complain). He still doesn’t eat veg so I give him lots of fruits - apples, grapes, rock melon (good for fertility - found out like 1 month ago only), bananas, blueberries, strawberries.. Yes, after trying lots of diets over the years.... I’ve learnt to take it easy and go for real Whole Foods... I used to fuss over gluten etc etc and that actually stresses one much more.

Thanks! It is going well. Pending my second scan tomorrow.
 
Hi dear... It may still be early... Some don't even hear the heartbeat until week 7 of pregnancy.. a few days different does makes a difference.. don't panic or worry alright.. make sure you take your folic acid & progesterone tab if they were prescribed to u.. keep yourself hydrated alright.. may the next scan brings a better view! :)

thanks @Azasha for your kind words! Praying hard for Monday’s scan. Right now I’m trying not to think about anything other than just relax and be myself for the next few days!
 
Hi girls, anyone has done polyp removal before? Is it painful? Would the polyp go away by itself if we don’t do surgery to remove it? Just got diagnosed with polyp in the uterus and the gynae recommended to remove it before starting IVF. Is it really necessary? Quite sad to hear the news as this polyp was not detected by previous gynaes I’ve seen, although my last ultrasound scan was done in June so it may have come up only recently? :( thanks in advance for your advice!
 
Hi, can i drink the pregnancy milk before ivf? Mine is scheduled for Jan, so wan to prep abit. Or just normal milk is enough?
Hi dear! No harm drinking it as it contains other nutrients too apart of it having sugar in its content. Kinda like prep or prime our body with the necessary nutrients needed. I still drink them and the rest of the day my intake is 1.2L warm water & 500mls hot soya milk with 0 sugar once my pregnancy was official. :) food wise currently on low carb, high protein diet..
 
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thanks @Azasha for your kind words! Praying hard for Monday’s scan. Right now I’m trying not to think about anything other than just relax and be myself for the next few days!
Hi dear, yes! Worrying isn't going to change anything in the current situation. Make the best of the times you have! Don't let those negative thoughts ruin your days and mood. :) Make a small prayer that everything is going to be all well. Watch a comedy movie, bake some cookies or do some scrapbook or play games! As long as you do not have any major painful cramps or bleeding continuously, then u are doing great! Relax and enjoy!! *Hugs*
 
For those wondering about sugar and why it is not advised... Unless you wanna be on metformin (a medicine) and be at risk for diabetes. Remember that what you consume goes to your baby




You can easily google medical journals to read more.
 
Hi girls, anyone has done polyp removal before? Is it painful? Would the polyp go away by itself if we don’t do surgery to remove it? Just got diagnosed with polyp in the uterus and the gynae recommended to remove it before starting IVF. Is it really necessary? Quite sad to hear the news as this polyp was not detected by previous gynaes I’ve seen, although my last ultrasound scan was done in June so it may have come up only recently? :( thanks in advance for your advice!
Hello! I'm was in a rather similar situation as you. Did HSG and no polyp was detected so went on to start my STIMMS. During one of the scans they discovered a polyp. They monitored the growth and my doctor said he will check the size during ER to confirm if removal is necessary and if yes I will have to postpone my transfer. I was rather bummed as I was really looking forward to doing a transfer after all the jabs and etc. Post ER doctor confirmed polyp removal needs to be done before I can start my transfer as the presence of polyp will decrease chances of implantation and even if conceive might not be viable.

I took doctor's advise and did a removal first and my FET is scheduled for this Sat, 2 months after my ER.

For me I felt the polyp removal was less painful than ER, so don't worry about the pain okay!
And since we are already embarking on the IVF journey and our ultimate aim is a healthy baby, its good to get all these cleared before we start.

Jia you!
 
Thank you so much for your kind reply and advice :)

Hello! I'm was in a rather similar situation as you. Did HSG and no polyp was detected so went on to start my STIMMS. During one of the scans they discovered a polyp. They monitored the growth and my doctor said he will check the size during ER to confirm if removal is necessary and if yes I will have to postpone my transfer. I was rather bummed as I was really looking forward to doing a transfer after all the jabs and etc. Post ER doctor confirmed polyp removal needs to be done before I can start my transfer as the presence of polyp will decrease chances of implantation and even if conceive might not be viable.

I took doctor's advise and did a removal first and my FET is scheduled for this Sat, 2 months after my ER.

For me I felt the polyp removal was less painful than ER, so don't worry about the pain okay!
And since we are already embarking on the IVF journey and our ultimate aim is a healthy baby, its good to get all these cleared before we start.

Jia you!
 
Hi girls, anyone has done polyp removal before? Is it painful? Would the polyp go away by itself if we don’t do surgery to remove it? Just got diagnosed with polyp in the uterus and the gynae recommended to remove it before starting IVF. Is it really necessary? Quite sad to hear the news as this polyp was not detected by previous gynaes I’ve seen, although my last ultrasound scan was done in June so it may have come up only recently? :( thanks in advance for your advice!

Most OB/GYNs are not too concerned about polyps. However, fertility doctor will usually recommend to remove it to improve conception success.
 
Hello! I'm was in a rather similar situation as you. Did HSG and no polyp was detected so went on to start my STIMMS. During one of the scans they discovered a polyp. They monitored the growth and my doctor said he will check the size during ER to confirm if removal is necessary and if yes I will have to postpone my transfer. I was rather bummed as I was really looking forward to doing a transfer after all the jabs and etc. Post ER doctor confirmed polyp removal needs to be done before I can start my transfer as the presence of polyp will decrease chances of implantation and even if conceive might not be viable.

I took doctor's advise and did a removal first and my FET is scheduled for this Sat, 2 months after my ER.

For me I felt the polyp removal was less painful than ER, so don't worry about the pain okay!
And since we are already embarking on the IVF journey and our ultimate aim is a healthy baby, its good to get all these cleared before we start.

Jia you!

All the best!
 
Hi dear! No harm drinking it as it contains other nutrients too apart of it having sugar in its content. Kinda like prep or prime our body with the necessary nutrients needed. I still drink them and the rest of the day my intake is 1.2L warm water & 500mls hot soya milk with 0 sugar once my pregnancy was official. :) food wise currently on low carb, high protein diet..

May I know what’s the advantage of soya milk? I googled, and always ended with different school of thoughts. Thanks.
 
May I know what’s the advantage of soya milk? I googled, and always ended with different school of thoughts. Thanks.
Everyone's needs is different so choosing a diet is that suits your well being is really like a trial to see if this works for your body. The soya milk provide protein, fibre & calcium and the ones i had are non sugar. I found my digestive system is much more at ease when taking them compared to Pregnancy milk twice daily coz starting to get constipated. Lol! So i alternate my intake on Pregnancy Milk & soya milk daily. I discussed it with my Dr whom i work with & he taught me to eat small portions of meal throughout the day to avoid spikes in my sugar level.. I am diabetic and on Metformin so my reading has been consistent and within range.. sometime when u start having nausea, u have no appetite to eat, so i have no issue drinking soya milk during those nausea waves. Still provide calcium, protein & fibre. The little one wont start consuming your Calcium until at least week 20, so starting now can somehow boost our calcium level for them to use later on. Was a tip from my medical friends who had issues with their teeth strength during pregnancy when they were pregnant in their younger days, didnt take in milk or calcium. No harm if u drink it in moderation. Same goes to taking in everything else.. no need to add in more calories during your 1st 6-7 months of Pregnancy, the little one doesn't take much. When coming to the final 2 months, additional 200 calories is needed for them. :) These are shared by my Drs.
 
For those wondering about sugar and why it is not advised... Unless you wanna be on metformin (a medicine) and be at risk for diabetes. Remember that what you consume goes to your baby




You can easily google medical journals to read more.
You can still have sugar intake but taking those complex sugar or complex carbohydrates is advisable as the break down mechanisms when it enters our system is totally different from the usual sugar we know & consume. Like Brown Rice, barley, corn, quinoa, beans, peas.. these are some examples of complex carbohydrates u can still take without worrying about a spike in your sugar level. But everything works when u take in moderation. we still need sugar for our brain to function properly but what kind of sugar you take, that makes the difference. Some diabetic like myself develop diabetes is because of my PCOS and insulin resistance. I started the treatment earlier with low dose metformin & dieting before conceived. Definitely everyone wants a healthy and well smooth journey during our pregnancy but sometimes, no all of us can have that without making necessary changes which sometimes, its hard to adjust to. Our body functions during pregnancy changes and sometime, u don't even know what you are currently having or facing, only until a test or check up is performed as most symptoms dont show. :) But what I know, we all wanted the best for the lil one in there. :)

PCOS & Diabetic

.

Complex carbohydrates
 
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Everyone's needs is different so choosing a diet is that suits your well being is really like a trial to see if this works for your body. The soya milk provide protein, fibre & calcium and the ones i had are non sugar. I found my digestive system is much more at ease when taking them compared to Pregnancy milk twice daily coz starting to get constipated. Lol! So i alternate my intake on Pregnancy Milk & soya milk daily. I discussed it with my Dr whom i work with & he taught me to eat small portions of meal throughout the day to avoid spikes in my sugar level.. I am diabetic and on Metformin so my reading has been consistent and within range.. sometime when u start having nausea, u have no appetite to eat, so i have no issue drinking soya milk during those nausea waves. Still provide calcium, protein & fibre. The little one wont start consuming your Calcium until at least week 20, so starting now can somehow boost our calcium level for them to use later on. Was a tip from my medical friends who had issues with their teeth strength during pregnancy when they were pregnant in their younger days, didnt take in milk or calcium. No harm if u drink it in moderation. Same goes to taking in everything else.. no need to add in more calories during your 1st 6-7 months of Pregnancy, the little one doesn't take much. When coming to the final 2 months, additional 200 calories is needed for them. :) These are shared by my Drs.

I’m so thankful for you, taking time to share in details. I’m going for my BT tomorrow.
 
I’m so thankful for you, taking time to share in details. I’m going for my BT tomorrow.
No worries dear, i understand sometime what was shared online are just a surface and no further explanation or details shared, leaving some of us confused, unsure and worry for not knowing much and wondering if what we are doing is beneficial for us and the lil one or not.. i enjoy asking my senior physician and Prof on such topics as they have alot of insights and misconception about certain foods that we take and not stingy in sharing their views. Again, different people have different needs. Like those who has G6PD, Thalassemia, Hep B carrier, or autoimmune, the diet intake will be totally different. So its great to ask your Dr whom had your medical record to advice more on what needs u needed according to your condition. :)

All the best to you BT dear!! *Hugs*
 
May I know what’s the advantage of soya milk? I googled, and always ended with different school of thoughts. Thanks.
You should check with your doctor for contraindications. FYI, commercial soy bean milk out there contains less than a handful of beans with lots of water, preservatives and thickeners. The same goes for nut milk, rice milk etc etc. You aren’t really getting nutrients. Read your labels - look at how much fiber there really is (you would be better off eating an apple or eating a cup of vege). Also, look at the stabilizer, flavoring.. Unknown chemical compounds they aren’t even declaring the exact ingredient.

I was once PCOS and considered pre-diabetic. I had to take metformin to bring down the blood sugar. As of 2019 Dec, my blood sugar returned to normal and i no longer have tiny cysts around my ovaries. A healthy fertility system starts with a healthy body... Fix the root of the problem. You really wouldn’t want to risk passing bad genes to your baby. The answer is simple: eat whole real food.
 

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No worries dear, i understand sometime what was shared online are just a surface and no further explanation or details shared, leaving some of us confused, unsure and worry for not knowing much and wondering if what we are doing is beneficial for us and the lil one or not.. i enjoy asking my senior physician and Prof on such topics as they have alot of insights and misconception about certain foods that we take and not stingy in sharing their views. Again, different people have different needs. Like those who has G6PD, Thalassemia, Hep B carrier, or autoimmune, the diet intake will be totally different. So its great to ask your Dr whom had your medical record to advice more on what needs u needed according to your condition. :)

All the best to you BT dear!! *Hugs*

Yup, I’ll usually do some researches and ask my doctor for his advice too. Thanks thanks. Still no POAS because I don’t want to burst my hopeful bubble yet, looking forward to BT tomorrow.
 
Hi lovelies, after ER how many days after will be ET?
After ER how many days will you take to be ok to walk around?
TIA
 
Hi lovelies, after ER how many days after will be ET?
After ER how many days will you take to be ok to walk around?
TIA
3 or 5 days, preferably 5 days old blastocyst. That depends on your personal self. Some might develop OHSS which gets a little uncomfy. My IVF team recommends bed rest on the day itself and possibly the next day (but if you can walk, walk - just no strenuous activities). Light walking is encouraged to enhance better blood circulation.
 
Hi girls, anyone has done polyp removal before? Is it painful? Would the polyp go away by itself if we don’t do surgery to remove it? Just got diagnosed with polyp in the uterus and the gynae recommended to remove it before starting IVF. Is it really necessary? Quite sad to hear the news as this polyp was not detected by previous gynaes I’ve seen, although my last ultrasound scan was done in June so it may have come up only recently? :( thanks in advance for your advice!

Hi if your polyp is small they might bleed off together during your menses but my case is above 1.5cm so unlikely. You be under GA and sleeping so no pain but for me when I’m awoke the cramps come together with my nauseous as I eat the cervix dilation pills just before surgery could have caused the nauseous. Some were given insertion pills instead. Nonetheless you can request for painkillers and the cramps will be gone swiftly.

My first few pee with blood was damn painful down there (only pee with blood then pain lo) but they were gone the next day. So nothing much to worry on the pain.

Is a must to remove polyp or else they will not let you attempt ivf. They affects implantation too and best to remove if you are trying to conceive.
 


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