And then there were 3!

We went in at 8 a.m. this morning and Dr. Peterson said there were actually 3 eggs that fertilized and could be used! He said the fertilization rate is about 60% so were right on. I guess they weren't sure about the development of one of the eggs, so they didn't mention it yesterday. One fertilized early, one as expected and one late. There was one egg that allowed 2 sperm to penetrate and that one had to be thrown out.

They are multiplying a little slower than they would like to see. One had divided to 8 cells, one to 4 cells and the other to 2 cells. Because of their slower division rate, they thought it would be best to transfer them on Day 3 vs. Day 5. He said that our chances of getting pregnant transferring all 3 would be between 25% and 40% and if I was his daughter, he would encourage me to transfer all 3 to increase our chances. There would only be about a 3% chance of triplets. He then left us alone with pictures of our 3 embryos to decide how many we wanted to have transferred.


Clay and I talked about it quite a bit and we decided on transferring all 3! We went from planning on 1 to now 3! I'm such a planner that it is hard for me to adapt easily to this ever-changing world. But we're going with their recommendations and even though we were surprised and a little scared, it felt like the right decision.

We had some more time to talk to the doctor before the actual procedure. He said that they tested the follicular fluid for HCG levels and it was around 20 and they want it to be around 100. He thought that was probably the reason there weren't more mature eggs. HCG is what causes the eggs to mature within the follicles. We just don't know why... whether my body didn't react as expected or if there was something that went awry with the medication. They are going to be researching this with the company that provided the HCG I took last Tuesday. I feel a little better after having a chance to talk with the doctor and really felt that they were looking out for our best interest and wanted the same results we do.

The procedure was quite amazing! There was a TV on the wall with a video of the petri dish of embryos. We first saw our names flash and then the catheter suck up the little embryos. They were then brought right to us and inserted into the guiding catheter that was already in, just 1 cm from the top of the uterus. They said I needed to relax, relax, relax over the next 4-5 days and try not to get my blood pressure up at all. I was curious if there was anything that I could do to dislodge them and the nurse said that they were like sand in a sponge...very difficult to shake free.

Clay's been great! He's been grocery shopping, cooking and cleaning. Boy, I could get used to this! We're just chilling out watching movies and TV today. Quite a coincidence, but we watched a show on National Geographic about kangaroo joeys. I didn't realize this, but they develop partially inside the mother's body for only a few weeks and then they climb up about 12 inches outside of the body (quite a journey for such a little one with no legs yet) to the pouch where they continue their development for months. If those joeys can be that strong, so can ours!

So, now is the tough part...waiting! Keep all of your thoughts, prayers, wishes and good vibes coming our way! Thanks for all your support thus far! We love you all!