I have been asked a lot recently what I did differently for my successful IVF transfer, and so I’ve recounted the personalised process that I went through below in case it helps spark new ideas of tests to explore in those of you who have been going through this same process for some while now, without success.

Of course, I am no medical professional, and I cannot say with 100% certainty that the new protocol I followed is the reason my treatment was a success. However, I do believe that had I not changed up my protocol from the previous three rounds, I wouldn’t be 35 weeks pregnant with twins today.  

Following my third transfer that ended in an early miscarriage, known as a chemical pregnancy, I knew something had to change. I couldn’t keep doing the same thing repeatedly and expect new results. I was running out of steam, and I needed a new spark of hope.

I distinctly remember talking to our consultant at the time and almost begging her for answers that she couldn’t give me. In her professional opinion, she believed it to be a numbers game and there was no point “throwing money away on pointless and unproven tests and investigations” because it wouldn’t help us get pregnant any quicker. It will happen if we just keep going…

Anyone who has experienced recurrent loss and recurrent implantation failure will tell you that to “just keep going” is never easy when fighting a war with your own body. It takes so much of your mental strength to prepare and repeat another transfer, not knowing if you’ll have success or yet again, another failed attempt at becoming pregnant.

And that is the main reason we decided to explore new clinics and make the move to one that specialised in bespoke protocol treatments. That clinic was ARGC, who are experts in the field of reproductive immunology – a route I was very keen to explore.

The role our immune system plays in conceiving and having a successful pregnancy is, as you may have read, very controversial. However, after exploring most of the evidence-based tests that were showing (mostly) everything was in working order or at least treatable with blood thinners, this was one stone left unturned that I felt could be of relevance to me.

I remember reading an article that listed out reasons to explore your immunology, and thinking wow, I tick most of those boxes:

• Being under the age of 35
• Experience of recurrent miscarriage
• Experience of recurrent implantation failure
• Family history of auto-immune issues
• Known thyroid issues

Whilst an incredibly expensive test, it was one I felt strongly about and when my results arrived, I was almost relieved when they revealed that (some of) my NK cells levels + TG antibodies were in fact, elevated. It’s not something to be happy about of course, but it gave me a new potential reason for the losses we had experienced alongside our previous unsuccessful treatments. It also meant we would be trying a new treatment plan for our second IVF cycle and fourth transfer…

Due to my results, I was offered Intralipids and prednisolone (for a short period) that was then swapped out for dexamethasone.

Prior to egg collection and during the stimulation phase, I had daily blood tests in the first week to monitor my bodies response to the drugs. To help further follicle maturity and growth, my stim medication was increased in the lead up to egg collection and by the second week, I had two blood tests a day to monitor my levels alongside a scan each morning and/or afternoon.

It was post egg collection and, in the lead up to transfer, that my protocol differed from previous rounds…

STEROIDS: I was treated with 1x intralipid infusion one week before transfer and continued taking oral steroid medication daily until I turned thirteen weeks pregnant. I then went on to have a further three intralipids during my pregnancy, up until I was 20 weeks pregnant due to my NK levels, which were monitored every three weeks, slowly increasing to pre-pregnancy levels.

BLOOD THINNERS: I began taking blood thinner injections (Clexane 40mg) alongside Aspirin (75mg) five days before my transfer, and all the way through my pregnancy to date (stopping Clexane at 33 weeks pregnant due to a bleed). Whilst it’s standard procedure for my clinic to offer blood thinners, I was also taking them due to my history of miscarriage and having tested positive (on two occasions) for raised anticardiolipin antibodies (which is linked to APS). The purpose of me taking them was to prevent blood clots and maintain a healthy blood flow to my uterus with the goal of improving implantation success.

PROGESTERONE: Whilst I’ve never previously had an issue with my progesterone levels, I really wanted to the clinic to throw the book at me for this transfer and they increased my dose of progesterone to help support implantation. I started on 400mg of Cyclogest pessaries, taken rectally, twice a day alongside POI shots (progesterone in oil) at 100mg once a day. The POI shots were taken in the bum muscle and were to date the most painful injections I’ve had to do (they may have led to a few tears each night…) I took the Cyclogest until I was 24 weeks pregnant, stopping the POI shots at around 13 weeks pregnant.

LEVOTHYROXINE: Having an elevated TSH level isn’t a new thing for me and is something I’ve been aware off now for a few years. My previous consultant was never too concerned when my TSH levels rose to above 5 prior to transfer, however having also been monitored by an endocrinologist for the previous few years, I was aware that optimal levels for conception and pregnancy are advised to be below 2.5 and so I was given Levothyroxine to help stabilise my thyroid and bring it within the preferred range. Thyroid levels are something my new clinic also monitor regularly, and with a positive test, my TSH levels shot up to above 7 which meant my daily dose of medication was increased to 100mg a day which I’m currently still taking.

Whilst the above is all medically focussed, it is important for me to tell you that I also changed some things personally that I feel helped my mental attitude going into this new cycle and transfer.

When changing clinics, me and my husband took a couple of months off to focus on ourselves, get some time away and find some joy in our lives again. We ate the food we wanted, drank all the gorgeous wine, and had a spa break to truly breathe and relax away from the world of infertility, loss, and IVF. I continued to exercise, ramping up the amount of time I dedicated to yoga and mindfulness practice. As it was also summertime, we went on daily long walks and caught some much-needed Vitamin D.

I also stopped being so strict with myself. I didn’t eat the brazil nuts every single day or drink the pomegranate juice. I didn’t always wear fluffy socks to keep my feet warm and I even had a few ice creams whilst sat in the sunshine. In general, I relaxed my diet to allow for any “naughty” treats I may have fancied alongside my healthy main meals.

By the time June came around, I was feeling more myself than I had in a long time. I was walking into a new clinic with a lightness to me yet with a breadth of knowledge under my belt. I was so ready for this, and for once, I felt good about my upcoming treatment.

The process was of course still hard, probably the toughest I have ever gone through, and my body was left battered and bruised. Whilst this same protocol may not work for somebody else, what it taught me most is that it’s so important to trust your instinct and push for new tests to be explored if you’re at a point where you just want to try something new.

I’ve cried a thousand tears and I’ve taken countless injections, but it was all worth it to be 35 weeks pregnant with twins today.

I’m sending so much baby dust to those of you reading who are still on your journey’s to becoming parents. Trust your instinct, and keep going xx