Getting Pregnant

You might remember that our specialist, Dr H, sent us away for three months of trying to conceive using only what he calls “timed intercourse”, which means using ovulation tests to be sure we’re doing the deed at the right time of the month. Three months turned into four by the time we were able to get another appointment with him, and we still had no positive pregnancy test to show for our trouble.

At this appointment, Dr H reviewed all of our test results again, double-checking perhaps for anything he might have missed. In the end, he decided to send me back into the operating theatre (but not really for an operation – no anesthetic this time) to flush my tubes with a substance called Lipiodol. The theory is that there’s a possibility I have some endometriosis in my Fallopian tubes. I don’t have it anywhere else, but because I get some premenstrual spotting it’s a possibility that this was what was blocking my tubes before, and might be again. In cases of endometriosis, doing this Lipiodol flush has dramatically increased the rate of conception. If, on the other hand, I don’t actually have any endometriosis, it will have no effect.

So now I’m waiting for my appointment to go in for this procedure. I’m half optimistic that it might work out, but the whole endometriosis-in-the-tubes diagnosis is a bit uncomfortable for me – nobody can be sure so even after the procedure they probably won’t be able to tell us if we’ve got any better chance or not. Dr H suggested that we try for three months more after the flush and if we still have no success he’ll be recommending we move to IVF.

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