The First Trimester !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Journey into Parenthood Part 9 :

Generally the first trimester is taken to be between week 1 to week 12 in pregnancy. In normal pregnancy one would realise and test for pregnancy only around 6 weeks. But when we get pregnant through IVF, we know our pregnancy at a very early stage and our motherhood fears and anxiety begins from then. After about 35 days I noticed a small red thread like particle in my urine. I was worried but thankfully there was no vaginal bleeding. I immediately called Ms. Mohanapriya in the night and she checked with the doctor and told me to start susten injection twice a week.

               Ms. Mohanapriya administered my injections till almost the end of my delivery without expecting anything in return. Hari and I will be eternally grateful to her not just for administering the injections but also for the complete pep talk to make Amma, Hari and me extremely comfortable. She would leave our place only after the injection and the morale boosting talk. I respect and adore her for her professional commitment.

After the injections started, I reduced my movements a little but that small discharge occurred about 3 times in my first trimester. Ms. Mohanapriya checked with the doctor and reassured me to stay calm.

Our first scan was on February 18^th and I was very nervous. Hari was excited as he was eagerly expecting twins. It was very crowded at the hospital. Finally my turn came--to wait with a full bladder is real challenge-- our sonologist Dr. Ravichandrika madam is a senior doctor and looked serious. I felt like a student having my paper corrected by a strict HOD! She very patiently did the scan and I just closed my eyes and kept praying. Finally madam told me all parameters are good and I am pregnant with twins! I immediately came out and Hari was thrilled to know the results. For the first time we saw the pictures of the gestational sac on the report- yet another emotional moment indeed! Dr. Manu explained the scan reports and told us the EDD (expected due date). It is 7th October 2017, and when Hari asked her if it would be earlier she said yes because twins generally come out sooner! 

We were asked to continue with the same medication and come back after two weeks for a check-up. 

In the first trimester our doctor’s visits was every two weeks to monitor our foetuses’ growth. So I had 2 more scans-- one on March 3rd, and the next one on 16th March. Both were to check if the heart beats were good and the foetuses were growing well. The 3rd scan was done by Dr. Manu and she said one of the babies was happily doing somersaults!!!! She did show me the screen but what thoroughly excited and moved me was the happiness she showed on seeing the movements. It showed how passionate Dr. Manu is about her patients. We were truly blessed to be in the care of such a passionate doctor.

NT scan and double marker tests:

This test is a combination of an ultra sound scan and a blood test. It is called a Nucal translucency scan where the thickness of the neck of the babies is measured by an ultrasound probe. A full bladder is absolutely mandatory for this scan, and along with this measurement, cervix position and placenta placement is checked. The thickness measurement checks the probability of occurrence of Downs Syndrome. Along with this scan they will also do a blood test which will screen the blood for other genetic abnormalities in the body. Scan results are obtained immediately but blood tests take a weeks’ time.

                     By God’s grace our NT scan was fine. This time the pictures given were very cute. Hari spotted both the babies and he observed it so keenly that he could make out some facial differences too! 

        We went to meet Dr. Manu. She was happy about the scan but said there is one thing to worry -- placenta was covering the cervix. She explained that any strain or pressure might lead to bleeding. So she recommended complete bed rest except for using the rest room. She told us that when babies grow the uterus will expand and the placenta will move away but till then we need to be very careful especially since it is twins. But she reassured us that if I took care I need not worry much.

The next interesting part of the check-up was that we got to hear the heart-beat of our little ones for the first time! Yet another golden moment!  Dr. Manu said everything is fine. She stopped estrogen, the progesterone gel and ecosprin. Susten was to be taken twice -- morning and night -- and injections became weekly once. 

But I was upset as I expected Dr. Manu to tell me that I could go back to my normal activities. I thought I can manage on my own. Neither my parents nor Hari agreed to such an idea! Dr. Manu told me clearly the placenta position had nothing to do with IVF, and generally after the first trimester an IVF pregnancy is considered equal to a normal pregnancy.

           The word strict bed rest did upset me for a couple of days, but with a lot of motivation from family, Hari and Ms.  Mohanapriya, I got into a new routine. I started watching a lot of web series and stand-up comedy. Every week during the injection Mohanapriya used to tell me to be relaxed and there wouldn't be a problem if we took proper care.