Infertility Family Research Registry

Hey folks!

When I was at the doctor's office a few weeks ago, I noticed a sign for an infertility registry.  The National Institutes of Heath and some other organizations have finally come together to try to get some nationwide data on infertility.  I went through the survey and added my information, but noticed that it didn't ask for details about my reason for losing my sons (so your replies are still necessary on my survey - link disabled).  But anywhoo - go on over and add your information to their database (https://www.ifrr-registry.org/ifrr/index.html).  Maybe one day it will be of help to our sons and daughters.

~Nzinga

Introductions

Hiya, folks!

Welcome to the world of incomprehensible loss.  This is a sad new place to be, yet, hopefully you will find some consolation for yourself or whomever in your life that has lost a pregnancy to the silent monster called Incompetent Cervix.

I lost my very first, long awaited pregnancy to Incompetent Cervix.  One day I was happily and terrifyingly pregnant, the next I was in the hospital and not pregnant.  My husband and I had tried unofficially to conceive since we were first married, and officially since I'd graduated college almost 4 years later.  We finally hit upon a formula that worked against my PCOS diagnosis with a Reproductive Endocrinologist at about our 9th anniversary.  On that day, I was pregnant and didn't know it yet.  The clomid, Gonal-F, Luveris, and timed intercourse had worked!  After what seemed like a lifetime (I mean, it was approximately a third of my life at that point), we were going to have children - TWINS!  But throughout the pregnancy, I was terrified that I would lose them - either before their April due date, or soon thereafter, or even before they got to be adults.  The usual motherhood fears, I guessed. 

The only problem was that it turned out to be some kind of intuition.  I noticed some extra discharge, but when I researched it in all my pregnancy resources it seemed trivial enough to wait until my next appointment.  But my body didn't wait until then.  By the time I got to my doctor's appointment, she said that I was too far dilated to try a cerclage.  But I'm a stubborn gal, so I decided to try to find another doctor who would work with me to save my children.  I told her if I couldn't find someone, I'd go to the hospital of her choice the next day.  I started miscarrying that night.  David was born at 4:45 the next morning.  [My husband always knew he'd be the firstborn (we'd had a list of names 3 deep for either gender for years).]  William held onto for dear life and to his brother's placenta through 12 hours of pitocin and a couple more hours of some mystery drug before being born at 6:28 pm.

I miss my boys - we found out that they were boys at their birth.  I was only 17 weeks along, and had only gained about 7 pounds.  David was the dancer - he was super active and photogenic in all of my ultrasounds.  William was the strong, silent type, taking after his daddy.  Neither had a fighting chance against a cervix that opened too early.  I found out after the fact that I could have possibly been monitored for IC if there were more known about IC.  But the research is sparse.  So this is where you come in.  Please share this site and the SURVEY (link disabled) with all you know who have lost a pregnancy (IC or not).  If we can get more info, we can possibly get the medical authorities to take notice.  That's it... grassroots through the internet.  I still don't know what I will do with the info, but we'll see...  In the meantime, I'll post more info on the research I can find as I get it.

Thanks!

~Nzinga