Just Wanted To Introduce Myself (Child Mentioned)

WeBelieveInMagic

I just wanted to say hi and introduce myself. I've been lurking on the board for awhile now. Just reading posts and trying to get my bearings. I just never thought I would be conceiving a baby in, anything other than, the traditional way.

After getting blood tests for my first pregnancy my husband and I discovered that we both carried the genes for cystic fibrosis. Good old Delta f508. It was devastating to the both of us. We both took it hard, My husband even had his test repeated and received the same result.  

If we choose to become pregnant again then each pregnancy carries with it a 25% chance of having a child with cystic fibrosis. We simply could not risk it. Cystic Fibrosis is deadly and I could not imagine  knowingly putting a child through that.

We've been talking about it for awhile and finally decided that IVF with PGD is the way that we will build our family. It took us a long time to get here. Not everyone in our family is supportive. My husband's family especially. My mother in law basically told me I should get my tubes tied because the family couldn't take the stress of cystic fibrosis testing or IVF. She's says very hurtful things that aren't even worth repeating.

Basically, I'm just hoping for some people to talk to. Maybe this isn't even the right place for me. I don't want to offend anyone by being here because I do have a child and don't have an infertility diagnosis . I'm just anticipating that I'm going to have a lot of questions and I'm just scared of the whole process. Thanks for reading this.

PurpleIris30

Welcome.  I know there have been several women on this board that have done ivf with pgd for cystic fibrosis (and several that have been successful).

My husband is gene positive for a fatal neurological disorder (50% odds of passing to a child), so I can relate to the emotions that you are feeling.  We have also decided that we can't knowingly have children that would eventually die an awful death from this disorder.

I can't speak for everyone on the board, but I do know that finding out my husband will eventually die of this disease and that we can't just have sex and have a child was a very, very hard process for me.  We all want to have children, and it's not an easy process for us for a variety of different reasons. 

I'm certainly here to help support you through this process, and I know several other women are doing ivf with pgd, too (for a variety of reasons).

One note - I would be careful about posting pictures of your child -- sometimes that's hard for people to see

ecleptic

This is a good place for you. If you have any IVF questions there are lots of us who have been or are going through the process. It's not an easy road to walk- but sometimes it's the only reasonable road.

blsteinbach@gmail.com

I am in your exact position. We found out that we were carriers with our first pregnancy as well (he is an unaffected carrier like us). I am just starting our first IVF cycle. I did the BCP, Lupron and now tonight I am starting my stims. Our family has been wonderfully supportive- so hopefully your family will come around. 

If you have any questions at all or just want some support I am GLAD to offer it. I know I would have LOVED someone to talk to about all this! I will PM you with my personal email I check it much more often then my PM's here. Good luck and hopefully I can be of some help to you!! 

softbalangel

I'm sorry you are going through this, especially dealing with unsupportive family. Best of luck to you!

pennylanehd

Welcome to the board...the ladies here are amazing!  I hope the IVF process is as easy as possible and is wildly successful.

ceemonkey

Welcome - I am so sorry your family is so hurtful. This is a great place for support!

WeBelieveInMagic

Thank you so much for the kind replies. It's really nice to find people who understand and who are going through what I am going through. It took my husband and I a long time to come to terms with building a family this way. He has finally accepted his carrier status. When he got the second set of results back he got very upset. I've never seen the man cry before.

Don't worry I won't post any pictures of my son. I understand how hard it can be. Our are busy having children and it's difficult for me to see it. To know how easy it is for them. I am ashamed to say that it makes me jealous every time someone else tells me they are expecting.

On one hand I'm excited to start this journey and on the other I'm scared. I'm just glad that this group of women exists.