What is th TAC procedure? Answers inside!
thecuddleeffect
member
Having a TAC placed essentially cures incompetent cervix. it has over a 90% success rate (a traditional vaginal cerclage has about a 55-60% success rate).
A TAC is a band of mersaline tape (one 8" piece of this material can hold the entire weight of an adult!!!) placed AROUND the very top of your cervix (in my case lapriscopically, others have a c/s type incision). The TAC prevents the membranes from even beginning to funnel and "holds" the cervix shut. A typical cerclage (TVC) is sew THROUGH your cervix at the base, since the doctor needs to access it through the vagina.
So typically a vaginal McDonald cerclage is placed around 12-14 weeks gestation (or in an emergency situation) while it canbe successful, what usually happens is that your membranes funnel to the point of the cerclage, at which point the cerclage can either hold and be fine, rip through the cervix completely (and deliver a premature baby) or funnel to that point and get an infection which then makes you pprom which results in preterm delivery.
Will it allow you to TTC sooner?
After having the TAC done my doctor suggests you wait 2 cycles before getting pregnant. In my case we had intended to do our next IVF cycle in July, so this works out just fine for us. We could have had the surgery earlier and TTC-ed sooner, but July works out better for our jobs and for EDD as well.
Often times OBs see this as an "extreme" measure to be taking and try to counsel patients out of it. They see it as too invasive when a TVC could work. I'm not playing with the word could here, I'm going as dang extreme as I can. With as difficult as it is to get the baby in there in the first place I dont have a real margin for error (not that people who get PG the "normal" way should EVER have to endure this pain, but you know what I mean).
Please feel free to ask any other questions. I dont mind answering at all!!
Here is a video of the surgery being preformed by the doctor that will be doing mine:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnmkaquk5AY 
Me(26)PCOS, Hypothyroidism & Incompetent Cervix DH(28)Azoospermia
4/11 Off BCPs -- Cycle 1-3 (6months) - No ovulation, Provera
Cycle 4-6 - Provera, Clomid 50mg, CD23BW - All BFN (HSG-all clear)
Dec 2011 DH S/A shows zero count - dx Azoo
TESE 4/13/12 - Sperm found!! 5 viles frozen
IVF ICSI #1- (Lupron protocol) 5R 2F 2dt- 2DP & 4CF - BFFN
IVF ICSI #2- (Antagonist protocol) Started stims 7/26
ER 8/8 11R 9F 3dt - 9BF & 7BF (+HPT 8dp3dt)TWINS! EDD 5/1/13
12/9 Joshua David and Zoe Faith born too early at 19w4d due to incompetent cervix
LAP Transabdominal Cerclage - 4/15/13 only possibility of carrying my children to term
IVF#3 - June 2013 - canceled.
IVF ICSI #3.2- (Antagonist Protocol) 7/26 start stims (same day, a year later from J & Z's stim start date!)
9/11/13 - U/S shows 1 baby HR 135bpm! EDD: 4/30/13
It's a BOY!!
2/9/14 - DX Gestational Diabetes
C-section scheduled for 4/7/14 (36w5d)
Colin Joseph - 1:07pm 6lbs 14oz - 8 days in the NICU
Everyone Welcome!
Re: What is th TAC procedure? Answers inside!
***signature & ticker warning***
Me: 30 ~ Stage IV Endo ~ AMH .38 ~ AFC 8
AMH .97 as of 4/2012! ~ AMH 1.63 as of 4/2013!?!
Him: 29 ~ perfect swimmers
Laparotomy w/partial oophorectomy 8/2009 to remove cysts/endo.
Stopped BCP 4/2010.
Multiple clomid rounds from 11/2010 to 6/2011. ~ All BFN
IUI w/clomid 7/2011. IUI w/clomid & injectables 11/2011 & 1/2012. ~ All BFN
IVF:EPP 5/2012 ~ (4R, 3M, 2F w/ICSI). Both embryos txfrd. ~ BFN
BCP to manage endo from 10/2012 to 12/2012.
FET w/donor embryos #1: 10/2013 Cancelled
FET w/donor embryos #1.2: 11/2013 ~ ET of 2 beautiful blasts on 11/27.
Beta 1: 503(12dp5dt) Beta 2: 1035(14dpt) Beta 3: 3001(16dpt) Beta 4: 8503(19dpt)
Twins with an EDD of 8/15/14! Team Purple
G&B born 6/30/14 at 33w3d via emergency c/s.
If you're wondering about my avatar...it's a fried pickle chip shaped like a fetus!
************ Signature/Ticker Warning ************
Me (32) DH (36) - Finding our way to baby #1
Me: POF/DOR - AMH <0.16, heterozygous c677t MTHFR, insulin resistant and gluten intolerant
DH: Severe MFI
12/2/11 - IUI #1- BFN
8/1/12 - IVF #1 - Zero response from max stims (600iu intramuscularly)
My ovaries are just for decoration
12/6/12 - Adopted five embryos that had been frozen for over ten years!
2/11/13 - DEmbryo FET #1 Thawed four, sadly two didn't survive. Transferred two beautiful blasts.
2/16/13 - First BFP of my life @ 6dp5dt! EDD 10/30/13
3/27/13 - After beta and u/s hell, no heartbeat ever detected. D&C at 9w1d.
6/5/13 - Adopted four new embryos that had been frozen for seven years!
9/12/13 - DEmbryo FET #2. Thawed and transferred two beautiful blasts
9/17/13 - BFP @ 5dp6dt! EDD 05/31/14
9/29/13 - m/c @ 5w1d.
11/19/13 - DEmbryo FET #3. Thawed and transferred one blast from each batch. Wow!
11/23/13 - BFP @ 4dp6dt! EDD 8/7/13
Beta #1 @ 13dp6dt - 522 Beta #2 @ 16dp6dt - 1373
6w5d ultrasound showed one perfect baby with a beautiful heartbeat of 134bpm!
Snowflake baby is a girl!
Our beautiful Snowflake girl arrived on July 22, 2014!
My embryo adoption blog: Wishing on a Snowflake
Hi Cuddle,
l hope you don't mind me posting here, I lurk. I have been following your posts for awhile since your situation hits home for me, I went into pre term labor at 23 weeks, 4 days and lost my boy/girl twins on Dec 8 2012. First, I am deep
Me:34 PCOS, one kinked tube, low thyroid.
DH:39 lower than average count.
Married 2006. 3 failed IUIs and countless BFNs.
~IVF#1: July 2012~
7/10 Retrieval: 16r, 14f w/ICSI. 7/15 ET: Transfered 2. 4 frosties.< Poas faint+ 4dp5dt.>
Beta#1 (8dp5dt): 138. Beta#2 (10dp5dt): 355.
u/s#1: (19dp5dt) 8/3/12 one sac, two yolks! Beta 8,000
u/s#2: two strong heartbeats! EDD 4/2/12
Boy/girl fraternal mono/di twins-- lost our sweet baby girl at 22 weeks due to SIUGR
Preterm labor at 23 weeks 4 days, lost our sweet baby boy.
Me(26)PCOS, Hypothyroidism & Incompetent Cervix DH(28)Azoospermia
4/11 Off BCPs -- Cycle 1-3 (6months) - No ovulation, Provera
Cycle 4-6 - Provera, Clomid 50mg, CD23BW - All BFN (HSG-all clear)
Dec 2011 DH S/A shows zero count - dx Azoo
TESE 4/13/12 - Sperm found!! 5 viles frozen
IVF ICSI #1- (Lupron protocol) 5R 2F 2dt- 2DP & 4CF - BFFN
IVF ICSI #2- (Antagonist protocol) Started stims 7/26
ER 8/8 11R 9F 3dt - 9BF & 7BF (+HPT 8dp3dt)TWINS! EDD 5/1/13
LAP Transabdominal Cerclage - 4/15/13 only possibility of carrying my children to term
IVF#3 - June 2013 - canceled.
IVF ICSI #3.2- (Antagonist Protocol) 7/26 start stims (same day, a year later from J & Z's stim start date!)
9/11/13 - U/S shows 1 baby HR 135bpm! EDD: 4/30/13
It's a BOY!!
2/9/14 - DX Gestational Diabetes
C-section scheduled for 4/7/14 (36w5d)
Colin Joseph - 1:07pm 6lbs 14oz - 8 days in the NICU
Everyone Welcome!
Thanks for the info!!!! I am a little worried about my cervix because every time I have an ultrasound or transfer, the doctor mentions what a short cervix I have.
How's your recovery going?
<
, beta #3 3/4: 268 told to stop meds and let nature take its course. requested 4th beta (3/6); Beta hell for 2 months.
Married June 2011 Dx: anovulatory due to prolactinoma (1.5cmx 1.5cm in 2006)
April 2012: MRI- questionable cyst 8mg by 12mm in pituitary ; referred to RE by Ob-gyn after amenorrhea x 4+ months, provera ineffective, low estrogen level
cycle 1: May 2012, clomid 50mg; cycle cancelled, thin lining, no response
cycle 2: June 2012, femara 5mg; cycle cancelled, no response
cycle 3: July 2012, femara 7.5mg; cycle cancelled (largest folli on Cd12 & cd 16: 11, lining 4)
Repeat MRI July 25,2012- Cyst unchanged, likely old infarction.
Aug. 8: met with RE, move to injectables if HSG and SA normal
Aug. 23: HSG all clear; DH- perfect
Switched to a new RE in early Sept. IVF here we come
Genetic testing reveals: Fragile X- Intermediate risk/grey zone.
IVF#1: ER 11/30: 14 retrieved, 10 mature, 7 fertilized. E2 prior to trigger 5200. Decision made to freeze 6 embryos and transfer later due to OHSS.
IVF#1.2/FET #1: estrogen injects start 1/18, FET delayed to try to thicken lining. lining 5.4mm. FET- 2/18- transferred one 3AA expanded blast. BFP 5dp5dt. Beta #1- 2/27 9dp5dt- 102.27 beta #2 3/1: 147
FET # 2: endometrial scratch 5/6, added estrace vaginally and ASA to delestrogen and PIO. June 10- transferred one 4AA hatched embryo, BFP 4dp6dt, Beta 1 (9dp6dt) 187, Beta 2 (11dp6dt): 412; Beta 3 (15dp6dt ): 4452. U/S #1- one beautiful embryo with a heartbeat of 133 at 7 weeks. 8 weeks: heartbeat 156. EDD 2/26/2014: born 2-3-14 induced due to Pre-E and HELLP at 36w5d.
12/1: met with RE to discuss trying for #2
Cuddle,
Thanks so much for sharing so much with me, it really helped. I will continue to lurk and cheer you on from the side lines. I'm on the IF board here and there.
Me:34 PCOS, one kinked tube, low thyroid.
DH:39 lower than average count.
Married 2006. 3 failed IUIs and countless BFNs.
~IVF#1: July 2012~
7/10 Retrieval: 16r, 14f w/ICSI. 7/15 ET: Transfered 2. 4 frosties.< Poas faint+ 4dp5dt.>
Beta#1 (8dp5dt): 138. Beta#2 (10dp5dt): 355.
u/s#1: (19dp5dt) 8/3/12 one sac, two yolks! Beta 8,000
u/s#2: two strong heartbeats! EDD 4/2/12
Boy/girl fraternal mono/di twins-- lost our sweet baby girl at 22 weeks due to SIUGR
Preterm labor at 23 weeks 4 days, lost our sweet baby boy.
Positive for HLA-B27, I'm a mutant
Testing - Me ok, gluten issue? DH - borderline count, low motility
4/28/11 IUI#1 = BFP!(5/25), EDD 2/2/12 - m/c 5w3d
7/3, 7/31, 9/25 - IUI#2-4=BFN
IVF#1 - 1 blast = BFP!! (12/30), EDD 9/9/12, confirmed c/p 4w2d
FET#1 3/2/12 - 2 blasts =BFP!! EDD 11/18/12, us#1 = twins! Confirmed m/c 5w6d
4/20-surprise BFP and another c/p 4w2d
FET#2 7/16/12 - 2 blasts = BFN
FET#3 8/20/12 - 1 blast - BFP!! Beta #1-2=177, 354
1st u/s 5w6d, one beautiful little HB
baby girl born 5/10/13
TTC#2 since 12/17/2014, Cycle 8
Repeat Testing...FSH=12, AMH=3.8, AFC=28.
IUI#5 5/10/15- c/p?
IVF#2 8/19/15 - cancelled due to cysts
IVF#2 take two 10/2015 - 5 blasts frozen
FET#4 12/11/2015 - BFN - 4 blasts remaining
FET#5 2/18/16 - BFP!!! Beta1-3, 126, 250, 745!!
Tons of love and ((hugs)) to my IF sister NMscubagirl
TTC #1 since February 2011
C/P 5W3D
Betas 8/30 (108) and 9/3 (565)
Me: 29 (3/5/13- high NK cells) DH: 28 (5/8/12- MFI low morph and motility)
Cycle #21 (IUI#1), Cycle #22 (HSG 9/21/12) and Cycle #23 (IUI#2)=
Cycle #24- December Snow Bunny IVF #1
ER 12/6/12 (14R, 11M, 9F), ET 12/9/12 transferred 2 day 3 embies
Bleeding and low betas=very cautious
Cycle #26 March Lucky Duck- FET #1
scheduled 3/20/13- CANCELLED- lining issues
Cycle #27 May Emerald- FET #1.2
delayed- Starting Trental for 3 months + natural cycles Cycle #28-30=
Cycle #31 August Shooting Star- FET #1.3
transferred 1 hatching blast 8/21/13=
U/S 9/19/13- HR is 128! U/S #2 10/4/13- HR is 174!
It's a BOY!