Trying to Get Pregnant

BU Presto study?

*TW loss mentioned below*

Is anyone else participating in this?  https://sites.bu.edu/presto/

I think I read about it here way back before we were even trying.  It's a fertility study and they send you a questionnaire every few months that asks questions about how often you're trying, and they have you do this long nutrition survey, and they also email your partner with surveys if you give them permission.  I think some people "win" a VIP subscription to FF but I did not get one, and then you can also be entered to win an ipad or various things if you fill the surveys out.  We signed up when we started trying, but then I stopped participating after I had my loss (the study emails you every few months and it asked me if I had had a pregnancy or loss since the last time I filled out a survey, and when I indicated that I had it seemed to prompt it to stop emailing me).  HOWEVER, DH is still participating and they just mailed him a kit that he can use to find out his sperm count (obviously it's not super highly technical and doesn't give sperm morphology or motility, but it was fairly entertaining.  And yes, we're science nerds).

Just curious if anyone else is also enrolled.

Re: BU Presto study?

  • I have not heard of it but just registered. I'm a nerd and love surveys!

    ***********************************************************************************************************************************
    ~Formerly @dogmomwantinghuman ~
    Me: 29 | DH: 31
    TTC #1 since January 2015
    BFP #1: 11/30/15| MC 12/16/15BFP # 2: 6/2/16 | EDD 2/16/17







  • Loading the player...
  • I also hadn't heard of it, but just registered too :)
  • Hadn't heard of it before but I also signed up!

     
     



  • I'm currently doing it.  I'm up to follow-up questionnaire #3 at this point. The first one takes a while but the follow-ups are pretty quick.  I really like the idea of contributing to scientific research, especially if it might help other ladies optimize their chances of getting pregnant.
  • Thanks for sharing! I also just registered for it.
    TTGP February Sig Challenge- Valentine's Day Fail:


    Me: 25 - DH: 30
    Dating: 5/9/2010
    Married: 5/9/2015
    TTC #1: October 2015


  • Thanks for sharing! Fellow science nerd here. I'll definitely be signing up!
                                Me: 26, H: 28
                                Married since 2012
                                TTC #1 since July 2015
                                 **TW**
                                         Laparoscopy and Endometriosis dx February 2016
                                HSG and SA all clear! September 2016
                                 Testing with RE October 2016
                                                        BFP 11/5/2016 ~ EDD 7/19/2016
                          

                                    Babysizer Geeky Pregnancy Tracker
  • I agree with the ladies..thanks for sharing ! I just completed the survey..I'm very intersted to follow this study !
  • Glad to hear that some of you are/were interested!  @brambles1 - is your SO participating?  Did you get the sperm counter machine?  We were surprised (and entertained) by it.  I'm curious to know if anything else exciting happens or if it's just more surveys...
  • I haven't heard of this but signed up as well!  Thanks for the information!
    About me:
    TTC#1: October 2015
    dx: PCOS & MFI
    IUI #1 w/Femara + Ovidrel June 2016 ~ BFP
    July 2016: Blighted Ovum
    IUI #2 w/Femara + Ovidrel September 2016 ~BFN
    IUI #3 w/Femara + Ovidrel October 2016 ~BFN
    IUI #4 w/Femara + Ovidrel November 2016 ~BFN
    IVF with ICSI January 2017 ~BFN
    FET February 2017 ~BFN
    IVF with ICSI March 2017 ~BFP--Twins Due 12/8/17
    Team Blue X 2!
  • @penelope4612  I have been bugging DH to get involved but he hasn't signed up.  Sperm counter machine?!  I haven't received one but I'm intrigued....
  • Me too...what is the soerm counter machine? I didn't see anything about that
  • For lack of a better description, it seems to be a miniature version of a centrifuge. Your male partner has to give a sample of semen and follow all these steps and then put a small amount it in the machine and it spins around to separate the sperm and then you get an approximate count based on how much is at the end of the apparatus that you had put into the machine. Sorry if that's a lame explanation. My DH signed up to participate in the study about 3 months ago and just got the email 1-2 weeks ago. I'm not sure if everyone gets it - I definitely didn't see anything about it when I signed up initially.
  • Wow interesting..and do you have to pay for this machine ?
  • Nope. He got an email asking him if he would participate and when he said yes they mailed him the kit.
  • Malibu45 said:
    Wow interesting..and do you have to pay for this machine ?
    My husband just got his email about it and it actually says he gets paid $20 if he does it, so I really want him to lol
  • For lack of a better description, it seems to be a miniature version of a centrifuge. Your male partner has to give a sample of semen and follow all these steps and then put a small amount it in the machine and it spins around to separate the sperm and then you get an approximate count based on how much is at the end of the apparatus that you had put into the machine. Sorry if that's a lame explanation. My DH signed up to participate in the study about 3 months ago and just got the email 1-2 weeks ago. I'm not sure if everyone gets it - I definitely didn't see anything about it when I signed up initially.
    OK. That's neat. Now I'm definitely going to continue nagging the fella to complete his part.

     
     



  • Thanks for the tip. I am signing up now!
  • Oh wow, this study seems so cool. I will check it out...
  • I participated in this back in 2013 before I got pregnant!  I got a free FF subscription and a CVS giftcard for finishing up the surveys.
  • That's pretty cool! I'm benched at the moment but will sign up once we're actively TTC again. 

    image
    LFAF/Nov 16 challenge: Bad TV moms that shouldn't be celebrated


    BFP #1 10/30/15 MMC found 11/30/15 D&C 12/11/15 EDD 7/9/16
    healing comes in waves, and maybe today the wave hits the rocks and that’s ok, that’s ok, darling. you are still healing, you are still healing- Ijeoma Umebinyuo, be gentle with yourself
    BFP #2  3/21   EDD 11/28/16
  • My husband got the invitation to the semen study today! Too funny!
  • My husband got the invitation to the semen study today! Too funny!

    My H just the email to do the SA today too! I'm so curious.
  • Went down to the medical school today to pee in a cup and get my blood drained for science. It was a pretty quick in and out appointment, although the girls there were a little awkward. They stabbed me three times and still couldn't get blood drawn so we gave up. I have difficult veins so I expected a bit of a struggle but ended up not being able to give them any blood at all. Whoops. But hey I still got the $50 and the fella got his email today to participate in the semen study so then we'll be another $20 richer. 

    I'm adding onto this thread because they said the study's been going for two years and they said they only have about 70 local participants for the urine and blood collection. So, if you're in the "Boston Metro" area and want to help other ladies down the line that are TTC, it might be worth giving your bodily fluids to science. Sciiiiiience!

     
     



  • Wow, that dietary questionnaire was loooooooong! I hope those scientists learn something from it! I enjoyed receiving my dietary summary. Go science!!
  • Wow, that dietary questionnaire was loooooooong! I hope those scientists learn something from it! I enjoyed receiving my dietary summary. Go science!!
    Yeah it's a beast.  My DH refused to do his.
  • jhems776 said:

    My husband got the invitation to the semen study today! Too funny!

    My H just the email to do the SA today too! I'm so curious.
    Mine got his yesterday. I'm irrationally excited about it! He just thinks I'm nuts right now.
    Babysizer Geeky Pregnancy Tracker
  • I started the dietary questionnaire but haven't finished it yet. I don't have the mental fortitude to do that in one sitting.

     
     



  • bestnameeverbestnameever member
    edited December 2015
    Thanks for sharing this
    penelope4612 ! 
    I just joined- anxiously awaiting the dietary survey :)
    I know my husband will not sign up for this, even in the name of science- so no luck getting the sperm contraption :( 
    And hello to all my fellow Boston metro TTGP ladies!! 

    edit: had to add a return prior to my penelope shout out- otherwise it looked like i was just screaming her name. 
    Pregnancy Ticker

    DH: 35 & Me: 34
    Married September 2014
    2 fur kitties



  • My husband just finished his diet survey! How's that for being a science nerd!!!
  • Oooh thanks for sharing! I'm signing up now.
  • Update: DH and I signed up for this and he got the Trak thing in the mail to measure sperm count. It was pretty interesting, the kit comes with a centrifuge where you put the sample in and after it spins around for a few minutes, it tells you the count. Only criticism is that it implies that only good samples have at least 60 million, whereas I've read online that 20-40 is considered to be normal. In any case, they don't tell you to do anything unless it's 15 million or below. And, obviously it can't tell you things like morphology, but I think the only way to do that would be an SA. 

    WORF: I did not come here to admire the scenery. 
    DAX: If you say so. I guess we should just go home. 
    WORF: Well maybe. I would not be so hasty. 
    DAX: I take it the scenery has improved? 
    WORF: A few months ago, when I was commanding the Defiant on a scouting mission in the Gamma Quadrant, we encountered a protostar cluster, a swirling mass of colour set against a background of glowing clouds and burning sky. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen, until now. 
    DAX: I've got to take you on vacation more often. 

  • I just signed up. I'm always willing to answer some questions for a good cause. I remember the struggle of trying to get participants for studies when I was working on my degree. Hopefully they learn something from the study that helps ladies in the future get pregnant with less issues than a lot of us have had.
    Me: 28 Husband: 31
    TTC#1: January 2015- September 2016
    Infertility, Recurrent Pregnancy Loss
    Rainbow baby born June 6, 2017  ❤️

    Baby #2 due June 12, 2018
    BabyFruit Ticker


  • evergreen90evergreen90 member
    edited January 2016
    I received my follow-up questionnaire today and it was a cinch to complete! Took me just a few minutes. I love this study! GO SCIENCE GO!
  • Aah, this is cool! I totally just signed up! Not sure how DH will feel about having to do a home SA, but...he's a science positive type of guy.
    Me: 31 | DH: 31
    Together since 2003 | Married 2010
    TTC #1 January 2016
    BFP April 18 2016 | EDD December 29, 2016
    Welcome baby A! January 9, 2017

    TTC#2 March 2018
    BFP March 30, 2018 | EDD December 12, 2018
Sign In or Register to comment.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards
"
"