We now have a concrete plan on our infertility journey.
It was last 27 September 2017 when our infertility doctor revealed his plan for me and my husband. After waiting for the thorough seminalysis of DH, our infertility doctor ruled out that it is better for us to go through Invitro Fertilization (IVF) rather than the Artificial Insemination (IUI) because of DHs counts where it is only 2.8 Million because of oligospermia. He said that he will do an Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) for DH as part of our IVF cycle. Below is DHs Sperm Analysis Result:
ICSI is a new procedure and the most successful form of treatment for men who are infertile. ICSI only requires one sperm, which is injected directly into the egg. In IVF only, sperm and egg cells are retrieve and are allowed to meet in a tiny disc. Sometimes the process here is not successful. Unlike in IVF with ICSI whereby Conceptia will do the retrieval of our respective egg and sperm cells and, in a laboratory technique, Conceptia will insert DHs single sperm/spermatozoon (with a normal appearance and motility) directly on every mature collected eggs/oocytes in order to facilitate their fertilization and to create an embryo. The fertilized egg (embryo) will then be transferred on my uterus. Why will they do this? From what I understand, DH has a low sperm concentration and adding to that he has also low motility as you can see unto my DH sperm analysis result where the total motile sperm on motility A is zero. The cost of ICSI procedure is at CAD1,575.00.
Our infertility doctor also requires DH to have a sperm freezing anytime just to be sure that on the day of retrieval of my egg cells they will have a back up sperm ready in case the retrieve sperm cells are not good for ICSI procedure. The cost of sperm freezing is at CAD420.00 which is good for 1 year of storage.
According to our infertility doctor, and since I am already done with my 3 blood works on days 3, 8 and 21 (aside from the 3 -days consecutive blood works that I did because of prolactin but were ruled out okay), we will wait for my day 1 to do a MOCK (or trial) embryo transfer. They will do this test to make sure they can get the catheter containing the embryo(s) to the right spot in my uterus. Our infertility doctor will use a speculum and an empty catheter on a day when there is no pressure. The cost of the Mock Embryo Transfer is CAD200.00. Below are the 3 steps we did for our pre IVF cycle.
We wanted to do the IVF in December this year but due to work related inconveniences plus the fact that it is winter season on that month, we decided to move the procedure early next year but still let's see as we go on. I believe I will also start taking contraceptive pill on Day 1 of my next period for 21 days. They require this on IVF. Some clinics require their patients to do this for 6 months. So after these 21 days, I honestly am still lost on what they will do next since we do not have yet exact month to the IVF so let's just wait and see on my day 1. However, below is the chart that Conceptia clinic plans to do for me and my husband. Our IVF long protocol calendar (with Suprefact):
I will also have maximum dosage of infertility medicines. I will meet again with my pregnyl and puregon shots. Those medicines are not in tablet form but all needle works again and the only difference now is that I need to learn how to do it on my own. Yeah, right. I already have almost 20 needle work ups since last year and there will be more coming. Bring it on. I am ready to endure them all.
Our IVF with ICSI will cost us for the following procedures below:
a. Sperm Freezing - CAD420.00
b. Mock Transfer - CAD200.00
c. ICSI - CAD1,575.00
d. IVF - CAD6,100.00
TOTAL - CAD8,295.00
Infertility medicines are not included in the total cost above. We do not have problem with the medicines because our Manulife will cover 80% of it. It is only on the procedure that we need to do cash outs before we can ask for reimbursement with the New Brunswick Government up to the maximum amount of CAD5,000.00. Below is the form that we will use for our application for assistance once our IVF is all done:
We have yet to call Manulife on their procedure on how to do reimbursements because Conceptia clinic do not use medical insurances and it is the patient's obligation to ask for reimbursement on their respective medical insurances. We have a maximum allowable benefit of CAD6,000.00 each on infertility medicines and procedures. So these too will help on our financial liability doing this IVF with ICSI.
This is our make or break part, especially that it is our first time to do the IVF but we also believe that our Father God is with us on this journey and we know He will provide. He already started doing miracle works by allowing us to transfer from overnight shift to PM shift in our workplace. For this, we are truly grateful. And we know, He will come again for us during those months that we will do the procedure. In His most precious perfect time, we claim that He will grant us the desire of our hearts. Our Father God did not allow us to come here to Canada for nothing but to become parents to our little R. Amen.
