Recently I had a rather poor experience with my fertility specialist that made me question if I should continue with them or change doctors. I came to the decision that I would give them one more chance – largely because I wanted confirmation it wasn’t just because of my ‘faulty’ body that meant they couldn’t perform a proper IUI.
So, I went in for an appointment to confirm that using an appropriate speculum, the doctor could in fact see my cervix. Lo and behold, they could see it.
Fast forward to my next cycle, and I decide to stick with this doctor one more time for an IUI procedure. While this procedure was largely the same protocol as the last, they spent a lot more time positioning the speculum than the previous attempt. This leads me to believe that they were in a rush on that previous attempt – to be done with the only appointment that day – and that, not just my body’s physiology alone, impacted the procedure that occurred.
I also noticed a lot more communication in this cycle and on procedure day than before – when things needed to be moved, changed, or other options came up, they actually spoke to me about them, as the client and patient. They took more time, as well, at every step. That was markedly different from last time. They actually used the ultrasound (always sitting right next to procedure chairs in the clinic) to check the view.
While advocating for myself is still very uncomfortable for me, this proves to me how worth it advocating for yourself is, especially in things that matter. I hope it also made the doctor realise how poorly they had conducted themselves in comparison prior, and that they don’t put another person through the same experience I had.
I remain realistic about the odds of IUI success v failure, but also slightly more hopeful as at least this time I know exactly what was undertaken, and that gives me more confidence in the job being done.
Post-IUI Update:
This cycle too, was negative. However unlike previously, I had a better conversation with the clinician this time, when reviewing the cycle. They seemed to take on board more of my perspective than previously, and we had a fuller discussion on next steps. I’ve decided to give one more IUI a go (making it #3 not counting the cancelled cycle), before regrouping and looking at changing to IVF. I’ve purchased another vial of donor sperm, and will plan out when I next want to try a cycle. After this last IUI, however, I think I would only try IVF no more than 3 times before calling it quits completely. I am resolved in not becoming lost on this journey to the exclusion of the rest of my life.
If you’re on a fertility journey, how have you found the professionals you’ve worked with?
Horizon Homestead 
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