The Miscalculation of a 29-Year-Old Who Thought She Would Get Pregnant Immediately: From Irregular Periods to Starting Fertility Treatment

"How many times should I try before going to the hospital?"
When starting fertility efforts, many people wonder about this, don't they?

The major trigger for me to visit a gynecologist at 29 was an unexpected anomaly:the pregnancy test was negative, but my next period didn't come at all.

This time, I will talk about the process from the days of trial and error with self-directed fertility efforts to visiting a hospital and moving on to full-scale fertility treatment (timed intercourse).

1. From constant overseas travel to fertility efforts: The baseless confidence that I would "get pregnant immediately"

I love traveling abroad and had been going here and there with my husband and friends even before we got married.
At the beginning of our marriage, we used contraception for several years because we had events scheduled over the next few years where "it would be inconvenient if I got pregnant," such as our wedding, honeymoon, and various other overseas trips.

When we had finished going to all the places we wanted to go and decided, "It's okay to get pregnant anytime now," we stopped using contraception when I was 29.

A close friend had said, "I got pregnant in one try (one cycle)!" so I also thought I would get pregnant immediately.

2. From paying for Luna Luna to a "quantity over quality" strategy: Trial and error with self-directed timed intercourse

For a fertility app, I used "Luna Luna," which I had been using since I was a student.
When I started fertility efforts in earnest, I subscribed to the premium course (400 yen/month).
This was because I wanted to use the feature that tells you your "intimacy days," which are the days you are most likely to get pregnant.
At this point, I was not tracking my basal body temperature.
However, even after trying for two months (two cycles), there were no results...

At that time, I learned that frequency is also important for timing, and I changed my thinking, wondering, "Even if I don't know the exact intimacy day, shouldn't I just try to have intercourse as much as possible around the ovulation day?"
Since the ovulation prediction feature can be used in the free version,
I canceled the premium course after only two months.

I tried to have intercourse every day if possible, or at least every other day, for one to two weeks around the ovulation day.
However, another three months passed without me getting pregnant.

3. The test was negative, but my period didn't come? My first gynecological visit

At one point, my period was two weeks late, but the pregnancy test was negative happened.

Since my period usually came regularly every month, I was very anxious at the time about why my period wouldn't come even though I wasn't pregnant.

I searched for a local clinic with good reviews on Google Maps and headed there, but I couldn't get an examination that day because it was popular.Even if it wasn't written on the website, it seemed to be in a state close to "by appointment only", so I went home in disappointment after only making an appointment for a week later.

And then the day of the visit arrived. The following tests were performed on this day.

• Blood test: Checked for sexually transmitted infections, thyroid function, presence of ovulation, etc.

• Ultrasound test: Checked the condition of the uterus and ovaries.

I decided to receive the blood test results in two weeks.
The ultrasound results were told to me by the doctor on the spot, but the content was unexpected.
"If it were the original expected date, you would be 6 weeks pregnant, but nothing can be seen in the uterus. However, since the ovulation date is unknown and you are continuing to have sexual intercourse, we cannot determine the presence or absence of pregnancy at this time."

To make matters worse,a 'water balloon-like shadow' on one of my ovarieswas found. I was told, "If it doesn't disappear in a few months, there is a possibility of a tumor," and
I didn't know the cause of my irregular periods, and a mysterious tumor-like thing (tentative) was found, soI was full of anxiety that it might be some major illnessat that time.

4. Relieved after resolving my anxiety. Moving on to full-scale fertility treatment

Then, a few days after my first visit, my period came as if nothing had happened.
Although I felt sad that I couldn't get pregnant, I felt relieved thinking, 'My period has come, which means the next chance has begun'.

The blood test results I received later were also fine, and the water balloon-like shadow from before was gone, soI was relieved to know that there was no possibility of a major illness.

However,the fact that I wasn't getting pregnant was a source of anxiety. Generally, infertility is defined as not getting pregnant for 'one year if under 35 years old'.
However, in my case, in addition to the irregular periods this time, the condition of my ovaries led to a suspicion ofthe possibility of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS).

When I consulted the doctor, saying, "I'm almost 30 and have been trying on my own for about half a year, but I haven't gotten pregnant,"
based on the possibility of such ovulation disorders and the doctor's judgment,it was decided that I would start timed intercourse treatment covered by insurance from the next cycle.

Conclusion

At first, I thought lightly that "I would conceive right away," butfeeling something was wrong with my body and taking action became the first step toward facing my own body.

Normally, in your 20s, you are often told to "wait and see for about a year," but
in my case,thanks to the sign of irregular periods, I was able to notice the possibility of PCOS early, and I am really glad that I was able to visit and consult a doctor early.

When I was using trial and error on my own,I was anxious, thinking, "I'm still in my 20s, so if I go to the doctor after only about half a year, will they tell me to 'try a little harder on your own'?..."so when the doctor proposed treatment, I remember feeling very relieved at the time, thinking, "
I can move forward with the help of medical care.".

If there is anyone who is worrying alone, thinking"Maybe it's still too early,"I think
if you have symptoms that concern you, such as irregular periods, visiting a doctor just to check is one option.

I hope this article will be of some help to those who are hesitating to take the first step just like I was!

※Details about PCOS and the history of the blood tests and treatments I actually received are summarized in this article👇

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[Read also] For first-time visitors
I have summarized my self-introduction and what I will be posting on this note.
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