Ok, I'll throw it out there

cause it's on my mind and I need other things to freak out about...

selective reduction...

taboo?

would you do it?

Frankly, I'm scared of having multiples..DH is as well. Twins ok, but after that..I don't know if I could handle it.

How well documented is selective reduction..risks?

Do you know anyone who did it? How did it turn out?

I know that many times the body reduces on it's own.

Re: Ok, I'll throw it out there

Its a very tough call. Probably four or more I would consider it, it is dangerous for both me and the babies to carry that many. But honestly, if the situation was in front of me I don't know what I would do for sure.
However, doctors want to avoid this altogether and this is why IUI cycles are cancelled if there are too many follies.

Re: Ok, I'll throw it out there

I do know somebody that did it

I'm sure it was the hardest choice she ever had to make, but her and her babies lives were at risk and I personally believe that she did the right thing

she has beautiful twins

Re: Ok, I'll throw it out there

I honestly don't know what I would do; I could say one thing now but if faced with the decision might do the total opposite.

Re: Ok, I'll throw it out there

Re: Ok, I'll throw it out there

This is a great fear of mine, I don't know what I would do and it scares the hell out of me.

Re: Ok, I'll throw it out there

I don't know what I would do and I think about it often during my cycles. My first IVF cycle, my RE made me sign a document stating that I would agree to selective reduction. It was the hardest thing I had to do and if it came down to it, I don't know what I would have done. Even though I signed the document, could they really make me do it?

I don't think I can carry anymore than 2. I had such horrible back pain with just one. I guess it's one of those things where you can't say what you would do unless you were put in that position. I hope none of us are ever put in that position.

I know someone who got pg through IVF with quads. She didn't have selective reduction and lost all 4 at 21 weeks.

Re: Ok, I'll throw it out there

Re: Ok, I'll throw it out there

we were faced with this decision - because originally, we had triplets.

We were told of the high risk of carrying them, both to the babies and to DW.

We made the decision based on religious beliefs. Plus, we were told that the procedure to reduce the one triplet, would have a 4% chance of effecting the other 2. Any percent chance was too much for us. We waited so long, that it wasn't our place to question the blessings God bestowed.

Plus, we're pro-life, so doing that would have made us hypocrites. The only way we would have terminated part or all of the pregnancy is if Boosh's health was severly in danger. And it wasn't - there were risks, but nothing concrete.

We prayed and God worked the situation out for us.

Re: Ok, I'll throw it out there

Message edited 11/22/2010 11:58:19 AM.

Re: Ok, I'll throw it out there

quotetheraven424, thank you for sharing.

I am terribly afraid of multiples and the pressure to reduce. I have worked so hard to get pregnant and then to terminate a life.

I truly believe in God's will, His will may not be easy but I truly believe he'll get me through it

Re: Ok, I'll throw it out there

With my IVF and the amount of embies we knew were going to be going back on a 3 day transfer, we knew there was a risk of high order multiples. Prior to our first IVF, we had a very long discussion with my RE about it. While I cannot say for sure what I would do faced with that decision, because you can't know until you are in that place at that time. I hope I never have to make that decision. But I do know what MY health risks would be. And at this point in my IF journey, should I be blessed enough to get pregnant, I'm not so sure I'd be able to put an entire pregnancy at risk having gone through what we've gone through to get to that point.

Like I said, I say that NOW, but who knows what I would do if faced with the decision.

It's a very personal decision, I don't think there is any right or wrong answer.

Re: Ok, I'll throw it out there

I have a good friend in a buddy group on another site. We all are/were going through IF together. She unexpectedly over-responded after trigger and IUI, thus releasing and fertilizing 4 eggs instead of the expected 2. The doctors said what happened to her was rare. She carried all 4 for 10w and then one naturally reduced. She had been speaking to specialists in her city and around the country about SR and the health risks to both her and the babies. In the end, she did reduce down to twins. It was scary for a bit afterwards, not knowing if the twins would be effected, but they are fine and so is she! It was such an extremely difficult decision for her to make and I didn't envy her at all. It was so hard to think of SR which took place in the beginning of the second trimester. Everyone has to make their own decision about what they think, how they feel/believe, and the health risks.

Re: Ok, I'll throw it out there

I am scared to death of multiples for so many reasons. I cannot tell you how scary injections with IUI were for me knowing the risk was up to 30%. If I ever do IVF, I would probably only put back 1.

Re: Ok, I'll throw it out there

Wow - you just read my thoughts. I just came back from consult with high risk pregnancy doctor (not pregnant yet but retrieval should be in a few days) and I spent the last 2 hours researching selective reduction. Then I signed onto here and saw your post. Very weird.
Anyway I was told that because of my small stature and other medical reasons that it would not be advisible to carry multiples and therefore I should only implant one embryo at transfer. I was devastated. I don't know if I can afford to do this process again should the first not work and I was hoping to increase my chances.
Bottom line is if my health or the babies was at risk I think I could handle selective reduction. Unfortunately for IVF people the decision to increase the risk of multiples is often our own. so we are faced with the possibility of selective reduction well before pregnancy.
The risks to other embryos is about 4%.
They also said that before allowing someone to do selective reduction they make them have a psychological screening.
I am currently struggling with how many embryos to transfer this week. (1 or 2) They keep telling me not to stress, yet that's the only thing I do!
I understand your fear. Good luck with whatever decision you make.

Re: Ok, I'll throw it out there

I really do not know. I had a preemie baby due to high amniotic fluid of unexplained origin. If I have this problem again there is no way I could safely deliver a multiple pg. This is my biggest fear in having multiples. That being said, I have a friend who was pg with IUI trips and SR to a twin pg. She then lost her baby girl at 22 weeks due to unknown factors. She safely delivered her son at 33 weeks. She harbors such guilt and regret over the SR. I think you truly cannot know unless you walk in those shoes.

ETA I also know someone else who was pg with trips, she did not SR but lost 1 early on and her second was lost around 20 weeks, this triggered labor for the 3rd baby and she was delivered at 25 weeks. Heartbreaking.

Message edited 6/10/2008 3:55:01 PM.

Re: Ok, I'll throw it out there