What is the Symptom

Just had ICSI. All went smoothly and had blood test last week to check if more medication is needed. Had acupuncture for the next 5 days after ICSI.....all went smoothly, and embryolist said all went well smoothly and embryo is Grade 1.


Will be back to clinic to test for pregnancy end of this week. Could someone tell me what is the symtoms if I am pregnant, before I wait till this weekend? I do feel normal and is suspicious that I may not be successful.

OK prepare to drive yourself mad checking for symptoms - all part of 2 week wait I'm afraid - could be sore boobs (more veiny), cramping sensations, increased sense of smell, spotting, heightened emotions, tiredness, possible nausea (though does not usually kick in until later), vivid dreams, hunger, no hunger, stomach bloating - could be absolutely nothing - it is still very early and a lot of women don't get any "symptoms" until 6-8 weeks. Also unhelpfully most of these symptoms also occur with PMT - I have had unsuccessful transfers where I was sure I was pregnant (feeling sick etc) and wasn't and successful ones where didn't really feel anything. For me it was mainly cramping and sense of smell and an out of proportion emotional outburst a day or two before the test - but everyone is different. Only real way to know is a pregnancy test but that way madness also lies - you can end up testing obsessively. I wish I could offer something to help you through this difficult time but just try and keep busy with things you enjoy. At least it sounds like everything else went well so you've been kicking some goals up to this point - fingers crossed for you - and don't lose heart if you haven't been successful, the next time might be the charm (maybe you have some frozen embryos).

Best wishes and baby dust.

thanks Ipperry. I just could not wait till this weekend for the pregnancy test. Thought things might show up before I go for the test. I have not had the symptoms you described. I am watching my steps and make sure I am not tiring myself.

my sister (J.B. Malaysia) had her ICSI. She did not think she was pregnant at all as she feels nothing on the second week. anyway, dr. asked her to go back on third week so she went to see her... low and behold, she was pregnant! No symptom or whatsoever to show that she was pregnant. Her son now is 2.4 months old. So stay cool i know you can't but remind cool.

I was confirmed pregnant! Went for ultrasound and was detected twins! I read it somewhere on the web and was told that many people learn about their multiples at an early ultrasound. Although some critics say that before twelve weeks gestation there is still a high risk of Vanishing Twin Syndrome (VTS), where one baby stops growing and is either absorbed back into the mother's body or is still born when the other twin is born.


Anyone has this experience or any comments?


Any precaution that I should take to maintain my twins?

Congratulations on your pregnancy!!!!


Take it easy, keep taking your vitamins, stay hydrated, live healthfully and keep your fingers crossed! -that's about all the advice I can offer!

Thank you all.


I just had my ultrasound scan today after 8 weeks. All went well. Doctor said that I can travel. I was alittle sceptical as I thought the pressure in the plane and turbulances will not do good for me. Any body has any comments on travelling during pregnancy?

Hi Highlander, congratulations!!! for flights, if your doctor says it is fine, I think it is OK, I have a little complication with the bebe, but, still the doctor says it is fine and enjoy the child-free days!! Normally, you can use the plane up to 32weeks but, once there is a complication, the weeks will decrease as monitoring needs to be done so enjoy while it is there!! As of my experience, I have done some plane traveling during my first tri-semseter and 2nd( now 5 months), none of this has resulted to my complication. In my 1st and 2nd month, i was traveling to Tokyo every 2 weeks, without knowledge that I was pregnant, the flight is 4 hours, in my 3rd month, I did a 12 hour flight to Paris to see my husband's family, and at 4 months, I went to Thailand and travelled around a bit on domestic flights and inter-island boats. And everything is fine. One thing I found out is from 3months, my blood circulation has changed and the 12 hour flight was a wee bit painful even with the advises people say, drink fluid, walk around, etc. I really had a difficult time after I got off the plane with my feet like elephant's and a massive headache, or maybe I have a bebe that consumes much air,but, I suggest you get those leggings that pressure your legs so the blood is still going around and make sure you have a seat easy access to the WC or walking around. I am limiting my flights to less than 5 hours now but, before the bebe arrives in December, I have 3 more flights lined up. The doctor wants me to come in before and after the trip but, he does not reject the idea. BTW, my complication is that I have a straight umbillical cord and at the final months, it could choke the baby with him or her moving around so my tummy needs monitoring. As of boats, it is better that you avoid small fisherman boats as it is unstable and bumpy, when I was in thailand, just myself got cancelled because the waves were too big and it was bad for the baby. But, ferrys and bigger boats are OK, same with cars, no jeeps but, padded big 4WDs. I know, the constraint is frustrating but, i am saving all these activities for after the baby is out as a family trip.

I hope my experience helps, and another thing I read was, there are pregnant flight attendants existing and they have heard no complication because of the pressure. I do agree worrying about the turbulence, so far I have only had mid-aggressive ones so i cannot say. At the end of the day, it's all about you being comfortable with the fact. I really like planes and I want to spoil the baby while it is free so I have enough reasons to be comfortable with it. Let me know if you want more details!!!!


Good luck!!

Thanks Xshowqueen. We have to be careful as we have been tryng very long to have a baby. So every steps that we take, is a very trying time for us.


I am surprise that you got to know your complication during this time. When and how did you get to find out?


You seems travel alot during your pregnancy. I wish we could do likewise, but prevention is better than anything at this stage. I am now in my 11th week. Had an ultrascan and it shows two heart beats, so my tummy now is like on 13th week. What do you look out on your diet?

Hi Highlander,

Has your Dr. ok-ed your traveling? That should be first. Given that you have done ivf and have twins, I would be even more cautious. (In US they monitor you for 16 weeks and do not like you to travel during that time if conceived via ivf) Airlines will not let you travel with twins in the tummy earlier (32 weeks) than if you had one (36 weeks) because twins are generally considered higher risk.


Having said that, many pregnant women travel till the last minute because they can, have to, what ever the reason may be and are absolutely fine. I have done 2 long flights, HK to NYC and several shorter flights within Asia- and I have been perfectly fine. I have one more long haul flight scheduled in my 3rd trimester and one to India (5-6 hours) No problems what so ever. Yes, a swollen feet happen, but they are hardly a problem per se, just take lots of fluids, keep moving around and keep your feet up as much as you can. Air pressure is no cause for worry; bumpiness, may be- buckle up whenever you sit down and always walk to the bathroom holding the seats one by one that way you ensure you always have support in case of unexpected turbulence.


You are asking about what to eat on the airplane, I assume? Do take something to eat with you so that incase any food they provide seems to make you nauseous or annoyed, you have back up. Fruits, bananas specially were godsend when traveling within US where they don't give you any food on the plane and I hated airport sandwiches.

Hi -sa, my doctor is okay for my travel, but of course no one can be responsible if something goes wrong. Thank you for your advise.

Hi Highlander,


We were also trying for a long time, so when i got pregnant, i stay put and did not travel, better be safe as we waited for this pregnancy for a long time. You can travel later.


Congratulations again and enjoy your pregnancy!

Hi Highlander, I am really sorry to be insensitive about your situation, and double sorry to scare you with the complication bit. : ( : (


- as for how I found out about the complication, it was during my routine check up ultrasound for 19 weeks. I am really lucky to have a very experienced OB by chance. I am a first pregnant over 30 category, and also my family history does not sound good in baby birth so maybe that is why he is taking extra care, or maybe it is just his normal practice. I did the Down Syndrome test at 4 months, which came out 1/75 by ultrasound so proceeded to blood test which was 1/1250, a bit of a shock there and then the next one, the19week(20week routine), we found out about the cord, our little one gives us some entertainment each and every time!! I do not know if this is helping the doctor on how he would do the ultrasound scanning but, every time, I do two things from my side. i give him accurate condition information and ask him lots and lots of questions until I am satisfied, is it ok to hurt here? what is that thing I see on the ultrasound? anything that worries me, I ask him. I must be the most annoying patient!!!

-as for the diet, for travel, except for bringing crackers on board and dried fruits in my luggage, I maintain my normal plan. There are couple things that I practice alongside with at least "trying" to eat healthy.(Sometimes I have severe junkfood cravings which I indulge in) One is to take my supplement. My doctor prescribed me a supplement called "Materna" which contains the basics for pregnant and breast feeding woman. Two is to eat red meat, well done big fat steak with mashed potatoes if possible, at least once a week, this is also my doctor's advise. 3 is to avoid raw food, not just fish but, also liver,carpaccios, and cheese of the Brie family, even the French give it up when they are pregnant!! 4. eat 3 proper meals a day(of course snacks in between!!)No matter which country, I maintain the 4 basics and the rest is as if it is a normal holiday and enjoy the local cuisine.


I hope I gave you some info that can be used but, I really believe that talking to your doctor with anything that worries you, no matter how small a matter, anything and it doesnt matter how many times, is going to be the most efficient solution!! most important is the mom is comfortable. Talking to a person experienced in this field really helps since they have seen so many cases. When I went to get my support bra, I complained to the lady that measured me that my butt is so big that even the unsexiest regular underwear has become a thong. She simply said, that is a good sign that you will not trip over your tummy because the butt is growing to maintain balance for the tummy becoming bigger and bigger, so be happy that everything is working out for the bebe.


Hope all is fine!!

Hi crystal88, may I know when is your due date?


Hi Xshoequeen, I have never found your comments insestive, so not to worry at all. In fact, I found your comments informative. And I am very surprise that you still have a regular life during your pregnancy and could eat 3 meals a day! I could not have good 3 meals a day as I found lack of appetite. My doctor told me that this is normal and advised me to take more meals with a smaller portion each.


Did you mentioned that you did your Down Syndrome test on the 4th months? I thought this should be done between 11th and 12th week?


Yes Cara.......twins, so we are extra careful, and also worry about VTS.

Hi Highlander, how are you feeling today? Hanging in there?


-re. the Down syndrome, yes you are right, I did it on week 12 which is not 4 months, many apologizes, I still cannot get this week-month correctly. I am sure that your doctor has indicated you the window days you can get the test and i think he would want to do the blood test, then the ultra sound. I did it the other way round because I was not here the window period and only came back on the last day of the window.


- I know, you're always fatigued and just not feeling good/energetic, just do not have the mojo to face things. I think they should call it pregnancy infection. I did not believe in what everyone said, once you finish your first trimester, things will get better, but, it did for me too!!!


- i have to let the cat out of the bag but, the only reason I did my normal life thing during my first trimester was because I had to do it. Things were already planned out upto June before we conceived the little one and canceling all meant consequences to many parties so not really a choice there and when you have no choice, I think from somewhere, you get the energy, no? Like if you have no more clean underwear to wear, you just face your pile of laundry no matter what. I am surprised myself that I went through it, more over, the little one surviving it all!!


- All I can say, as I cannot imagine how it must be for you as I was already hands full with just one, and now that I went through, there are a couple of things that really helped me.


-1 is actually, i cheated a little. When we were in France in june(8 to 12 weeks), my mother in law saw how much I was sick and told my sister in law who is a pharmacist to get those pregnant safe homeopath anti-sickness pills which pregnant woman use in france. now i know the less medication, the better for the baby but, my mother in law used it and my husband is perfectly fine so I went for it and it helped me cope the last weeks. I do know that doctors prescribe morning sickness pills so if everything is too much, you have a way to get around.


-2 is I only ate what agreed with me during the sickness period. Forget about nutrition, forget about balance, i think it is easier to think that eating and food is only a method to supply minimum energy if it helps. When I refused to eat, my husband begged me to think this way for the little one because I have to provide him power to grow bigger and complete the construction of his nest. And what I am about to tell you might give you an over all idea of the aftermath of low appetite which i am curious why noone told me. Maybe noone expected a mom-to be to actually only eat ice cream


-3. Since my diet was potato chips, ice cream, really not proper meals, i really got fatigued out by the end of the first trimester. What happened was, the little one not only ate my potato chips but, started eating into my nutrition supply and my iron storage level went way way down to the bare minimum. How i found out was, after France(12 weeks~), I started getting severe headaches, and started throwing up everyday. My husband thought that I had brain tumor or something and took me to the GP. I think I am lucky with doctors because he found out my very low iron storage level by experience. He prescribed me parathetamol for the pain( the safest for pregnancy) and redirected me to my OB. Then is when i got Materna because, quite frankly, in this modern world, it is impossible to be strictly following the nutrition guideline but, the baby will not wait and the baby will give the mother only negative feedback. One thing that a lot of pregnant woman forget is how much important red meat is. So red meat red meat red meat was his message. So I religiously started following( by this time, my sickness period was over) and it made a significant difference within 2,3 weeks.


-4, the Thai trip in month4, it was actually my husbands idea. Since i was so tired from the first trimester, he thought I really needed some serious recupperating. So he sent me to Thailand, the country I adore so much, and that trip did it for me. i am re-energised.


-5 with each ultrasound, i think you come to realize, no matter what you are doing, how much a non-bebe-freindly life you are leading(in my case) that the bebe is still there growing on its' own and its' child hood has already started. The 12 week ultrasound, the bebe was waving towards the screen(I know I know I know, its' hallucination), 5 months check up, i saw the baby meditating (really!! the meditation pose, hands together on the chest). He was deep into the meditation that the doctor had to shove him awake. I have my ups and downs but, I am starting to realize that it is just not me and that I have a responsibility to provide the little one minimum that i can do. i guess this is my biggest motivation on trying be good. but, it's difficult. It really is.


I really hope that this has made you feel that it is absolutely OK not to have a normal life, because it is not normal period. I was really misleading to have made myself sound as if, nothing was a matter but, I was just in a unique position. I think with time, you will get the hang of it and be able to lead a semi-normal life!!!!!! I am still in the process of getting the hang of it!!

Hi Xshoequeen, thank you for your reply. Your replies are very informative.